If you’re looking to have some aerial work done, you’ve come to the right century. In years past, that mean hiring someone to fly a manned aircraft (a plane, or a helicopter, perhaps even a hot air balloon) that could carry a photographer on a very expensive ride up to the position needed to get your shot. Times have changed.
Small camera drones are a safer, faster, and less expensive way to get those elevated shots and video footage, and a good photographer who also knows how to work with this technology can get very good results. There’s a catch, though: in almost every scenario that produces images you can use to promote your property or show off your business or an event, the person operating that drone has to be certified under the FAA’s Part 107 rules. Essentially: if that operator isn’t licensed by the federal government, that operator and you are both doing something illegal. The FAA can actually fine both the operator and you for paying an unlicensed operator – and it can get into the many thousands of dollars.
At Horizon Imageworks, we’ve got the experience and have gone to the expense and regulatory trouble to become your federally certified aerial specialists. We’d be happy to answer any questions you have about why that’s important. We want you to enjoy the results of this technology, but we also want you to be protected from people who aren’t operating legally – and alas, there are a lot of them. Yes, we charge more than the neighborhood kid with a low-end consumer drone who’s offered to get some shots for you. That’s because not only do we approach that image-making from the perspective of a professional photographer, but we do it with your safety and legal standing in mind. And remember that unlicensed operators are unable to get insurance for the time they spend flying over your project. Talk to us about it! We LOVE to talk about using these wonderful tools safely, legally, creatively, and with your project in mind.