Ask Drone U
722 episodes - English - Latest episode: 25 days ago - ★★★★ - 414 ratingsWe’re Drone U, a group of guys who have turned their passion for flight into a profitable business. We love hearing from our fans, and we love helping by answering their questions. That’s why we started the Ask Drone U podcast in 2015. Since then, we are one of the largest, most popular DAILY drone podcasts out there. Each episode features an actual question submitted from someone just like you! We wish we could answer everyone’s question(s), but we’ll do our best to get through as many of them as we can. So plug in those headphones because it’s time to learn together about everything drone: FAA, insurance, business strategies, videography, drone tips, flight techniques, drone tricks, expert advice, cameras, gimbals, and so much more. #askdroneu
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Episodes
ADU 01120: Can You Share Some Of Your Biggest Business Failures?
August 07, 2020 13:18 - 40 minutes - 36.9 MBToday's question is about failures in business. What are some of the most important lessons that Rob and Paul have learned from their business failures? Our caller for today, Tom has come with a very interesting question today. It is about failures in business. Specifically, what are some of Rob's and Paul's biggest business failures? And, what have they learned from them? Like all entrepreneurs, Rob and Paul have had their fair share of failures. And, instead of getting bogged down by your...
ADU 01119: How Can I See the Battery Voltage for My Mavic Air on the Main Screen? Why is the Feed Bad on My Crystalsky?
August 06, 2020 12:56 - 18 minutes - 16.8 MBWe have an interesting two-part question today. Our first part of the show is about making drone battery voltage appear on the main screen. And the second part is about getting a clean feed when recording on the DJI Crystalsky. Our caller, Zach flies a Mavic Air and is bugged by the fact that he cannot see battery voltage on the main screen. Can Zach hack the Mavic Air to address this issue? Additionally, the feed on his DJI Crystal Sky is pretty choppy. Is it normal for drone pilots to get ...
ADU 01118: How Do I Geo-Rectify Ground Control Points? What is the Recommended Workflow for Mapping a Large Piece of Land?
August 05, 2020 13:15 - 27 minutes - 25 MBToday's question is about drone mapping and modeling. What are some expert tips for creating highly accurate drone maps and models? Our caller for today, Roy has gotten a big job from a real estate company that involves mapping a large 69-acre piece of land. He is planning on using a Trimble G7X and five GCP's for the job. Will this suffice? What workflow should Roy follow to accurately map a large 69-acre piece of land? To answer Roy's question, we first explain the basics of drone mapping...
BONUS: Drone News – Public Safety Drones, Propeller Creates The Next Evolution of Drone Mapping, Drones for Shark Research
August 01, 2020 18:21 - 25 minutes - 24.1 MBWe are back with yet another news show full of the latest and most exciting news from the drone world. Our first story this week is about public safety drones. Last week a drone fell on a patrol car while the police were investigating an accident scene. Fortunately, no one was hurt. As per reports, this drone was a police drone that was being flown for investigative purposes. Does this incident highlight the fact that public safety officers taking to the skies without proper training? Our ne...
ADU 01117: What Do I Need to Do After I Crash My Drone?
July 29, 2020 06:03 - 36 minutes - 33.1 MBHow to Avert a Potential Drone Crash, and What You Need to Do Once You Crash Your Drone Today's show is about what you need to do once you crash your drone. What steps can you follow to accurately check the extent of damage on your drone? Our caller for today, Martin had signed up for the Drone U's Virtual Flight Mastery class. In preparation for the class, Martin was flying some practice drills on an empty soccer field. Due to a strong gust of wind, he lost control of his drone, a Mavic 2 ...
ADU 01116: Expert Tips for Flying Drones in Hot Weather
July 28, 2020 12:58 - 25 minutes - 23.5 MBAll You Need to Know For Flying Drones in Hot Weather Today's question is about flying drones in hot weather. As a drone pilot, how can you protect your equipment and your health while flying in hot weather? Our caller for today, Todd from Ohio has come up with an interesting two-part question today. His first question is about flying drones in hot weather? What precautions do drone pilots need to take while flying drones in hot weather? How can you protect your expensive drone equipment s...
