Drones are becoming more common across various industries with each passing day. From real estate to thermal imaging and everything in between, drone technology has simplified work for industry professionals in various ways.
Many companies have gone all in by starting in-house drone programs to enhance operations. Depending on the company/industry, this approach definitely has its merits. But in this post, we will make the case that it is generally in a company’s best interest to continue outsourcing drone needs to independent drone service providers.
Without further ado, here are 5 reasons to continue outsourcing drone needs to industry professionals.
1. Convenience
The first reason companies should continue outsourcing to drone service providers is simply for convenience. When a company utilizes an independent drone service provider, the convenience factor is huge—simply reach out, make the service request, provide details, agree on pricing, and wait for the end product(s) to land in your inbox.
And once a service provider/client relationship is established, obtaining the desired deliverables becomes easier and easier. The service provider comes to know exactly what the client wants, and the synergy allows for swift and painless project completion every single time.
The ability to outsource these needs to an independent professional allows companies to allocate their resources more effectively. In other words, the ability to delegate niche business needs enables companies to devote more time to what they do best—marketing, business development, sales, etc.
For a company seeking convenience, outsourcing to a local drone service provider is definitely the way to go.
2. Cost
The next reason companies should continue outsourcing to drone service providers is to save money.
While it might sound relatively inexpensive to go out, buy a drone, and start utilizing it for your business, the reality is that doing so will likely be more expensive than outsourcing. Let’s take a look at the breakdown.
Equipment
Obviously, the drone itself is one expense. Depending on the industry, the cost of the drone could be significant. Take thermal drones, for example. Acquiring a good thermal drone will cost at least $5,500. While this might be a small expense for larger organizations, for the average business, this is no small figure.
And the drone itself might not be the only equipment needed. For example, it’s a good idea to use a launch/landing pad, safety vests, etc. And depending on the drone selected and the industry, you might need to purchase additional attachments for the aircraft itself. As you can imagine, the cost of the equipment itself can quickly add up.
Training and Certification
Operating a drone legally in the United States requires a Part 107 certificate. This entails the cost of a preparation course and the cost of taking the certification exam itself.
But here’s the catch—the Part 107 training and certification likely won’t be the only training cost incurred; it will still take a significant amount of on-the-job training to fully train a new remote pilot on the ins and outs of the equipment. And the more complex the equipment, the steeper the learning curve.
But that’s not all. Depending on the industry, additional certification might be needed. For example, in the drone thermography space, industry-specific training and certification are paramount for operational success and maintaining credibility within the industry. For minimum thermography training, you’re looking at $1,800 at the very least.
Ultimately, this all equates to a significant amount of time (and therefore money) spent to simply make a competent remote pilot.
Insurance
Another drone operating expense often forgotten is insurance. The fact of the matter is that accidents happen, and depending on the industry and type of equipment involved, the accidents can be expensive.
When it comes to drone insurance, there are two primary coverage types—hull and liability. Hull coverage is insurance for the equipment itself, and liability coverage is insurance that covers the cost of damage to people or property in the event of a mishap.
It’s recommended to purchase both hull and liability coverage for commercial drone operations. There are a few different ways of going about this, but regardless of the method, this is another expense you will incur.
And you’ll likely be surprised at the high cost of hull insurance, especially for enterprise-level drones. If your company doesn’t use drones on a super frequent basis, this added cost might be difficult to justify.
Wage/Salary
If a company decides to do drone work in-house, another significant expense is the cost of paying a remote pilot. Regardless of whether they are paid a salary or by the hour, the cost to pay them for the time they devote to drone work is something to consider.
Vehicle
Drone work requires a vehicle to get to the work site. Even if a company has a fleet of vehicles, additional wear and tear associated with using the vehicle for drone work adds to the list of expenses.
3. Quality of Product
The next reason companies should continue outsourcing to drone service providers is to get a better end product.
When it comes to commercial drone work, passion and enthusiasm go a long way toward generating quality deliverables, whether that means maps, thermograms, or video footage.
Simply put, a long-time drone enthusiast with a drone service business is generally more likely to produce a better product than someone within a larger company tasked with being “the drone guy” on top of a list of other duties and responsibilities.
Sure, in-house remote pilots can be trained well and can develop expertise based on experience, but the reality is that a remote pilot fueled by enthusiasm for drones will create an end product that is much better than the alternative.
And when it comes to fields like thermography, it isn’t enough to purchase a drone for the company, task someone with flying it, and turn them loose. For these kinds of applications, a thorough understanding of the science of thermography is needed, otherwise the data obtained will be subpar at best.
Drone service providers have a wealth of knowledge and experience resulting from a genuine passion for drone technology.
It is ultimately in a company’s best interest to utilize a third party with the expertise needed to create a quality product.
Be sure to check out how drones are changing the roofing industry.
4. Liability and Safety
The next reason companies should continue outsourcing to drone service providers is to avoid being liable for mishaps and to avoid mishaps altogether.
Sure, insurance can provide peace of mind when it comes to financial liability, but outsourcing to independent service providers allows companies to preserve their reputation by delegating operational responsibility to the experts.
From a safety standpoint, it’s in a company’s best interest to outsource to the independent experts.
Going through some classroom training and obtaining a Part 107 Remote Pilot certificate alone doesn’t substitute for the years of experience handling and operating small unmanned aircraft that grow increasingly more complex with each passing day.
The last thing any company wants is to have a work-related injury due to a lack of experience operating unfamiliar, complex, and potentially dangerous equipment.
Another aspect of this is legal liability in terms of keeping up with changing rules and regulations surrounding drone operation.
Drone rules and regulations change as drones continue to occupy a larger portion of the National Airspace System, and it’s easy to get behind and end up in trouble for not adhering to changing guidelines.
The new Remote Identification requirement is just one example of this. Another example is staying up to date on the latest developments in the LAANC system. Though flying a drone might sound simple, the reality is that a company could incur hefty fines for failing to keep up with ever-changing rules and regulations.
5. Frequency of Need
Another thing to consider is how often drone services will be needed. It’s smarter to outsource drone services if those services aren’t needed very often.
For example, a small local roofing company could significantly benefit from drone capabilities for marketing and inspections. However, those services might only be an occasional need depending on any given project.
For this reason, it doesn’t make financial and operational sense to spend the time, money, and energy to develop an in-house drone program (for all the reasons we’ve discussed).
The Bottom Line
Unless a company has a need for drones on a very regular basis, the most logical course of action is to outsource to independent drone service providers. These service providers are passionate industry experts with the knowledge and experience needed to conduct drone operations safely.
