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Preparing for Takeoff 1
Preparing for Takeoff
A Guide to Setting Up Your Drone Operation
Preparing for Takeoff 2
Table of Contents
01
04
03
06
08
02
05
07
Introduction 
Why Businesses are Considering Drones...................................................................................................................3
Understanding Regulations: 
Part 107, Airspace Authorizations, and FAA Compliance...................................................................................12
Selling the Value of Drones: 
Getting Corporate Buy-in for Your Drone Program................................................................................................7
Building a UAV Team: 
Scaling Your Fleet..............................................................................................................................................................18
Maintaining Your Operation: 
Fleet Maintenance and Repairs....................................................................................................................................37
The Power or Aerial Data: 
Drones Deliver Value Across Major Industries.........................................................................................................5
Aerial Solutions for Your Team: 
Introduction to Drone Hardware and Software.....................................................................................................14
Minimizing Risk: 
Insurance, Training, and Safety.........................................................................................................................................26
Preparing for Takeoff 3
Introduction: Why Businesses are 
Considering Drones
Many companies are considering drones in 2017. Commercial drone legislation 
introduced around the world has made it possible for today’s largest businesses to 
integrate these powerful tools into their operations. 
Drones rapidly capture aerial data and deliver insights to fuel better decisions. With 
on-demand data, your company can transform day-to-workflows, increase collaboration, 
and be more productive. 
Businesses are constantly looking to innovate by improving or replacing inefficient 
processes. Drones make this possible. Drone mapping provides 3X time and costs savings 
compared to traditional methods of data capture. What once may have taken days or 
weeks can be efficiently captured and analyzed in hours, providing insights in record 
time. Just ask the surveyor using drones tosave time mapping a property, or speak to 
the contractor improving safety by eliminating the need to put workers on rooftops for 
inspections. 
We frequently hear that our customers see 3-5X ROI compared to existing practices, 
making drones well worth the investment. With benefits like these, it’s no surprise that 
drones are on the rise across industries including construction, agriculture, surveying, 
mining, and insurance. 
If you’re considering drones, you’ve probably got some questions. Where do I start? 
What should I consider? What are the risks? 
 
In this guide, we’ll cover the need-to-know information for getting your drone program 
off the ground. Expect answers to some of the most commonly asked questions when 
deploying drones at scale. You’ll learn about federal drone regulations, purchasing 
hardware and software, hiring pilots, training employees, minimizing risk, getting 
insurance, maintaining your fleet, and more. 
01
Improve SafetyIncrease Efficiency Drive Productivity
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While that list may seem daunting at first, it doesn’t have to be. We’ve worked with 
customers around the world to launch drone programs, and this guide explores the 
lessons we’ve learned along the way. Read on to gather the insight you need to plot 
a roadmap to drone adoption. 
So what are you waiting for? Let’s get started.
By using drones, we have increased our field 
productivity by 50-75%.
“
Chris Bartlett,Technology Director at Sequel Group
Preparing for Takeoff 5
The Power or Aerial Data: Drones Deliver 
Value Across Major Industries
Commercial drone use is surging around the world. Goldman Sachs forecasts the 
commercial drone market will reach $13 billion by 2020 as thousands of drones take to 
the skies. The number of businesses set to adopt drone technology will only increase over 
the next few years, and benefits have become too large to ignore. 
While adoption has grown universally, there are some clear industry trailblazers leading 
the way. These industries are particularly ripe for drone integration as they see significant 
time and cost savings over traditional data capture methods. These early adopters are 
paving the way—and reaping the benefits in the process. 
Farmers and agronomists are lowering costs and maximizing 
crop yields with drone mapping. Whether compiling plant 
counts, assessing crop damage, detecting parasites and fungi, 
or planning drainage and irrigation repair, drones now play a 
vital role in precision agriculture efforts, making it easier to 
make smarter crop management decisions all season long.
Project managers and virtual design coordinators can save 
valuable time and eliminate risk through the use of drone maps 
and 3D models. Whether keeping construction projects on 
track with sharable maps, comparing BIM models, inspecting 
job sites for safety, or measuring stockpiles, drones and 
software improve communications and make construction a 
more efficient and safer industry to work in.
02
Agriculture
Construction
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Surveyors use drones to save time and lower costs when 
plotting and planning sites. That’s why they are quickly 
becoming an integral part of every surveyor’s toolkit. Paired 
with powerful software from DroneDeploy, drones can 
produce survey-grade maps and accurate 3D models in hours, 
rather than days. 
The mining and aggregates industry use drones for a wide 
range of workflows ranging from site survey and inspection, 
to equipment tracking, and even fragmentation analysis. 
Drones make it possible to quickly capture aerial data that can 
be put to work to lower costs, streamline operations, meet 
compliance regulations, and ensure site safety.
Building and insurance inspectors fly drones to inspect sites 
and infrastructure more efficiently, and in a safer manner. 
Using drones, building inspectors can identify issues on roofs, 
building exteriors, and elevated towers without the need to 
spend hours walking or climbing a site. This eliminates the need 
to send workers into unsafe conditions unless it’s absolutely 
necessary. For insurance inspectors, drones streamine the 
claims process, making it easier to assess property and get 
customers back on their feet quickly.
Surveying
Mining 
Inspection
These are just some of the most common industries using drones on a weekly basis to 
power operations in the field. We expect this list to continue to grow over the next year. 
The sky is truly the limit when it comes to the growing applications of commercial drones. 
To learn more about how DroneDeploy can put your drone to work, 
visit www.dronedeploy.com. 
Preparing for Takeoff 7
Selling the Value of Drones: Getting 
Corporate Buy-in for Your Drone Program
We know drones can increase efficiency, drive down costs, and increase ROI, but you’ll 
need more than statistics to get executives on board with launching a drone program. 
No matter the stage of your operation, alignment and buy-in from executive decision 
makers in your organization is needed to move forward. Companies launching a proof of 
concept or scaling out operations face the same challenges surrounding legal compliance, 
employee training, insurance, risk management, and safety requirements.
As the person leading your drone program, you’ll need to work closely with key 
stakeholders to get your operation to the finish line. Be prepared to meet skepticismand 
obstacles along the way from executives. 
