Certified or Uncertified?

It’s a factor we all think about. When trying to get work done, we all tend to go for the option that is cheaper. What if I told you that could possibly lead to consequences? When we go for the cheaper option a common caveat is the contractor could be unlicensed.

In the drone industry, using an unlicensed drone pilot can lead to severe consequences to both the contractor and the person who hired the contractor. For example, if you knowingly hire an unlicensed drone pilot and someone reports a violation you will be fined a minimum of $11,000 per incident while the pilot will face fines of $1,100 per incident. That’s 10X what the pilot has to pay! With that being said the better option is to pay a little bit more for a licensed pilot to service you.

Licensed drone pilots also bring other values that unlicensed pilots may not have. Licensed drone pilots are aware of airspace and all of the rules associated with it, follow procedures to ensure the safety and legality of a flight, and more often than not, more experience and quality in the end product.

So when you think about looking for an alternative to save on costs, make sure that it won’t end up costing you.