5 Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Drone Pilot/Operator in Dubai
Drone Dubai — Ask before you hire! Hiring a drone photographer anywhere in the world can be a tricky business. Some may be cheap but not good, some may be good but a bit expensive. Behind those price tags, there are reasons. But before you start a project with a drone photographer, consider some essential questions first, so it will be a money well-spent on your side. Always ask questions, you’ve got nothing to lose anyway.
Are you licensed by the DCAA? The Dubai Civil Aviation Authority or DCAA requires all, as in ALL drone owners, whether commercial, professional or hobbyists to register their equipment with them. Unauthorized use of drones can result in massive fines and even jail terms, starting from AED 1,000 to AED 20,000 fine for drone operators, and AED 10,000 to AED 1,000,000 for companies who deal with them. This is for everyone’s safety, as this government body handles qualifying tests, as well as SOPs and rules about no-fly and allowed zones across the UAE.
Are you aware of CamSpeak?It is important to know the qualifications of the Photographer you are hiring. Multi-rotor drones are designed to be manipulated easily, so someone learning how to pilot it will master it in a short period of time. Ask about the photographer’s past projects. Look for someone with a good portfolio of work whether it be aerial or ground. You will need someone who knows what he/she is doing right?
What equipment do you use? Not all drones are made equal. Just like people, some drones are good, some are bad. That’s why the pricing and value also vary. Ask your drone pilot what kind of sensors their drones have. If your project is specifically for mapping, you need to use the right drone with the right drone sensors and the right drone sensing technology for the job to be done.
Insurance on the Equipment? A drone pilot needs not only to be certified, he/she also needs proof of an insurance policy to prove that his/her drone will be covered in an event of an accident. The insurance policy should depend on the type of risk for the project. The riskier it is, the better the insurance policy there should be.
How many persons are operating the drone? Mastering the controls is the key to expertise in everything. Drones can be manned by one person however, operating a drone can be a bit difficult, especially in times of complicated shots. As this is an attempt to cut down the costs that can change things in many ways, it is always recommended that drone flights should be done by more than one person: one who can control the movement and speed of the drone, and the other one for the camera.
To sum it up, hiring a drone pilot is serious and can be an expensive business if we don’t ask what are the necessary stuff to know about. So always keep these 5 questions whenever there is a project coming, and always remember to ask before you hire!
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