Has anyone used Drone Base?

[sas099]

I am fairly sure that you can not use any of the footage you shoot for your portfolio. It's in the drone base contract. They own the footage as soon as you submit it.
It could be good practice.


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[RocketBrew]

- You sign up, look at the map, find an available property and you just show up unannounced and shoot?

That is about it. The "pano" missions are on spec, their carrot is that they are looking for contract jobs and will contact you for one of those better paying gigs if you're producing good work on pano's.

Doing residential, I have only had one case of a owner/tenant freaking out at my flying, but this guy was so unstable I think I am glad that I didn't knock on his door first either. Otherwise I have only had a couple of neighbors approach and had no issues after explaining that I was taking real estate photos (why I make sure there is a for sale sign out front!).

The only incident doing commercial was Has anyone used Drone Base?

 

[InforGuy]

I am fairly sure that you can not use any of the footage you shoot for your portfolio. It's in the drone base contract. They own the footage as soon as you submit it.
It could be good practice.


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I agree. Thanks for the reply.

 

[InforGuy]

That is about it. The "pano" missions are on spec, their carrot is that they are looking for contract jobs and will contact you for one of those better paying gigs if you're producing good work on pano's.

Doing residential, I have only had one case of a owner/tenant freaking out at my flying, but this guy was so unstable I think I am glad that I didn't knock on his door first either. Otherwise I have only had a couple of neighbors approach and had no issues after explaining that I was taking real estate photos (why I make sure there is a for sale sign out front!).

The only incident doing commercial was Has anyone used Drone Base?

Thank you for the feedback. Can't hurt to give it a shot.

 

[Kevin Barber]

how are you promoting your own business?

I signed up, but haven't done any missions yet - not completely sure if I will or not. But regarding promoting your business, I saw in the FAQ that you are explicitly NOT to represent your own business; you are supposed to be representing DroneBase.

My two main concerns are Insurance and driving down the market price. I'd hate to approach a realtor asking for $200+ and have them say "Well DroneBase will do it for $60".. then turn around and be the one doing the DroneBase job. I suppose the answer to that could be offering more than just a single pano.

Regarding insurance - I believe DB mentions having insurance in their FAQ to customers, but I don't recall seeing it in their FAQ for pilots. They really should partner with Verifly to include insurance for those who are flying for them. I suppose if I get my own policy, it would be covered nonetheless.

Either way - it's WAY too cold in Iowa right now to be out flying, so I've got some time to think on it.

 

[jiggyb21]

I am fairly sure that you can not use any of the footage you shoot for your portfolio. It's in the drone base contract. They own the footage as soon as you submit it.
It could be good practice.


Sent from my iPhone using PhantomPilots

Maybe just take a second photo from a slightly different perspective than submitted. That one's fair game, right?

 

[rstekeur]

Maybe just take a second photo from a slightly different perspective than submitted. That one's fair game, right?

I have no problem doing that

 

[astarofaz]

So I just completed my first Pano mission with Dronebase. I submitted the pictures last night and when I checked on the status of payment it said "Due". Does this mean that someone already bought the pictures? Or is it just a funky way of saying that they are for sale?

 

[shenzi105]

So I just completed my first Pano mission with Dronebase. I submitted the pictures last night and when I checked on the status of payment it said "Due". Does this mean that someone already bought the pictures? Or is it just a funky way of saying that they are for sale?

No, just means that you uploaded/completed the mission.
you will get a notification when the mission is accepted or rejected and then an other one if it gets paid.


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[rccrazy30]

Ok so update. Ive done 11 missions now and have been paid on 6 of them. around $20-25... I sent them an email the other day asking why they don't seem to be pay out Im not sure if it was a glitch in their system or what but they all came in today part of me really feel like their underselling the market. They should at least be charging $100 giving the pilots $50. I know they ask for a couple "beauty shots" but your already there why not take a full set of the entire property and sell that.

 

[shenzi105]

Ok so update. Ive done 11 missions now and have been paid on 6 of them. around $20-25... I sent them an email the other day asking why they don't seem to be pay out Im not sure if it was a glitch in their system or what but they all came in today part of me really feel like their underselling the market. They should at least be charging $100 giving the pilots $50. I know they ask for a couple "beauty shots" but your already there why not take a full set of the entire property and sell that.

I agree, I also totally feel like it's underselling the market. it is definitely bad for the growth of the commercial side of the industry. In my town, aerial/drone photographers charge from $250 to $1,500 per real estate job, depending on the size and requirements. I hope that Dronebase is actually selling the pano shot at $100 at least. It is not good to undercut businesses, it's like shooting oneself in the foot. There are legitimate drone businesses, who invest in the growth of the segment, invest in equipment, training, advertising/marketing, networking, legitimizing the use of drone-based aerial photography for real estate (and more). The industry needs to generate profit in order to grow. I have done a couple DB jobs (and got paid $20 for 1) but I have to say that I feel cheap and unestablished when I show up unannounced, stealing photos of a property without prior arrangement, parking my car on public place and taking off from the street.

DB is a great idea originally, but relying entirely on drone owners who are doing it as a paid-hobby, to justify the cost of their drone to their wives or parents, is not going to help build and establish an industry.

Don't forget why Walmart is successful, as much as US citizens ***** about products made in China, they are happy and used to the retail prices of products made in China, motivating US corporations to offer cheaper products and services.

But I keep trying to shoot panos for DB, to keep practicing and training, I actually do not shoot 90% of the properties I check on the app because I don't feel good doing it unannounced. I am focusing on commercial ones, easier, no suspicious owners, no upset local photographers, no upset realtor asking what are you doing here, "Who told you to shoot here? no I don't know dronebase and no, we havent contracted anyone for pano, we already have our photographer".