BONUS: Drone News – Security Weakness in DJI Drones, Skydio X2 Specs, Drone Spraying, Drone Deliveries, Drone Powerline Inspections
July 27, 2020 11:50 - 35 minutes - 32.9 MBSecurity Weakness in DJI App, New Skydio X2 Drone to Come with Super Zoom, Drone Powerline Inspections in California, Drone Crashes, Mystery Drones in North Denver Our biggest story this week is about DJI. Last week, New York Times published a front page story about a potential security weakness with DJI's app. As per the article, researchers have contended that the app collects large amount of personal data that could be exploited by the Chinese government. This development certainly spells...
ADU 01115: How Can Drone Pilots Assist Their Local Police Department?
July 23, 2020 02:58 - 28 minutes - 26.6 MBToday's question is about drone pilots assisting the police. Our caller for today, John from Omaha has a question about flying drones for the police. It is becoming increasingly common for police departments to use drones for various applications. Recently, John assisted the police in a search and rescue operation. And he found the experience to be extremely rewarding. John is now wondering if he can do his bit for the society by taking on more of such assignments. With many police departm...
BONUS: Drone News – Skydio Announces the New X2 Series of Drones, DOD Releases $84.4 Million To Help Small Drone Manufacturers, Drones in Public Safety, NTSB’s Drone Crash Investigation
July 20, 2020 14:24 - 36 minutes - 33.8 MBSkydio announces the new X2 series of drones, DOD releases $84.4 million in funds for small drone manufacturers, NTSB concludes drone crash investigation In today’s news show, we have some exciting industry updates to share. DOD recently released $84.4 million in funds, $13.3 million of which will benefit small drone manufacturers. Airmap and Skydio are among the drone industry players who will receive a portion of these funds. This move is certainly a part of the US government’s broader pus...
ADU 01114: Can We Expect the DJI Mavic 3 to Release in 2020?
July 16, 2020 14:50 - 20 minutes - 19 MBDJI Mavic 3 Rumors - Can We Expect a 2020 Release for This New DJI Drone? Today's question is about the DJI Mavic 3. Are the rumors about this new DJI drone true? Can we expect DJI to launch this new drone in 2020? Our caller for today, Mordy is waiting for the DJI Mavic 3. There have been rumors swirling around for quite some time about when DJI is planning to release this much-awaited drone. Initially, we were expecting DJI to release this new drone in April 2020. However, owing to strong...
BONUS: Drone News – The All-New Anafi USA, Skydio 2 Updates, Near Drone Crash with Helicopter, Drone Deliveries
July 11, 2020 14:07 - 29 minutes - 27.5 MBOur first story for this week is about the all-new Anafi USA. The French drone maker, Parrot has announced this new drone which is meant mainly for government use. Touted to give some tough competition to the DJI Matrice 210, this new drone comes with 32x zoom capabilities, awesome stabilization, and a thermal sensor by FLIR. Tune in to this segment of the show to get the entire scoop on this exciting development. Our next story is about Skydio 2. This autonomous drone was instantly lapped u...
ADU 01113: Is the Phantom 4 RTK More Efficient and Accurate than the P4 Pro for Mapping?
July 10, 2020 05:46 - 27 minutes - 25.1 MBToday's question is about using the Phantom 4 RTK for drone mapping. Compared to the Phantom 4 Pro, is the Phantom 4 RTK a better option for drone mapping? Our caller, Chris from North Carolina has a question about using the Phantom 4 RTK in drone mapping. We have always maintained that the Phantom 4 Pro is the "Honda Civic of Drones". You can use the Phantom 4 Pro across a gamut of applications ranging from photography to drone mapping. Now, is the Phantom 4 RTK more accurate compared to th...