Setting up a drone program at a large company is no walk in the park. It requires the 
management of many moving parts. Your goal is to answer executive’s questions 
before they get the chance to ask them, and deliver a thoughtful and thorough plan for 
integrating drones across your company. 
This guide will help you put that plan together. Whether you’re speaking to your 
company’s legal team, risk management team, IT team, or executive leadership, we’ll 
provide you with the information to meet their requirements and exceed expectations.
Develop a Plan to Execute Adoption 
Over the last three years, we’ve learned a lot about the steps companies can take to get 
their drone program up and running. Companies that have seen be successful usually start 
small and scale after they have laid a solid foundation to build on. 
To ensure your drone program is a success, we recommend crafting a plan of adoption. 
You can use this plan to gain executive buy-in and sell your program internally. This 
process will require you to think critically about the challenges your company may face 
along the way and how you will address them head on. 
03
Putting any new technology into place can be a lot 
of work, especially when it’s something like drones 
that often have safety concerns, privacy concerns…
It was something we had to come at very tactfully.
“
Ryan Moret, Field Solutions Manager at McCarthy Building Companies
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Start Small. Think Big. 
Crawl. Walk. Run. It’s a proven method of business success, but does it hold up in today’s 
frenzied climate of commercial drones? For a company looking to add drones to its 
operations toolbox, it’s easy to get caught up in an “act now or be left behind” mindset 
and move straight into “run” mode. But as the stories of many of our customers illustrate, 
taking the time upfront to plan, test, and prove value is crucial to the success of any in-
house drone program.
Each in-house drone program involves its own unique set of challenges. From 
standardizing protocols to overseeing safety, to ensuring data security for your company, 
it can be easy to feel overwhelmed at first. And things only get more complex when 
working with drones on a larger scale. That is why it’s so important to take it slow and get 
it right the first time—before you grow. 
This approach means starting small, proving the value drones can deliver to your 
company, and scaling operations after an initial proof of concept. This requires getting 
things right early on and building upon your success down the line. 
Identify Immediate Opportunities
There are endless ways to integrate drones into the workplace. But how will you get 
started? 
We’ve found that the best way to kick things off is to identify opportunities for drones 
to provide immediate value to your company. You might ask yourself, “what is the lowest 
hanging fruit with the highest rate of return?” 
For most, this means starting out by solving basic problems, such as improving team 
collaboration with easy-to-share drone maps and models, tracking site progress from the 
air, or using drones to make quick and accurate measurements in the field. You will need 
to spend some time considering the best place to start before tackling complex workflows 
and larger problems.
Taking Your Drone Operation to Scale
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Focus on the Business Outcomes
We know drone technology is exciting. But when you’re trying to sell your drone 
program internally, it’s important to focus on the benefits drones can provide—not just 
the technology itself. You’ll want to clearly demonstrate how your company stands to 
benefit from the technology. What do you want to achieve? How will you achieve it? 
Will drones save your team time? Will they reduce the overall budget spend? Can they 
make you more productive? Will they improve site safety? 
These are the messages executives are going to respond to. Speaking their language 
from the start will go a long way to getting your program off the ground. Consider who 
will be signing off on this program, and what they will need to know. Generally, our 
customers have to gather buy-in from departments such as legal, risk management, and 
corporate compliance before they take flight. 
To get this process started, put together some key metrics for your program. You’ll use 
these down the line to prove the program’s success. It’s important that these metrics are 
clear and measurable. Will you measure productivity? Cost savings? ROI? All of the above? 
Think critically about how you want to measure success, and how dronew can help your 
company achieve its long-term goals. 
I think the goal at the end of the day is how the 
team is utilizing this technology to improve our 
process.
“
Grant Hagen, Beck Group
DRONEDEPLOY TIP: 
Feeling overwhelmed? Not sure where to start? Visit our blog to read customer 
stories and case studies. See how companies of all sizes are putting drones to work, 
and the metrics they use to determine the success of their drone programs. Explore 
the blog.
http://blog.dronedeploy.com
http://blog.dronedeploy.com
Preparing for Takeoff 10
At the end of the day, we’re coordinators and 
communicators. We pull a lot of people together 
to try to build very complex jobs, and we can’t do it 
alone. We want the best product for our clients at 
the end of the day, so communication and 
collaboration are very important to us.
“
Ryan Moret, Field Solutions Manager at McCarthy Building Companies
Think About Data Management and Collaboration
A company of any size should be concerned about drone data management. Be prepared 
to put together a plan for managing the data collected by your drone fleet. How will you 
store this data? Who will be in charge of it? How will you share it with stakeholders? 
These are questions executives will want to know.
A successful drone program requires the right system of record in place from the start. 
You’ll need software that can manage your data and scale with your program as your 
operations expand. Get this wrong, and you will be faced with transitioning to a different 
system later. This can lead to additional spend, training, and downtime in the future. 
Make sure you choose drone data management software that fits your program’s needs 
today, and tomorrow. 
Assemble Key Stakeholders
We’re willing to bet that drone data will benefit more than one person or team in your 
company. So it’s important to consider who will be able to take advantage of the insights 
your drone program provides. Once you’ve identified the team members who stand to 
gain value from drones, get them to provide support for your program. Make sure key 
stakeholders are involved early on and can provide suggestions and voice concerns from 
the beginning.
DRONEDEPLOY TIP: 
Transparency and collaboration are key to a successful drone program. If your 
data isn’t easily accessible and shareable with stakeholders, it isn’t going to 
provide value. Ensure success by selecting software that makes collaboration easy. 
Preparing for Takeoff 11
Once you’ve created a plan for adoption, gained buy-in, and decided how to put drones 
to work, you are ready to take the next step and implement the program. 
But, where do you go next? You’ll need to understand regulations, identify pilots, get 
training, purchase insurance, and buy hardware and software. Keep reading to explore 
these topics in more detail.
From Proof of Concept to Scale
As we mentioned earlier, it can be difficult not to jump straight into “run” mode with your 
drone program. If you want to succeed—and your program to scale—you’re going to have 
to determine the right way to start, and when it’s time to expand operations. 
