Drone Imaging and Remote Sensing

Hiring an independent service affords benefits over a purveyor that simply sources pilots.

1. Cost vs. ROI: Removing third party contractors can save a significant sum.
2. Expertise: Vetted pilots with hands-on experience. Our leadership alone has been flying UAVs since 2009, having logged 1000+ hours  with multirotor and fixed wing aircraft supporting R&D at ARL and General Dynamics.
3. Quality: We have a software/systems engineering background and  understand the meaning of verification/validation pertaining to real world situations. 
4. QA/QC is performed onsite, ensuring collected data is well formed.

There are many companies that specialize in sourcing certified sUAS pilots but most of these only require FAA certification. The current process to obtain said cert is to pass a written exam with pilots successfully completing the exam are awarded a FAA Part 107 certification. This test is robust and not a small feat but it does not include having to do an instructor check ride. 

Photogenic Drones pilots not only have the hours on the sticks, we also have years of field tested experience with software used for flight, digital processing, security protocols and the camera skills needed to get the job done in one flight. We mitigate risk and guarantee the success of your project.

All of Photogenic Drones' pilots are FAA certified and have extensive experience flying drones for commercial use. Our team is dedicated to operating drones safely and efficiently. 

During our during our software / systems engineering days at General Dynamics, we championed CMMI (now CMI), which is the Capability Maturity Model Implementation. One of the primary process areas we recognize is Lessons Learned and Continuous Improvement. This focus means we constantly evaluate our processes and workflows to ensure maximum efficiency and provide transparency for what works best. We implement this for every project.

Photogenic Drones uses top-of-the-line equipment including drones, cameras, and software to ensure the highest quality footage possible. We support multiple formats and invest in the latest technology and equipment to provide our clients with the best results. 

Yes. Photogenic Drones is available for travel to capture aerial footage for clients outside of our local area. Contact us to discuss your project and see how we can help.

If you are a Drone Deploy or Pix4D Mapper customer, we can work with them as well as any service you may have a preference for. We transitioned to Birdi.io because the data reconstruction is superior (see the s pics in section " than just 2D orthomosaic and 3D models: video, panoramic shots, still shots, facades, corridors, walk-thru, custom overlays, and manual flights are all standard options. For an overview, check out the Site Inspection section above and for detailed options see Solutions/By Industry to find your area of interest. This redirects to Birdi.io, a service we utilize for processing and data visualization.

If you are a Drone Deploy or Pix4D Mapper customer, we can work with them as well as any service you may have a preference for. We transitioned to Birdi.io because the data reconstruction is superior (see the last pic in "Site Inspection"). 

A "Small Unmanned Aerial System" that is registered with the FAA, has an affixed "N" number just like a manned aircraft and is registered to be operated commercially by a licensed pilot who is required to have their Part 107 Certification.

Yes. All Part 107 Pilots are required to adhere to and abide by regulations set forth by the FAA and local ordinances. Air space classification is the primary factor for determining a given sites accessibility.

Areas such as the DC FRZ are restricted for flights and require additional clearances/ground support to operate in. To learn more about drone pilot regulations, check out these resources.

• Drones by the Numbers 
• FAADroneZone

As the drone flies over a given site it takes a series of pictures. Pictures contain meta-data for Lat/Long and elevation. We can use software to assemble these individual images into one overall image that is the 2D map. These same images can also generate a 3D model. 

Any drone can produce maps having relative accuracy, which is accurate to 2-5 meters. This is like your car navigation system. Good enough for going from point A to B.

Real Time Kinematics (RTK) is a technique that improves the level of precision to 1-2 cm. This is an additional payload module affixed to the drone and location corrections are made during the flight. 

Post Process Kinematics (PPK) is another technique that applies corrections after the flight. RTK/PPK are typically used for construction purposes where a higher degree of precision is required. It's considered to be "near survey grade".

While inspection work has been our main source of flight hour accumulation since 2020, we've provided ground support and aerial footage for a few Nat Geo and MPT documentaries.  We also like to just go out and shoot pics for fun. Check out the image gallery for samples.

Real estate marketing has also shown great results when adding aerial footage to a portfolio for both commercial and residential properties.

We have worked in parallel with photographers and cinematographers that just wanted to add a little aerial footage. Drones are a cost effective means to provide footage that used to require a manned aircraft (usually a helicopter), that are expensive to operate and have greater risk.

We also support projects that require Visual Observers and/or an Onsite Communicator (VO/OSC). We work with the UAS Coordination Unit (UCU) which is "ATC" for drone operations in restricted airspace.

Yes. We do.  Photogenic Drones pilots are fully licensed and insured to operate our aircraft and abide by all FAA regulations 

The FAA is a "safety" organization, not police; we work with and support Law Enforcement wherever we operate. The question people are really asking is, "Do you use drones to spy on people?" No. Commercial pilots are professionals and do not engage in frivolous airborne activities. We have used our drones to help LE locate a lost child, search for missing pets, even help park rangers track migratory animals and deer, but that's where the line is drawn.

Collected data is stored temporarily, encrypted and behind a firewall, even during flight. Also, we use Proton Mail, one of the most secure privacy respecting email services on the planet having end to end zero access encryption.

Yes. We can derive plant health using special software (similar to the mapping software). This can be done with a typical RGB camera but for the most precise dataset, a drone having a multi-spectral camera is required. This is a airframe fitted with a payload designed for this type of work. Some drones can takes general pics of a field and then zoom in to help ID specific types of unwanted foliage. This helps support treatment application where needed as opposed to blanketing an entire field. In it's most basic usage, identifying irrigation issues and run-off may be done with any drone.

The best drone pilots are wearers of many hats and we started out specializing in software and systems test engineering. We support working with mapping programs to process and analyze data; video editing for feature films, and photography editing for beautiful stills. 

Some of our favorite programs are Birdi.io, DaVinci Resolve, and Luminar Neo.

Our rate is determined by the type of job and its frequency. It's a straight forward process of getting the clients area of interest and deriving the flight time. Jobs typically start at flat $250. You're dealing with engineer minded people, not a sales team. Our promise, No Hype. 

We follow the CMMI mantra, "We build the right thing, and we built it right". This methodology was adapted in our software/systems engineering days and ensures we provide the solution the client wants.

We support pricing for both one time flights as well as long term consecutive jobs. Our goal is to provide you the solution you need for a rate that is both accommodating and fair.

• AT&T Supplier Awareness - Network Space (NPW)
• Occupational Noise Exposure
• OSHA 10 Hour Certification
• OSHA Fall Certificate
• OSHA CPR & First Aid
• OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens
• Red Cross First Aid-CPR-AED
• RF Awareness (IEEE, FCC, OSHA)
• UAS Workforce Certificate
• NIST UAS Open & Obstructed Lane Proctor
• HMMWV Operator Permit

National Institute of Standards and Technology, Engineering Laboratory - Intelligent Systems Division. We utilize this test suite to help pilots improve their flight skills in a number of different and wide ranging scenarios. As a certified proctor, we are able to conduct these tests in an official capacity for any organization that wants to field better pilots with superior functional understanding of the aircraft they are operating. 

• Official NIST site with more information is here.
• Our certification/training days as documented by DHS is here.