 

[rccrazy30]

I agree, I also totally feel like it's underselling the market. it is definitely bad for the growth of the commercial side of the industry. In my town, aerial/drone photographers charge from $250 to $1,500 per real estate job, depending on the size and requirements. I hope that Dronebase is actually selling the pano shot at $100 at least. It is not good to undercut businesses, it's like shooting oneself in the foot. There are legitimate drone businesses, who invest in the growth of the segment, invest in equipment, training, advertising/marketing, networking, legitimizing the use of drone-based aerial photography for real estate (and more). The industry needs to generate profit in order to grow. I have done a couple DB jobs (and got paid $20 for 1) but I have to say that I feel cheap and unestablished when I show up unannounced, stealing photos of a property without prior arrangement, parking my car on public place and taking off from the street.

DB is a great idea originally, but relying entirely on drone owners who are doing it as a paid-hobby, to justify the cost of their drone to their wives or parents, is not going to help build and establish an industry.

Don't forget why Walmart is successful, as much as US citizens ***** about products made in China, they are happy and used to the retail prices of products made in China, motivating US corporations to offer cheaper products and services.

But I keep trying to shoot panos for DB, to keep practicing and training, I actually do not shoot 90% of the properties I check on the app because I don't feel good doing it unannounced. I am focusing on commercial ones, easier, no suspicious owners, no upset local photographers, no upset realtor asking what are you doing here, "Who told you to shoot here? no I don't know dronebase and no, we havent contracted anyone for pano, we already have our photographer".

If their smart they should be contacting these realtors and trying set up some kind of program where they can request a pilot like a client mission and maybe take it a step further where the realtor can request a specific pilot. I feel like the platform has a lot of potential.

 

[Lkn4ubl]

Hi Guys,
I just joined the forum after seeing these posts, and I wanted to contribute to the discussion. First some facts up front:
1) I signed up for Dronebase after I bought my Mavic Pro and became the Guinea Pig with Dronebase to discover that the Mavic's reduced field of view was not compatible with their current practice of two rows of pano shots. I used it as an excuse to buy a P4Pro as well.
2) I am not an attorney, but I have my law degree and have done some limited research on the issue of the Reasonable Expectation of Privacy (REP) as it pertains to drones.
3) My day job is in the Federal law enforcement field and I have a background in "Technical Operations", so I think I have a unique perspective.
4) This is not legal advice, just my unique perspective based on my background.

There are a few distinctions that should be brought up right away. Much of the case law regarding REP are based on a 4th Amendment Search by a government entity. Since you are a private citizen, you cannot be charged with a 4th Amendment violation. However, many cases address the fact that a search has not occurred, or there was no REP. The decisions may shed some light on an area that may see a flurry of litigation in the near future.

The use of drones can be similar to the use of aerial photos and/or video and the use of pole cameras (cameras hidden on power poles to look like transformers). Recent rulings have found there not to be an REP in the use of pole cameras from public areas (Schafer v. City of Boulder, 896 F. Supp. 915), and there is a well established case (Florida v. Riley, 488 US 455) which held that police officers do not need a warrant to observe a person's property from public airspace. In the decision, the court held that there is no REP in a person's back yard if viewed from a helicopter at 400 feet, because the general public can do the same.

However, like I said above, you are not the government. If you are sued in State court for the civil tort of invasion of privacy, state laws will prevail. With that being said, I myself, have still opted to fly Dronebase missions for the experience because I find the likelihood of getting sued for launching and filming in a public area a home that is publicly on the market to be pretty low, and I am comfortable that I am not committing a civil tort when I do so. However, I predict this will soon become the topic of legislation at the state and local level. My guess will be that California will lead the charge.

As for my experience with Dronebase.....I've flown 44 Pano missions in various areas of SoCal in the past three weeksand been paid $20 a piece for 3 of those missions. I am chalking it up to the time of year and I will probably continue to fly them as my schedule permits to gain the experience and the beer money.

 

[rstekeur]

As for my experience with Dronebase.....I've flown 44 Pano missions in various areas of SoCal in the past three weeksand been paid $20 a piece for 3 of those missions. I am chalking it up to the time of year and I will probably continue to fly them as my schedule permits to gain the experience and the beer money.

That's crummy odd's 3 out of 44. I was going to try and do a couple this last weekend but the weather was lousy. That's the way I look at it also, it's experience.

 

[rccrazy30]

That's crummy odd's 3 out of 44. I was going to try and do a couple this last weekend but the weather was lousy. That's the way I look at it also, it's experience.

I think there is some kind of delay or something. It took longer then expected but out of 11 Ive been paid on 9 of them.

 

[Lkn4ubl]

I think there is some kind of delay or something. It took longer then expected but out of 11 Ive been paid on 9 of them.

I got paid for three more this morning. So now I'm looking at 6 out of 44.

 

[astarofaz]

I submitted my first Pano mission on Saturday and was just informed today that the job was purchased! 20 bucks was not bad for 7 minutes of work...

 

[rccrazy30]

Did a few more today. Went to check them today and this came up on the detail page i dont recall seeing this before. I checked all of them and they all said "but now for $49" Im curious if they allow more then 1 party to purchase these photos will we get the commission for each 1 they sell?

 

[2nd2non]

Anyone using a mavic? If so, has it been purchased? What settings are you using due to reduced FOV vs Phantom


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[rccrazy30]

Anyone using a mavic? If so, has it been purchased? What settings are you using due to reduced FOV vs Phantom


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I've been using the mavic for all of mine. I'm using Litchi's standard settings you need to take 3 rows vs 2 with the phantom. I like using the mavic mainly because of how quite it is. as far as the FOV i just back the drone up a little more then i would have to with the phantom. The only time ill really use my P4 is if the winds are a little on the high side.