We recommend launching with a proof of concept. This might be as simple as 
implementing drones on a single site or project. Startsmall and prove success to the 
company. We often hear from our customers that it’s easier to show than to tell. 
Make sure this proof of concept is included in your adoption plan—along with how you 
plan to scale. This might be when you’ve hit key metrics we mentioned earlier, or achieved 
the initial goals set out from the start. Will you take your success from one jobsite to ten? 
Will every team get a drone? These are the questions you must answer. And it’s important 
to clearly communicate how and when to consider scaling from the outset.
I think you’ll see a lot of industrial companies starting with 
an internal operation and working with legal to make sure 
they’re doing things right.
“
Hunter Cole, Virtual Design Coordinator, Brasfield & Gorrie
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Understanding Regulations: Part 107, 
Airspace Authorizations, and FAA Compliance 
Before flying drones for commercial purposes, you and any company pilots must first 
become certified by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Luckily, there is a clear 
path that every company can follow, and this is laid out in the FAA’s Part 107 Rule. All 
drone operators must follow Part 107 if they plan to fly for commercial use. Let’s break 
down what this means for you and any member of your drone program.
04
What Is the Part 107 Rule? 
“Part 107” refers to Part 107 of Chapter 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations published 
by the FAA. This rule provides a regulatory framework that every drone pilot must follow 
in order to fly a small unmanned aerial vehicle (sUAV) for commercial use. This rule 
includes operational limitations, pilot responsibilities, and aircraft requirements.
What Does Part 107 Mean For Commercial Businesses? 
Under Part 107, every commercial drone operator in your company will need to be 
certified by the FAA before they can fly drones on the job site. You’re also required to 
remain compliant with Part 107 regulations at all times. This means training will need to 
take place, and safety measures instituted to ensure compliance with the FAA guidelines. 
We will explore various ways to ensure that safety, proper training, and compliance are 
met in later sections of this guide.
Register Your Team for Part 107 Certification 
Follow these three steps to obtain Part 107 Certification and get the green light to 
operate commercially:
• Register your drone here
• Pass the knowledge test
• Complete form 8710–13 via the FAA IACRA system
Part 107 
Read an overview of Part 107 
Read the Part 107 fact sheet
Download the entire 624-page ruling
https://registermyuas.faa.gov/
https://iacra.faa.gov/IACRA/Default.aspx
https://www.faa.gov/uas/media/Part_107_Summary.pdf
https://www.faa.gov/news/fact_sheets/news_story.cfm?newsId=20516
https://www.faa.gov/uas/media/RIN_2120-AJ60_Clean_Signed.pdf
Preparing for Takeoff 13
Training for the Part 107 Knowledge Test 
Like any test, you will need to study for the Part 107 knowledge exam. There are a 
variety of training coursesw online to choose from, but we’ve narrowed down some 
trusted resources to consider below:
DARTdrones
DARTdrones offers a comprehensive online prep course for Part 107. Built by top U.S. 
military pilots for busy professionals with little-to-no drone experience, this is serious 
Part 107 exam preparation for a team of any size.
DRONEDEPLOY TIP: 
Remember, Part 107 Certification applies to individual drone operators, not 
businesses. So anyone you employ as a part of your in-house drone program must 
go through their own certification process.
Our mission at DARTdrones is to help organizations 
develop clear processes and standards for their sUAS pilots 
and then train to those standards. For sUAS pilots within an 
organization who have experience flying, the training process 
is extremely helpful for getting on the same page with the 
rest of the crew and pilots within the organization.
“
Abby Speicher CEO of DARTdrones
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Aerial Solutions for Your Team: Introduction 
to Drone Hardware and Software
You will need to select the right drone hardware and software to get the job done. And 
you’re probably asking yourself where to start. Should I buy a fixed wing or multi-rotor? 
How do I balance hardware costs to get a good return-on-investment? What features 
should I consider when choosing a software platform? 
With a variety of options available, it can be challenging to know what to consider when 
making a selection. This section will help you determine which solutions are a good fit for 
your program, so you can be confident when making purchasing decisions. 
It’s important to choose the right hardware and software solutions early on so that when 
the time comes to scale, you won’t have to learn how to use new software, or introduce 
a new workflow across your team. 
Read on to get tips for choosing the right drone and drone software for your team. 
05
Preparing for Takeoff 15
Hardware
Buy a Drone That Supports Your Use Case 
Consider your industry use case, average flying conditions (e.g. high winds), and mapping 
subject before you buy. If you plan to map smaller areas, make 3D models of structures, 
or conduct site inspections that require maneuvering up and around buildings, then a 
multi-rotor drone model is the right choice. If you are mapping larger areas (hundreds 
or thousands of acres at a time) or flying long, linear flight plans such as pipelines or 
roadways, you may want to consider a fixed wing drone.
Keep Your Budget in Mind 
You’ll also want to keep your budget in mind. In the current market, there is a significant 
price gap between multi-rotor and fixed wing drone models. If you’re looking to get 
a greater ROI, an affordable, multi-use quadcopter model is your best bet. However, 
you may need a fixed-wing to meet the specific demands of your business use 
case — it all depends.
Newer Is Usually Better 
When it comes to purchasing business technology solutions, buying the latest product 
usually results in a smoother experience and greater feature set. Drones are no different. 
Choosing the latest drone model over its predecessor is a smarter investment for your 
business. Not only will they have improved hardware, but software solutions will also 
work more effectively with the latest integrations and support. While some older models 
are solid products, we recommend you invest in the newer model for a longer shelf life 
and better experience. You don’t want buyer’s remorse, or be faced with an early upgrade 
down the line.
For more information 
on selecting the right 
drone, including 
comparisons of the top 
drones on the market, 
read our comprehensive 
Drone Buyer’s Guide.
DRONEDEPLOY TIP: 
Remain Flexible. There is no one-size fits all drone solution that will suit every use 
case. In fact, more than 20% of pilots on the DroneDeploy platform fly multiple 
drones. Your businesses may need to invest in more than one drone model to 
accomplish all of its goals.
http://resources.dronedeploy.com/2017-drone-buyers-guide
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Software
DroneDeploy is the leading software platform for commercial drones. With thousands 
of customers around the world, our software has been implemented by companies of all 
shapes and sizes. We’ve worked with professionals across industries to understand the 
challenges companies face implementing drones and taking operations to scale. 