ADU 01112: Is the DJI Inspire 1 with the X5 a Good Option for Inspections?
July 08, 2020 12:27 - 19 minutes - 17.8 MBToday's question is about using the Inspire for building and solar inspections. Our caller for today, Eduardo is thinking of using the DJI Inspire 1 with the X5 for building and solar inspections. But, is it possible to capture accurate datasets using an outdated drone like the Inspire 1? And is the X5 a good drone camera for inspections? Do you need a dual camera setup (both EO and thermal) for this job? We discuss all this and much more in today's show. Thanks for the great question, Edua...
BONUS: Introducing Pix4Dcatch – A Revolutionary App that Simplifies 3D Modeling
June 29, 2020 09:15 - 24 minutes - 22.7 MBIn today's show, we are joined by Angad Singh of Pix4D to discuss their new app, Pix4Dcatch. This app gives you the ability to 3D scan objects using Apple devices. Regular ADU listeners might be aware that we are huge proponents of Pix4D's drone mapping software. Their latest product, Pix4Dcatch goes a long way in simplifying 3D modeling, and gives users a much-needed, affordable alternative. In today's show, you will learn how public safety and small businesses can benefit by using Pix4Dcat...
BONUS: Drone News – Drone Crash with Police Helicopter, Amazon Drone Delivery, Changing Dynamics of the Drone Industry
June 25, 2020 16:17 - 29 minutes - 26.9 MBDrone Helicopter Crash in Canada, Amazon Drone Delivery Yet to Take Off, How to Film a Protest Without a Waiver, Changing Dynamics of the Drone Industry, Drones for Good Our first story is about a drone crash. This collision happened earlier this year in British Columbia when a Royal Canadian Mounted Police helicopter crashed with a police surveillance drone. Ironically enough, both the helicopter and drone were being used on a joint mission. The RCMP SkyRanger R60 surveillance drone is a te...
ADU 01111: Will the Mavic Air 2 Randomly Move the Gimbal On You?
June 19, 2020 14:33 - 10 minutes - 9.32 MBToday's question is about the Mavic Air 2. Specifically, are there any issues with Mavic Air 2's gimbal that you should be aware of? Our caller for today, Bob has a question about the Mavic Air 2. This new DJI drone has caused immense excitement within the drone community inspite of the ongoing pandemic. However, Bob has heard from certain drone pilots that the Mavic Air 2's gimbal tilts up and down when ascending or descending in point of interest mode. Are these rumors true? Are there any...
ADU 01110: Are Technical Drone Services More Lucrative Compared to Creative Drone Services?
June 18, 2020 14:30 - 11 minutes - 10.8 MBToday's show is about the commercial viability of technical drone services like NDVI inspections and drone mapping. From a purely commercial perspective, are technical drone services more lucrative compared to creative drone services? Our caller for today, Jun is a drone photographer and videographer from Los Angeles. In the wake of the pandemic, as opportunities in the creative field have dried up, Jun is wondering if providing technical drone services would benefit him commercially. Specif...
ADU 01109: Does the Altimeter on Drones Provide Accurate Data?
June 17, 2020 13:30 - 9 minutes - 8.63 MBExpert Tips for Using Your Drone to Measure the Height of a Building Today's show is about using your drone for measuring the height of a building. What is the easiest and most accurate way of doing so? Our caller, Brendan is an architect who is using his Phantom 4 Pro to measure the height of a building. For this, Brendan is currently relying on the altitude displayed in the app. However, is the altitude displayed in your drone app accurate? Is it better to use drone mapping for making sur...
ADU 01108: Is There Any Law That Prevents Me From Flying My Drone Near Endangered Species?
June 11, 2020 12:10 - 15 minutes - 13.8 MBFlying Your Drone Near Birds and Endangered Species Today's show is about flying near endangered species. Are there any drone laws that prevent you from doing so? Our caller for today, John is trying to grab some picturesque shots near a tall building. However, the building's website mentions that the building falls in a no-fly-zone due to residential falcons. The building authorities are referring a citation by DEC, a local organization. So, can local organizations prevent you from flying...
