If you’re a drone pilot, getting a drone license is a good idea. If you’re not yet a drone pilot, but plan on flying drones professionally in any way, you’ll absolutely need to get a drone license. It’s true that drones are a new technology, and many of the rules of drone piloting are not set yet. However, if you work for a video production company, an official drone license can help you to capture types of footage that you might not otherwise have access to.
All commercial businesses that operate drones need drone licenses, and video production companies are subject to this rule. If you’re just flying a drone as a hobbyist, you probably don’t need a drone license. However, if you want to make money from the images you capture, you may want to consider becoming professionally licensed.
While lots of people these days make small amounts of money from their hobbies, and you might not be an official one-person video production company, selling your drone footage makes you a professional freelancer. Unless you plan on giving away your drone videos for free, you need a drone license.
There are many benefits associated with acquiring a drone license. If your video production company is still growing, you can increase your credibility with clients by advertising that your drone pilots are licensed. Piloting a drone is a desirable skill—one that many clients are willing to pay more for.
Once you’ve acquired a drone license, you’ll gain more options as a drone pilot. An important advantage is the ability to fly your drone in areas that would have been off-limits otherwise. By flying your drone in these previously restricted areas, you may be able to get superior footage. If you work for a video production company, this ability can give you a major edge over your competition.
In the process of getting your license, you’ll also learn more about drone-flying techniques. Even people who work at large video production companies can benefit from learning more about drone flying best practices, especially because drone technology changes so quickly.