The Industry’s Choice for Drone Mission Planning and Flight Automation 
Each month, DroneDeploy helps customers fly more than 40,000 flights over 150,000 
miles — or about 6 trips around the earth. That makes us the most popular app for mission 
planning and flight automation in the world. 
25 Million Acres Mapped and Counting 
DroneDeploy customers have mapped more than 25 million acres across 160 countries. 
Our software is used in almost every industry on all 7 continents. Today, DroneDeploy 
holds the world’slargest drone data repository. We use this data to better understand 
how our customers use drone data, and to ultimately build a better product to solve the 
toughest challenges faced by companies relying on drone data. 
Providing Customers a Best-In-Class Solution 
Setting up a drone program and taking it to scale can be complicated. Selecting the right 
hardware and software is just the start. Training, insurance, and compliance can prove to 
be a challenge for a company of any size.
That’s why we’ve partnered with industry leaders to provide a best-in-class solution to 
support drone service providers, multinational corporations, and everyone in between. 
Together with our partners, we’re giving customers with a broad and integrated 
technology stack to power drone operations, including: software, hardware, insurance 
and training. It encompasses all the tools companies need to launch and scale their 
drone operations.
Preparing for Takeoff 17
The World’s Largest Drone Data Marketplace 
The DroneDeploy App Market is industry’s largest drone data platform, with more than 
60 public apps available across 9 different industries. Leverage our app integrations to 
extend DroneDeploy and amplify the power of your drone data.
Extend Dronedeploy With Powerful APIs 
It’s so important that you — and your team — have access to drone data when you need 
it most, whether that’s on the DroneDeploy platform, in an internal tool, or using third-
party industry software that is part of your existing workflow.
That’s why we’ve made our platform APIs available to enterprise customers. You can 
now extend and amplify DroneDeploy by building custom applications and automated 
workflows that scale with your business. Deploy private apps, integrate with your favorite 
industry tools, and connect your company to DroneDeploy for seamless data sharing and 
workflow automation.
Convert Data to 
Flight Plans
Build on Our 
User Interface
Backup Data to Your 
System of Record
Map Processing 
as a Service
Preparing for Takeoff 18
Building a UAV Team: Scaling Your Fleet
Building and scaling out a team means hiring the right people to set up and manage your 
program from the start. As a new and emerging industry technology, it’s important to 
remain flexible. There is no one way to build a drone team. Every company does it a little 
bit different, but here are some suggestions and guidelines to get you started.
06
Establishing Roles in the UAV Team
No matter whether you decide to set up an in-house drone operation, or contract out 
your services, you’ll need to have a clear set of roles and responsibilities to manage your 
program successfully. It’s important to start with these in mind and hire to fill the roles 
from the get-go. Let’s explore some of the key roles and responsibilities we often see our 
customers hiring for when launching their program. 
Chief Pilot and UAV Operations Coordinator 
You’ll need someone to oversee the setup, develop strategy, and manage the program. 
While you may choose to contract out other team positions, we recommend hiring an 
in-house person to lead your program. 
This person should be familiar with your company and industry, be Part 107 certified, 
and have extensive knowledge of the evolving commercial drone landscape. Many of our 
enterprise clients choose an existing employee to serve in this role. It can be helpful—
especially in the beginning—to have someone who is intimately familiar with your 
company and the challenges you are trying to solve with drones. 
This person will be responsible for crafting strategy, establishing compliance, putting 
policies and procedures in place, creating a program culture, hiring and contracting 
services for the program.
Pilots 
Your pilots will be those who are most frequently flying your sites. They may be deployed 
at the local, state, national, or international level. Pilots can be contracted out, or hired 
in-house. They are responsible for collecting drone data in the field and providing 
deliverables to the team. 
Drone Data Analyst 
Collecting drone data is just one part of the equation. You’ll need someone to manage 
and analyze that data to generate insights and make discoveries. This should be someone 
an in-house employee—someone familiar with your industry challenges, and able to 
assist the team by putting all this data to work.
Preparing for Takeoff 19
Hiring Pilots: In-House or Contract? 
As your company evaluates its future with drones, you may find yourself asking: do we 
contract with experienced drone pilots, or do we start an in-house operation?
More than 60,000 commercial pilots have been certified since the FAA’s Part 107 Rule 
went into effect, so there is no shortage of qualified contractors to choose from. On the 
other hand, large companies are finding it beneficial to build their own in-house teams. 
Recent research from Skylogic Research shows that the majority of companies surveyed 
choose to hire in-house employees (67%), while just 10% choose to outsource to 
contract out their services. Almost a third (23%) choose a mix of both.
It’s up to you to decide what model is right for your company. Let’s explore the benefits 
and challenges, and take a look at what you can expect to gain from each approach.
Benefits of Contracting a Drone Service Provider
Navigating Industry Regulations 
To ensure federal compliance, each drone operator must become Part 107 certified by 
the FAA, and airspace restrictions need to be monitored and checked before each flight. 
Sites may also require airspace waivers to be granted before you’re able to fly. There are 
also line-of-sight, altitude, and speed restrictions to consider when planning missions. 
Some companies simply do not have the internal resources to navigate these regulations, 
train employees, or take time to get commercially certified by the FAA. In these cases, 
opting to contract out mapping services may be the right decision—especially in the early 
stages of a program.
Drone Services: In-House or Contract
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Once they’ve seen everything they can do, [companies] can 
begin to factor drones into various aspects of their business 
model.
“
Dale Parrish, Owner Hover Visions
Compensate for Lack of In-House Expertise 
A good drone operator must be able to produce accurate, high-quality images and maps, 
and deliver those maps in the outputs that are best suited to each situation. Some 
companies are finding they don’t have the time and resources necessary to create and 
maintain in-house drone experts.
High turnover in some industries may require regular re-training of new in-house 
operators. In other situations, existing staff simply don’t have the time to develop the 
necessary skills. 