BONUS: Drone News – Drone Conferences in 2020, New Parrot Anafi Drone in Summer 2020, Skydio 2 Updates, Safely Filming a Protest Using a Drone
June 09, 2020 17:59 - 57 minutes - 53.6 MBOur first story this week is about the forthcoming drone conferences in 2020 and 2021. Taking into account the current situation, DJI has decided to go virtual with Airworks 2020. And drone pilots will be glad to learn that they won't have to shell out hundreds of dollars to attend this conference. Now, you can attend this conference for just $35. It shall be interesting to see if other conferences like the FAA Symposium and CES shall follow suit by making these conferences more affordable in...
ADU 01107: Do I Need to Calibrate My Drone Camera Before a Mapping Mission?
June 08, 2020 07:24 - 13 minutes - 12.3 MBToday's question is about calibrating your drone camera before a mapping mission. Our caller, Gaurav, a long-time Drone U member has come up with a great question that has not been asked on ADU before. Gaurav's question is about drone mapping. Specifically, do you need to calibrate your drone camera before a mapping mission? Along with your IMU and compass, will calibrating your drone camera help you as well? Tune in to find out. Thanks for the great question, Gaurav. Fly Safe! Hone your ...
ADU 01106: I am Running into Glitches on My Phantom 4 RTK Remote. Should I Switch Over to a SDK Remote?
June 04, 2020 09:01 - 17 minutes - 15.8 MBToday's show is about the Phantom 4 RTK. What are some main issues that you are likely to encounter with the P4P RTK? Our caller for today, Chris from Charlotte is a Phantom 4 RTK user. Chris is running into some glitches with his P4P RTK remote, and thinking of switching over to a SDK remote. Is this a good idea? Does a P4P SDK remote work seamlessly with third party apps? To answer Chris's questions, we reveal the pros and cons of the Phantom 4 RTK in great detail. There are many professi...
BONUS: How to Protect and Grow Your Drone Business in the Midst of the Coronavirus Pandemic with Drone Pilot, Cam Sale
June 04, 2020 07:08 - 14 minutes - 13.7 MBToday's show is a special one as we are joined by drone pilot, Cam Sale who reveals some expert tips and tricks to protect and grow your drone business in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. Cam was recently awarded a large 16-month job that will help him significantly scale up his drone business operations. While there are many drone pilots who are short of work due to the pandemic, how are pilots like Cam continuing to grow their business to the next level? What are some of the things ...
BONUS: Drone News – Drone Deliveries Register Stupendous Growth, Zipline to Commence Operations in the US, Autonomous Drones for Reforestation
May 30, 2020 11:17 - 19 minutes - 18 MBZipline to Commence Drone Delivery Operations from North Carolina, Flash Forest Uses Autonomous Drones for Reforestation, Is 2020 the Year of Drones?, Wing Aviation Grows at 500% Our main story today is about drone deliveries. The US has been lagging behind countries like Australia and even Africa due to archaic laws that make it incredibly difficult to use drones for making deliveries. So, far, delivery providers have been choosing to fly under Part 135 since making drone deliveries under P...
ADU 01105: Is the FAA Enforcing Action Against Pilots Who Are Illegally Flying BVLOS?
May 21, 2020 12:18 - 28 minutes - 26.1 MBHow to Deal With Illegal Drone Pilots Today's question is about illegal BLOVS flights. Our caller for today, Mark has come up with a great question that has not been asked on ADU before. Mark recently saw a video where an Autel Evo 2 was flown more than a mile away. In yet another instance, another YouTuber took his Mavic Mini to 18,000 feet AGL. Have these YouTubers taken the necessary legal permission to fly these shots that are outside the rules of Part 107? If not, what is the likelihoo...
