
DroneBase (YC W15) raises from Union Square to pay any pilot for aerial footage - signor_bosco
https://techcrunch.com/2016/11/14/drones-for-hire/
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pierotofy
As a pilot I just don't see the value this (and others) platform could offer.
What makes them different than the other dozen platforms that advertise drone
services? They are also a little misleading, "If you are at least 18 years old
and have your own drone, you're 99% there."? There's regulations to follow in
many countries, and severe penalties for violating them.

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clownman
Isn't this highly illegal in the US without a (very expensive) commercial
license? IIRC You can't drive for Uber w/o a drivers license.

~~~
matheweis
Commercial licensing under part 107 is a couple of hundred bucks; a bit more
if you go through a fancy training program. The requirement for a full scale
pilots license was a stopgap that no longer applies. See
[https://www.faa.gov/news/fact_sheets/news_story.cfm?newsId=2...](https://www.faa.gov/news/fact_sheets/news_story.cfm?newsId=20516)

That being said, this company looks as sketchy as all get out... fly random
"jobs" and you "might" get paid? I get the business model - have people fly
jobs and then try to sell the imagery but wow...

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tedmiston
> fly 10-minute missions, upload the assets, and get paid _if_ a DroneBase
> clients wants to buy the info

and get paid _if_...

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danielvf
Has anyone had any experience flying drones for them? How many jobs are
around? Hiw much do they pay?

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sean_patel
I was wondering about this too. Looks a little shady ( on DroneBase's part),
from what I am seeing in Pilot Forums.

Ex: See this thread. Most (if not all) wanna be Pilots are stating a very
similar experience. [http://www.inspirepilots.com/threads/dronebase-skycatch-
etc-...](http://www.inspirepilots.com/threads/dronebase-skycatch-etc-anyone-
willing-to-share-their-experience.6715/)

1) Sign up

2) Get email promising Gigs

3) wait and wait and wait for 3 to 6 months without any paid gigs.

I wonder who it is that shot all the alleged footage for Hilton Hotels etc
(mentioned in the TC article). Could very well be a single pilot or company
that produced stunning footage to get funding etc.

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sverige
Fly it over my property and expect it to be neutralized.

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RhodesianHunter
You own neither the sky over your property nor the minerals underneath it.

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callmeed
Own? No. But, law is fairly clear that an owner is entitled to freedom from
excessive noise and passage by airborne carriers. If an aircraft is in flight
so low that it is unreasonably disturbing to the landowner, the aircraft could
be held liable for trespassing on your property.

~~~
toomuchtodo
> If an aircraft is in flight so low that it is unreasonably disturbing to the
> landowner, the aircraft could be held liable for trespassing on your
> property.

This isn't true _at all_ in the United States, and if you destroy the craft,
the FAA will prosecute you under federal law.

[https://www.engadget.com/2016/04/18/faa-says-shooting-
down-d...](https://www.engadget.com/2016/04/18/faa-says-shooting-down-drones-
is-a-federal-crime/)

~~~
sverige
That is not what the linked article says. The FAA may consider it a crime, but
prosecuting any specific incident is another matter entirely. The article even
notes that means other than shooting it down would make for a "messy" case.

And you will need to involve law enforcement to recover your wrecked drone
from my property, since I won't allow you to trespass.

And since when did all the privacy advocates on HN decide it's OK to fly your
drone and camera over other people's property? Or is it only OK if you're
being paid to do so and not a government entity?

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toomuchtodo
Federal law supercedes non-existent privacy law in the US. I agree there
should be privacy regulations to prevent drone intrusion, but that's up to the
FAA to update the regulations around airspace use.

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daurnimator
> DJI has become DroneBase’s most important partner. DroneBase requires pilots
> to exclusively use the Chinese manufacturer’s hardware in order to
> standardize the footage collected

I think that would be a massive turn off for people here. DJI's drones are not
known for their quality, price, configurability or.... well... anything
utilitarian.

~~~
danielvf
What? DJI's are hands down the easiest to control medium drone out there. They
are reliable, have great flying time, and decent cameras out of the box.

In the consumer camera-in-the-sky space, everything out there is compared
against a Phantom.