Address Liability Concerns 
Flying a drone is generally safe, especially with the hardware advances that have taken 
place over the past few years. That being said, accidents do happen. A contracted service 
provider can shoulder the additional liabilities that come with operating drones.
As an additional consideration, rates and coverage amounts for UAV insurance are based 
on a company having thorough, well-tested drone operating procedures, documented 
pilot trainings and proper safety controls. Companies just entering the drone sphere may 
decide that it is not cost effective to develop the in-house protocols required to get the 
level of coverage they need.
Proof of Concept 
Even if your company is well positioned to build out its own operations, there can be a 
benefit to the old adage, “try before you buy.” Contracting with a drone service provider 
is a great way to test proof of concept before investing in training, certification and 
insurance. It can also be an effective, relatively low-cost way to create buy-in at various 
levels of the company.
Drone service provider Dale Parrish, of Hover Visions, points out that new clients oftenneed to first experience drone maps in a real-world situation before deciding if a full-scale 
drone operation is right for their business.
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Scale Faster 
With an outsourcing partner to manage drone services, it is usually possible to scale 
faster. This is because the contractor will manage many of the hardest parts of setting 
up a drone program (certifications, training, hiring, risk management). If this is something 
that is important to your company, you may want to consider starting out with 
contracted services, like those from Uplift Data Partners. You can always bring things in 
house down the line.
Uplift works with large enterprise clients everyday as we 
make it hassle-free to capture enterprise drone data at scale 
while ensuring compliance, safety, and insurance require-
ments are met.
“
Andrew Dennison, COO at Uplift Data Partners
DRONEDEPLOY TIP: 
To better manage your drone program, leverage DroneDeploy’s Admin Panel to 
assign user roles and permissions for in-house or contracted operators. Easily track 
hundreds of pilots and collaborators at a glance — seeing where they have flown, the 
routes they have mapped, and the data they have gathered and analyzed.
Preparing for Takeoff 22
Hiring High-Quality, Certified Pilots 
There are thousands of pilots out there certified to fly commercially. Some may not be 
at the level your company needs to get the job done. It can be challenging to find the 
right partner to work with Customers have told us that finding the right contractor takes 
time, and even then quality is not guaranteed. This is especially difficult if your company 
expects to work at a national or international level. Some contractors will not be able to 
meet the requirements of an international program, or may be constrained to a particular 
state or region.
DRONEDEPLOY TIP: 
DroneDeploy recommends Uplift Data Partners as a trusted source for contracting 
drone services during any stage of your UAV program. Uplift Data Partners enables 
enterprise clients to capture aerial data through a turnkey service platform. Uplift’s 
platform connects 500+ commercial drone pilots with clients, enabling them to 
scale their drone data capture needs with knowledgeable, safe, and proficient pilots 
who are ready to fly any mission nationwide. Learn More.
Challenges of Outsourcing Drone Services
Less Control Over Your Program 
Outsourcing your drone services means that you have less control over your program. 
Choosing an outsourcing partner is critical to your success. If you choose a partner that 
doesn’t meet your quality standards, or isn’t able to understand your industry needs, then 
it will be harder to deliver on the value promised to stakeholders in your company.
https://www.upliftdatapartners.com/
Preparing for Takeoff 23
Benefits of Building an In-House Team
Develop In-House Expertise 
On the other side of the coin, even if your company doesn’t currently have in-house 
expertise, it might be something worth investing in. After all, in-house operators will know 
your industry and your particular company best, including its challenges, communication 
styles and specific software.
Cost-Effective 
For companies that intend to fly drones regularly, building an in-house team may make 
the most financial sense. The cost of drone technology has decreased in recent years, 
making the startup costs for a drone operation lower than ever before. For example, 
the DJI Phantom 4 Pro—an excellent mapping drone—can be purchased off the shelf for 
less than $1500, which is well within the means of most business launching a proof of 
concept. 
Some larger companies will fly drones so regularly that integrating them into the 
company’s everyday workflow is a cost-effective choice.
New technologies are ‘high touch’ and sometimes require a 
lot of explaining. You want [drone operators] who already 
‘get it’ with respect to your way of doing things when you 
have questions.
“
Beau Dealy, Apis Remote Sensing Systems
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Communication and Collaboration 
The benefits of drones don’t stop once the first map is produced and analyzed. Leaders 
in many industries are finding that drone mapping software makes daily communication 
smoother. By creating an in-house team, companies can put these tools in the hands of 
people at all levels of a project.
Construction project manager Nick Johnson, of Tilt Rock of Texas, has found that 
DroneDeploy’s cloud-based software and intuitive annotation features have improved 
collaboration across the board.
Now, if I need a contractor to be aware of a design change 
before he lays pipe that day, I simply walk over to him with 
my tablet, blow up a particular section of overlaid plans and 
show him exactly what he needs to know.
“
Nick Johnson, Tilt Rock Texas
Challenges of Building an In-House Program
Internal Risk 
As mentioned before, outsourcing your program shifts a lot of the risk away from your 
company. This can be beneficial, especially at the start, since many companies shy away 
from the perceived risk of setting up a drone program. A contractor will come with their 
own insurance, training, and safety requirements. Meaning you won’t have to establish 
them yourself. 
Greater Investment 
Setting up an in-house program is simply going to cost more—both in time and money. 
Hiring, training, equipment, and other start-up expenses will need to be considered. This 
takes time to be done right and will require significant internal resources. But many of 
our customers feel the costs are well worth the effort.
Training High-Quality, Certified Pilots 
Just because you’re setting up an in-house program, doesn’t mean it will be any easier to 
find talent or train your internal staff. Experienced pilots can be hard to find no matter 
what approach you take. 
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Hybrid: a Mix of Both Options 
The choice between an in-house team or a contracted drone service provider is not 
necessarily an either-or decision. Some companies may want to test proof of concept 
and, once they’ve developed a good understanding of how drones can be used in their 
operations, work toward building an in-house team.
On the other side, some have found that the best way to manage risks is to start with 
an internal operation, develop a manual and checklists, and work through any wrinkles 
in workflows. At that point, as the need for drone flights grow, a company can integrate 
contracted drone service providers into an already established process.