ADU 01104: Can You Add 3D Renderings to a Video?
May 20, 2020 06:12 - 11 minutes - 10.5 MBWorkflow and Tips for Adding 3D Renderings to a Video Today's question is about adding 3D renderings to a video. Our caller for today, Tom is not sure how he can add 3D renderings to a video. Doing so will certainly result in better engagement. But, how can he do that? Which software will allow Tom to add 3D renderings to a video? We help Tom out in this short but informative show. Thanks for the great question! Fly Safe! Hone your drone skills by signing up for one of our webinars or onl...
BONUS: Drone News – DJI Mavic 3 Release Date, Autel Wins Legal Battle Against DJI, DJI Mavic Air 2 Issue, Remote ID to Roll Out in 2021
May 18, 2020 06:39 - 28 minutes - 26.4 MBDJI Mavic 3 Set to Hit Stores Earlier Than Expected, Autel Wins Landmark Legal Judgement Against DJI, DJI Mavic Air 2 Issue, Remote ID to Roll Out in 2021 Our biggest story this week is about the DJI Mavic 3. Regular ADU listeners might be aware that a new DJI drone with enhanced autonomous features has been in the works for quite some time now. Initially, we were expecting the DJI Mavic 3 to be released in summer 2020. However, strong Mavic 2 Pro sales and perhaps, gloomy economic condition...
BONUS: Drone News – Drone Almost Crashes into the Blue Angels, More Trouble for DJI, Drone Show in Rotterdam, Drones for Disinfecting Sports Stadiums
May 16, 2020 06:47 - 34 minutes - 32 MBNear Drone Crash During Detroit America Strong Flyover, DJI Drones for Spying?, Brendan Schulman talks about DJI and Data Security, Drone Show in Rotterdam on Liberation Day, Drones for Disinfecting Sports Stadiums Our big story this week is about a drone that came dangerously close to the Blue Angels during the recent Detroit America Strong Flyover. Drone U's Vic Moss managed to download this footage from Mr. Lucia, the drone pilot's FB page before it was pulled down. A TFR was likely in pl...
BONUS: DJI Mavic Air 2 In-Depth Review by Vic Moss
May 14, 2020 00:00 - 20 minutes - 18.8 MBAssessing the Image Quality and Commercial Viability of DJI Mavic Air 2 In today's show, award-winning photographer, Vic Moss reviews the all-new DJI Mavic Air 2. DJI has been touting this new drone's ability to capture 48 MP images. But, can you really capture 48 MP images with a half-inch sensor? And, how do these 48 MP images compare to the regular, 12 MP images? Vic edits 12 MP and 48 MP live on the show and presents a detailed side-by-side comparison. By the end of the show, you will b...
ADU 01103: How to Truly Ground Truth Drone Mapping Precisely
May 13, 2020 10:35 - 15 minutes - 14.5 MBExpert Tips for Building Accurate Drone Maps and Models Today's question is about ground truthing your drone maps. Our caller, Jon from Arizona is a new ADU listener who is learning the nuances of drone mapping. Jon's question today is about ground truthing. How can you ground truth if you are using a drone like Phantom 4 RTK which relies on a NTrip network? Will your mapping accuracy go down if your NTrip network is not stable? Additionally, we also discuss the best fixed-wing options an...
ADU 01102: Is the DJI Mavic Air 2 a Commercially Viable Drone?
May 12, 2020 07:36 - 26 minutes - 24 MBIs the DJI Mavic Air 2 a Good Drone for Commercial Applications Like Videography and Drone Mapping? Today's show is about the DJI Mavic Air 2. Recently, DJI released its new drone, the Mavic Air 2 with much fanfare. We were one of the first ones to report leaked specs and give you a sneak peek even before this drone was released in the market. Now that this new DJI drone has been officially launched, we present the pros and cons of this new drone in far greater depth. Is it true that you ...