As mentioned, recent data from Skylogic Research suggests that 23% of businesses 
investing in drones take a hybrid approach. 
Regardless of whether your company chooses to contract an external drone service 
provider or build an in-house team, it helps to stay agile. Staying on top of advancements 
and opportunities in drone technology will help companies regularly assess their needs 
and adapt along with the drone industry’s ever-changing landscape.
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Minimizing Risk: Insurance, Training, 
Safety, and Maintenance for Your Fleet
There is a lot on the line with incorporating drones into the workplace. Being aware 
and accepting that risk is part of of managing and scaling any in-house drone program. 
You’ll need to take the necessary steps to ensure you are minimizing that risk and doing 
everything to support a safe environment for the program to thrive. Let’s explore some of 
the ways you can reduce risk and create a safe operation for everyone involved.
Establishing Safety Protocols 
Safety is paramount while flying any aircraft. You can reduce any potential risk that might 
pose a danger to your company or its employees by taking a safety-first approach. 
Safety is all about establishing protocols to reduce risk and making sure employees 
adhere to them on the job. Failure to do so can result in harm to your drone program, 
personnel,or the company itself. When something goes wrong on the job, it can damage 
your company’s reputation, cost you business, increase operating costs and slow down 
your ability to grow. 
Safety starts from the top. It’s more than a concept—it’s a philosophy. Safety starts with 
the leader of your drone program and trickles down. As you begin establishing your 
program guidelines, safety should always be top of mind. 
Here are some things to keep in mind when developing safety protocols, and tools you can 
use to ensure they are followed.
Educate Employees About Potential Risk 
It’s important that members of your program understand what risks are on the table. 
Without comprehension of what can go wrong, there will be less incentive to stick with 
the guidelines. We recommend you start by educating your team about the risks and 
potential harm associated with failing to follow company protocol—making everyone 
accountable for the safety and success of the drone program. 
Establish a System for Checking Airspace Authorization 
As we mentioned before, one of the tenants of being a responsible pilot is always 
checking your airspace before flying. Temporary flight restrictions (TFRs) can change 
at a moment’s notice, and your team needs to be sure flights are compliant with FAA 
regulations at all times. We recommend developing an internal protocol or system 
for checking airspace authorization before each flight. This will help keep everyone 
accountable and reduce chances of flying in a restricted airspace, or without the proper 
FAA flight waivers required for the job.
07
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DRONEDEPLOY TIP: 
Leverage flight planning apps available in the DroneDeploy App Market to check 
local airspace before you fly. Apps like AirMap and Flyte provide up-to-date 
airspace information for commercial pilots and collaborators.
Reduce Risk and Use Best Practices with Flight Automation 
Flying a drone can be challenging. Especially when you’re first getting started. On a 
jobsite there are hundreds—even thousands—of potential obstacles or challenges to 
overcome ranging from structures to weather, and everything in between. By automating 
drone flights, you can help reduce the risk of something going wrong, such as a collision 
that injures a person or damages equipment. Flight automation with DroneDeploy allows 
you to set all of your flight parameters (speed, altitude, etc) when you plan a flight. This 
makes it easier to avoid obstacles you know exist while following best mapping practices 
to produce higher-quality maps and models.
We like using the automated systems because it opens up 
less opportunity for risk. I know the tower cranes aren’t 
going to get any taller. I know the buildings aren’t going to 
get any taller than the tower cranes. So with relative 
confidence I can walk out every week and do all three 
flights on the same SD card.
“
Ryan Moret, McCarthy Building Companies
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Create Pre-Flight, Post-Flight, and Emergency Checklists 
Clearly defining a consistent set of pre and post-flight procedures will increase safety and 
reduce chances of something going wrong in the field. It’s important to conduct pre and 
post-flight safety checks each and every time you take to the skies. A good checklist will 
address the following:
Every mission has its own set of hazards. Whether flying a residential roof for an 
insurance inspection, or mapping a quarry to measure stockpiles, the flight team 
needs to locate any potential hazards that may occur in advance.
Like each mission, the job site frequently changes. This means your team will have 
to be aware of any airspace regulations, structures, persons, or equipment that is 
nearbye and plan accordingly. Airspace regulations are frequently changing. Make 
sure your team is up-to-date on the regulations and has proper authorization to fly.
The crew should always be aware of the surrounding environment and the weather. 
Ensuring that your pilot and visual observer are aware of environmental hazards 
is key. Always check the weather in advance. You don’t want to get caught in the 
middle of a weather event with an aircraft in the sky.
Just like a manned aircraft, a drone requires a full flight crew during a mission. 
Be sure each member of your crew is present and alert at all times to reduce the 
chances of something going wrong. 
Mission:
Jobsite:
Environment:
Flight Crew:
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Keep It Simple and Repeatable 
The key to making checklists is to ensure they are simple to follow, and easy to repeat at 
each job—no matter the location. You want your pilots to get in the habit of conducting 
pre and post-checks, and a method for reporting any issues that might occur before, 
during, or after a flight check has been completed (more on this later). 
This will become even more important as you scale your program. The ability to reproduce 
safe flights anywhere, anytime is going to be important if you plan to take your drone 
operations to scale across multiple job sites. 
DRONEDEPLOY TIP: 
Use DroneDeploy’s APIs to create custom pre-flight apps for your team. With our 
APIs, custom safety checklist apps can be a requirement for every flight. This reduces 
the chances of equipment and personnel being put in danger.
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Establish Emergency Procedures 
You create safety procedures intending to avoid disaster. But sometimes disaster strikes. 
If it does, you and your team needs to be ready to react appropriately. You should always 
establish an emergency procedure should something go wrong. It can be difficult to think 
straight in a stressful situation, and having a set of clear guidelines to follow makes things 
more manageable for the pilot, observer, and anyone else on the ground. This increases 
your team’s chances of responding effectively— without forgetting any important steps 
along the way.
Establishing a System of Record for Tacking Pilots, Flight Logs, and Missions 
Good record keeping is critical to any department—drone data is no different. You 
will need to develop a system for storing all mission information. This will come in 
hand should anything go wrong during or after the mission. You may have to complete 
a retroactive analysis, or provide detailed information to other departments in the 
company such as legal or risk management
DRONEDEPLOY TIP: 
Use the DroneDeploy Admin Panel to manage your drone data. Our Data Viewer 
makes it simple to view, track, store, and organize your drone data. 
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There are a variety of software solutions available to digitally store and manage your 
flight log records. Here are some of our top recommendations to consider.
Skyward 
Skyward is an innovative drone management platform that helps connect pilot 
networks, track equipment, and manage processes. Check airspace, coordinate 
with your flight crew, and minimize risk with Skyward’s platform. Plus, you can 
integrate your Skyward account with DroneDeploy via the App Market.
AirData UAV Sync 
Airdata UAV Sync simplifies the process of uploading DroneDeploy log files from 
the DroneDeploy App to Airdata.com via our App Market. Discover ‘under the hood’ 
information and review early signs of problems before you take off again.
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Report Solutions 
Report Solutions makes it simple to generate a flight summary report using your flight 
maps. Share reports with your customers and colleagues to provide a valuable 
post-flight deliverable. Recipients receive an interactive report branded to your 
company, showcasing your maps and flight details—which can quickly be created right 
within the DroneDeploy Dashboard by installing the Report Solutions app.
DroneLogbook Mission Uploader 
This plugin allows you to automatically upload DroneDeploy missions to your 
DroneLogbook via the App Market. A flight record is createdwith location, drone, and 
battery — based on settings from your inventory, which can all be accessed and synced 
from directly in the DroneDeploy Dashboard. 
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NV Drones 
Automatically export all your DroneDeploy flight logs to NVdrones. NV Drones 
organizes your flight data within your respective DroneDeploy projects as well 
as display detailed telemetry and battery data for each flight.
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Insuring Your Success: Drone Insurance for Your Fleet
Insurance is another aspect of your drone program not to be ignored. Having too little, or 
none at all, leaves you open to risk and can be enough to leave your company vulnerable 
should an accident occur. There are two basic types of insurance that you will want to 
consider: hull and liability insurance. 
Hull insurance covers damage to the drone itself. It’s generally separate from liability 
policies. Hull insurance is important to consider, especially if you’re operating a more 
expensive system such as the DJI Inspire or Matrice series. 
Liability insurance covers damage caused to a third party by your drone operations, 
including bodily injury and property damage. Setting up liability insurance is an 
absolute must for any new drone program. We recommend working with your risk 
management team to identify the right amount of liability insurance.
Hull Insurance:
Liability Insurance:
Insurance with DroneInsurance.com 
Starting in early 2018, DroneDeploy will provide our customers with access to 
comprehensive ground and flight liability insurance coverage through our partnership 
with DroneInsurance.com. DronesInsurance.com offers our users the ability to easily 
dial-up flight coverage on a daily, monthly or annual basis, all without leaving the 
DroneDeploy application.
Droneinsurance.com will offer hull and liability coverages and flexible liability 
options starting at $1M and up to $25M; as well as coverage for multi-industry jobs 
supported by DroneDeploy’s mapping and analysis tools.
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Training Your Team: Drone Training and Consultation 
Investing in a Training Program for Your Team 
You wouldn’t drive heavy machinery, or operate commercial equipment without proper 
training. Drones are no different. As mentioned, safety is paramount to success. One 
mishap can put your pilot program at risk, damage your company’s reputation, or leave it 
vulnerable to lawsuits or other legal implications. 
The best way to ensure operational safely is to invest in a training program. Training your 
team on equipment, safe flight practices, operating procedures, and regulations can go 
a long way. With the right training program in place you can scale faster and help your 
team hit its goals, all while reducing the chance of risk on the job site. 
We recommend working with DARTdrones, the industry’s leading training and 
consultation program. DARTdrones can provide custom training packages for any team. 
Learn from expert pilots who have helped companies across industries launch and scale 
their UAV programs. Courses cover subjects including: equipment procurement, UAV 
implementation, operating procedures, FAA waivers, airspace authorization, and more. 
DRONEDEPLOY TIP: 
Consider enrolling in the “Aerial Mapping and Modeling with DroneDeploy” 
Workshop hosted by DARTdrones. We’ve partnered with the leading instructors 
in the industry to provide companies with tailored training to get the best results 
when mapping, processing, and analyzing with DroneDeploy’s software. 
Learn More.
As an agency with national jurisdiction, it is critically 
important that our drone based products are standardized. 
Training all of our pilots and support staff in the same way 
and following the same processes and procedures ensures 
credible and actionable products. Using a training program 
that is able to train a national team to scale is critical to the 
success of the NTSB UAS program.
“
Bill English, Senior Air Safety Investigator, NTSB
https://www.dartdrones.com/drone-mapping/
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Consultation Services 
Training from the get-go is important, but as your team scales you can benefit from 
ongoing consultation from the experts. DARTdrones also offers consultation services 
to customers, proving advice, strategy, and processes to ensure you grow your team 
successfully.
Launching an sUAS operation is a complex process filled with 
potential pitfalls. Without expert guidance from an early 
stage, and throughout the development and launch process, 
it is almost certain that both time and money will be wasted 
in some capacity. In addition, given the current regulatory 
environment, and the anticipated evolution in regulations 
that are expected in the coming years, it is important to 
develop an operational strategy that allows for both the 
effective use of unmanned aircraft systems now, as well as 
pathways for scale-ability and more advanced use cases in 
the future.
“
Colin Romberger Chief Flight Instructor at DARTdrones
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Maintaining Your Operation: Fleet 
Maintenance and Repairs
Like any other piece of equipment on your job site, drones should undergo routine 
maintenance and inspection by your team. Regular UAV maintenance lowers chances of 
accidents, saves valuable resources, and reduces liability risk. 
Drone hardware should be checked before and after each flight, and issues 
should be logged and scheduled for repair or further inspection. 
Here are some tips for keeping drone and battery hardware in the best 
working condition.
Drones
Maintenance 
Your drone fleet should regularly be inspected for issues before and after each flight. 
Some common things to look out for include: cracks in the hull, damage to propellers, and 
dirty cameras or sensors. Propellers should generally be replaced after 200 flights, even if 
no damage occurs. And you should always keep your drone hardware clean and free from 
dust, debris, and dirt. 