BONUS: Drone News – DJI Matrice 300 RTK Sneak Peek, DJI Mavic Air 2 Battery Issue, Remote ID Updates, Drone Deliveries Under Part 107
May 11, 2020 04:56 - 52 minutes - 48.9 MBDJI Matrice 300 Released, DJI Mavic Air 2 Battery Issue, Drone Deliveries Possible Under Part 107, FAA Announces Technology Partners for Remote ID Our biggest story this week is about the DJI Matrice 300 RTK. The rumors mills had been abuzz for quite a while now and even we have been sharing regular updates about this enterprise drone on previous shows. All these speculations were finally proven true as DJI released a promotional video announcing the DJI Matrice 300, albeit accidentally. ...
ADU 01101: What Can I Do To Deal With Magnetic Interference and Prevent a Drone Flyaway?
May 06, 2020 13:09 - 14 minutes - 13.8 MBExpert Tips for Preventing a Drone Flyaway Today's show is about preventing a drone flyaway. What steps can you take to mitigate risk and ensure safe drone flight? Our caller for today, Tom is dealing with interference issues that almost caused a flyaway - twice. Tom was attempting to takeoff from a construction site, and he lost control of his drone inspite of calibrating his IMU. While Tom managed to save his drone, his camera gimbal was damaged and had to be replaced. Where did he go wro...
ADU 01100: Can I Fly My Drone Over a National Park If I Take Off From a Private Property?
May 05, 2020 06:29 - 18 minutes - 17.4 MBWhat You Need to Know Before Flying Your Drone Over a National Park Today's question is about flying your drone in national parks. Our caller, Adam has come up with an interesting question about flying drones in national parks. While we know that taking off and landing your drone in national parks is prohibited by the law, can you fly from private property inside a national park? And will you get in trouble with the NPS in case of an emergency landing? Tuning in today will help you unders...
BONUS: Drone News – DJI Mavic Air 2 Review, DJI Matrice 300, Online Part 107 Renewal, Drone Deliveries
May 02, 2020 02:33 - 46 minutes - 43 MBDJI Mavic Air 2 In-Depth Review, FAA Makes it Possible to Renew Your Part 107 Online, Benefits of Flying in Atti Mode, DJI Matrice 300 Delayed due to Coronavirus, Drone Deliveries Under Part 107 Our biggest news story this week is about the DJI Mavic Air 2. DJI has released this much-awaited drone, albeit in difficult market conditions. We managed to get our hands on one of the first pieces of this new drone, and have an in-depth review of you in today's show. We discuss camera sensors, flig...
BONUS: 2020 State of the Drone Industry & Drone Equipment
April 30, 2020 12:27 - 1 hour - 59.6 MBHow has the ongoing virus affected the drone industry and its stakeholders? What are drone service providers doing to protect their business? Can we expect any new launches in 2020? Welcome to another awesome episode of Ask Drone U. Today we are going to be discussing the state of the industry. How has the virus changed things? Where does remote ID go from here? Who’s winning and losing in the wake of the virus? What are drone pilots / DSP’s supposed to do? And finally we will end by disc...
ADU 01099: Can I Use Photogrammetry instead of LiDAR for Surveying Purposes?
April 28, 2020 04:58 - 27 minutes - 25.1 MBLiDAR vs. Photogrammetry - Which is the Best Option for Surveyors? Today's question is about replacing LiDAR with photogrammetry for surveying purposes. Can photogrammetry prove to be a feasible option? Our caller for today, Issac is using ground-based LiDAR for surveying purposes. Regular ADU listeners might be aware of the difference between LiDAR and photogrammetry. LiDAR is an active technology costing thousands of dollars. Whereas, photogrammetry is the art of using images for making m...
BONUS: Drone News – Autel Evo 2 Released, Parrot Anafi, Legal Implications of Using Drones for Public Safety, Drone Deliveries for COVID Testing
April 25, 2020 08:54 - 43 minutes - 40.3 MBAutel Robotics Releases the 8K variant of Autel Evo 2, How Public Safety Agencies are using Drones to Fight the Coronavirus, Parrot Anafi UA for Military Use Our biggest drone news story this week is about the Autel Evo 2. Autel Robotics has finally released the 8K version of this much-awaited and much-delayed drone. Regular ADU listeners might recall that we tested out this drone when it was first released at CES 2020. Autel is yet to release the 6K and dual variants of this drone. While ...
ADU 01098: How Can I Renew My Part 107 Certificate In the Wake of the Coronavirus Outbreak?
April 23, 2020 11:42 - 18 minutes - 17.3 MBToday's question is about renewing your Part 107 certificate in the wake of the virus outbreak. Our caller, Jaime works as an emergency manager in public health in South Carolina. When he is not on the frontlines bravely fighting the virus outbreak, Jaime also takes up drone jobs as a Part 107 pilot. Now, Jaime's Part 107 license is due for renewal shortly. But with the lockdown in effect, he cannot possibly renew his certificate right now. What should Jaime do? Can Jaime continue flying w...
BONUS: Drone News – DJI Mavic Air 2 Release Date Confirmed, DJI Matrice 300, NYPD Seizes Drone After Hart Island Photo
April 20, 2020 09:40 - 28 minutes - 26.9 MBDJI confirms April release date for the DJI Mavic Air 2, DJI Matrice 300 to be in stores soon, France to buy 651 drones for surveillance purposes, NYPD seizes drone after Hart Island Photo Our biggest story this week is about the DJI Mavic Air 2. DJI has confirmed a release date of April 27th for the much-awaited Mavic Air 2. With economic activity curtailed due to the virus outbreak, it shall be interesting to see how this new DJI drone fares commercially. As of now, no information on prici...
ADU 01097: How Do I Create A 3D Model For Real Estate Interiors AND Exteriors?
April 17, 2020 12:49 - 43 minutes - 39.6 MBBest and Most Efficient Workflow for Creating a Navigable 3D Real Estate Model for Interiors and Exteriors Today's question is about creating 3D models for real estate interiors AND exteriors. Our caller for today, Luke is a project manager who restores old buildings. He owns a Phantom 4 Pro V2 that he wants to use for drone mapping and modeling. However, due to the nature of his work, Luke wants to map real estate interiors as well as exteriors. Additionally, he also wishes to use his dron...
ADU 01096: Which Computer System Would You Recommend For Drone Mapping?
April 14, 2020 16:52 - 28 minutes - 26.6 MBToday's question is about the best and most affordable computer system for drone mapping. Our caller for today, Scott is a real estate appraiser who is keen on getting into drone mapping. Being a longtime ADU listener, Scott is well aware that he needs a powerful computing system for processing drone maps. But such high-end systems can be really expensive and end up costing thousands of dollars. So, what is the best option for Scott? Can he get a suitable system with enough computing power...
BONUS: Drone News – FCC Filings for New DJI Mavic Air 2, Business Opportunities in The Wake of the Coronavirus, New DJI Drones in 2020, Drones for Public Safety
April 11, 2020 08:27 - 51 minutes - 47.8 MBSneak Peek at the DJI Mavic Air 2, New DJI Drones, Drone Deliveries, Drones for Enforcing Social Distancing, 3D Modeling and VR for Real Estate Marketing Our biggest story this week is about the DJI Mavic Air 2. Recent FCC filings have corroborated our initial reports that a new Mavic Air 2 is indeed in the works. Like its larger cousins, the Mavic 2 Pro and Zoom, these filings suggest that this new DJI drone will come in two variants as well. Considering the ongoing virus outbreak, we spe...
ADU 01095: How Do I Accurately Price A Drone Mapping Job?