08
DRONEDEPLOY TIP: 
Use apps like Skyward, Airdata UAV Sync, NV Drones, and Drone Logbook to log 
and store flight data so you know how many flights you’ve completed. This will 
make it easier to know when it’s time to replace propellers. 
Explore the DroneDeploy App Market.
https://www.dronedeploy.com/app-market/index.html
Preparing for Takeoff 38
If the drone is damaged, you should send it off to the manufacturer for repair before 
flying again. Operating a damaged or broken drone increases the chances of an accident 
occurring. If you see chips or crack in the propellers, you can order new propellers from 
the manufacturer.
Firmware Updates 
Before you go out and fly any mission, it’s always important to make sure that your drone 
firmware is up to date. Firmware updates are issued for drone hardware and generally 
fix any reported issues or features to support safe flight. Keep in mind that when you are 
updating the firmware it’s best to remove the props from the drone beforehand. 
DRONEDEPLOY TIP: 
Not sure how to update your firmware on a DJI aircraft? Check out DroneDeploy’s 
Zero-to-Hero video tutorial series for a complete walkthrough. Learn More.
https://support.dronedeploy.com/docs/zero-to-hero-video-onboarding
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Repairs 
Generally, repairs are handled by the hardware manufacturer. You may also be able to 
take the drone to a certified reseller or retail store for maintenance and repair. DJI offers 
online repair requests and equipment pickup. Visit the DJI Repair Services Center for 
more information.
Batteries
Today’s drones run on lithium-ion or lithium-polymer batteries, and require management 
to ensure safe flight and storage. The logistics of transporting, storing, tracking, and 
replacing your fleet’s batteries can prove to be a challenge for a growing team. Batteries 
are often overlooked by program coordinators just getting started. The cost of purchasing,maintaining, and replacing batteries is something you’ll want to consider from the start. 
Here are some tips and best practices to help you set-up and scale your operation.
Buying Batteries 
Each drone usually comes with 1-2 batteries at the time of purchase. However, we 
recommend you buy additional batteries to meet the flight demands of your industry and 
individual projects. For reference, each manufacturer lists flight time for drone models in 
the hardware specifications. 
https://www.dji.com/service/repair
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Some jobs may require multiple flights to map large areas, which will require additional 
batteries. For example, flying a construction jobsite to make a high-quality 3D model may 
require multiple flights at different angles to gather enough data to produce a model. 
Whereas a 2D orthomosaic map may be created from a single flight, requiring 
less batteries.
We recommend purchasing a minimum of 4-6 batteries for each drone in your fleet. 
This translates to 2 or more hours of flight in the field at any given time. Keep in mind 
external factors such as temperature can affect flight time and should be taken into 
consideration when planning a mission. 
Storing Batteries 
Each drone usually comes with 1-2 batteries at purchase. However, we recommend 
buying additional batteries to meet the flight demands of your individual projects. 
For reference, each manufacturer lists flight time for drone models in the hardware 
specifications.
Here are some tips for proper storage:
• Store batteries in a cool, dry place away from flammable objects or liquids
• Don’t overcharge batteries, leave batteries charging overnight, or without 
 observation 
• Make sure the room batteries are stored in has a functional smoke detector, fire 
 extinguisher, and/or sprinkler system in place should a fire occur
Maintenance 
Batteries, like the drones themselves, require maintenance over time to ensure they are 
in proper working condition. Before and after each flight batteries should be inspected 
for any signs of damage. If batteries suffer from any damage they should be disposed of 
properly and replaced. 
Batteries should also undergo testing and diagnostics throughout their lifecycle. There 
are a variety of tools that can analyze battery data to provide you with insights into 
battery health. Using these tools, you can take a look “under the hood” and get a better 
idea of when it may be time to replace your fleet’s batteries. 
Preparing for Takeoff 41
DRONEDEPLOY TIP: 
Use the AirData UAV Sync App available in DroneDeploy’s App Market to 
understand your battery health. Detect deviations in battery cells that could lead 
to issues down the line, and gain insight into when you should consider retiring and 
disposing of a battery. 
Flight Logbook Management Battery Efficiency Sensor Maps
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Getting Started with DroneDeploy
Now that we’ve explored the most important things to consider when setting up a 
drone program, you should feel more prepared to begin implementing drones at your 
company. Of course, there is so much more to learn about the commercial drone industry 
and UAV adoption. If you still have questions, we recommend you check out some of 
DroneDeploy’s other resources, or speak to a member of our team to learn more. 
Here are some follow-up resources and next steps to consider before taking the leap into 
the exciting world of commercial drones. 
 
 
 
 
 
Contact a Member of our Team 
We have helped companies large and small get their drone programs off the ground. If you 
have more questions please request a consultation with one of our team members. We’re 
happy to talk through your concerns and answer any questions you may still have about 
getting started.
Start Your Free Trial of DroneDeploy 
If you’re ready to put DroneDeploy’s software to work, you can start today with a 30-day 
free trial. Give DroneDeploy a try and you’ll see why we’re the software of choice of 
companies around the world. 
The DroneDeploy mobile application is available for free download for both iOS and 
Android devices. So, go out there and take your bird for a spin to see what all the hype is 
all about. Afterwards, let us know what you think. 
Learn More from Our Industry Resources 
If you’re seeking more information, check out our resource library of webinars, eBooks, 
case studies, and online trainings. Learn from industry leaders, product experts, and 
your peers by visiting our website today. All our resources are available for free at www.
dronedeploy.com/resources. 
Getting Started: Next Steps & Resources09
CONTACT US
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About DroneDeploy
DroneDeploy is the leading cloud software platform for commercial drones, and is making the power of 
aerial data accessible and productive for everyone.
Trusted by leading brands globally, DroneDeploy is transforming the way businesses leverage drones and 
aerial data across industries, including agriculture, construction, mining, inspection and surveying. Simple 
by design, DroneDeploy enables professional-grade imagery and analysis, 3D modeling and more from any 
drone on any device.
DroneDeploy is located in the heart of San Francisco. 
To learn more visit us online and join the conversation on Twitter.
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