April 09, 2020 12:09 - 25 minutes - 23.6 MBPricing Strategies for Drone Mapping Professionals Today's question is about pricing a drone mapping job. What variables do you need to consider so that you don't end up underbidding and losing money? In today's show, Paul and Rob join us from an awesome Netflix movie set in Santa Fe, New Mexico. This is the location of our forthcoming Drone U Fly-In which we had to postpone due to the virus outbreak. Today, we reveal pricing strategies for drone mapping professionals. We start this show ...
BONUS: Drone News – Autel Evo 2 Release Date, Drone Business During the Coronavirus Outbreak, Drones for Public Safety
April 04, 2020 13:30 - 37 minutes - 34.4 MBAutel Evo 2 Release Date, Drones for Public Safety, Protecting Your Drone Business During the Virus Outbreak, Drone Crash Due to Flyaway and Much, Much More…. Our biggest story this week is about the Autel Evo 2. Regular ADU listeners might recall that Autel Robotics caused quite a splash when they first announced the Autel Evo 2 at CES 2020. We even managed to get our hands on the Autel Evo 2 for a test flight and were quite impressed with the results. You can check out our detailed revi...
ADU 01094: Why is Pix4D Such a Great Drone Mapping Software?
March 27, 2020 11:13 - 14 minutes - 13.2 MBToday's question is about Pix4Dcapture. Our caller for today, Chris thinks that Pix4Dcapture is a "piece of garbage". Somehow, he is unable to load a Pix4Dcapture mission to his drone, a Mavic 2 Pro. Now considering that we are swear by Pix4Dcapture, Chris wants to know why this mapping software is running into glitches. Well, Paul shares some basic mistakes that Chris is making which are causing him all these issues. Next, we dive a bit deeper to reveal why Pix4D is the gold standard of d...
ADU 01094: Why is Pix4D is Such a Great Drone Mapping Software?
March 27, 2020 11:13 - 14 minutes - 13.2 MBToday's question is about Pix4Dcapture. Our caller for today, Chris thinks that Pix4Dcapture is a "piece of garbage". Somehow, he is unable to load a Pix4Dcapture mission to his drone, a Mavic 2 Pro. Now considering that we are swear by Pix4Dcapture, Chris wants to know why this mapping software is running into glitches. Well, Paul shares some basic mistakes that Chris is making which are causing him all these issues. Next, we dive a bit deeper to reveal why Pix4D is the gold standard of d...
ADU 01093: Can You Use Someone Else’s Demo Reel To Market Your Own Business?
March 26, 2020 12:08 - 26 minutes - 24.7 MBToday's question is about using someone else's demo reel. Our caller for today, Eric from New Hampshire has come up with a rather interesting question today. Eric, a new pilot is in a hurry to kickstart his new drone business. He wishes to know if he can use an experienced pilot's reel to acquire new clients. What if Eric is upfront with his prospective clients about the reel's creator? And, what if he Eric manages to get permission from the pilot who shot the reel? Is it still morally inco...
ADU 01092: Do I Have to Be Certified or Licensed to Use Thermal in My Drone Business?
March 25, 2020 12:03 - 21 minutes - 19.5 MBToday's question is about using thermal in your drone business. Our caller for today, Gabriel's question wishes to use thermal in his drone business. Thermology is an incredibly complex and nuanced field. So, Gabriel is wondering whether he should consider getting a thermology certification. And is a thermology certification mandatory if he wishes to work with marquee clients in certain niche industries? Excellent question, Gabriel. FLIR, the world's largest manufacturer of thermal cameras ...
ADU 01091: Expert Tips for Shooting Stunning Aerial Videography Using Drones
March 24, 2020 13:38 - 24 minutes - 22.7 MBToday's show is about is about creating the best possible aerial videography for your clients. Our caller, Matthew is a journalist and photographer keen on improving his aerial videography skills. He is looking for some expert tips so that he can create aerial footage that perfectly caters to his target demographic. On a technical level, Matthew has some specific questions about color grading, shot placement, and jump cuts. To answer this question, Paul shares his own experience of shooting...