Drones are very popular, and any parade, festival or concert will usually have one or two drone-mounted aerial cameras hovering over the action.
But did you know that if you upload these photos and video clips to YouTube, Facebook or other social media, or display them on your website, that you may be in violation of federal law if you do not have a Part 107 Certification, issued by the Federal Aviation Administration?
With an FAA-issued Part 107 drone license, you can legally make money with your drone, and probably more important to most drone operators, you can display your production online.
And if you want to go a step further and sell your aerial pictures and videos, for instance, to a real estate agent, you definitely must be FAA-certified.
The test to obtain this certification does not require rocket science, but unless you are prepared, you will waste the $150 fee to take the test.
The goal of the FAA Part 107 is to ensure that people who are flying drones are doing so with an understanding of basic safety, mechanical and aerodynamic principles, ensuring safety to those around you.
You can study for the test yourself, but it is certainly easier to at least attend a short course, allowing you to come up to speed on all these regulations and most importantly, learning to read and understand aeronautical maps and charts such as the one below.
Florida Panhandle Technical College in Downtown Chipley, Florida has been recognized as a regional leader in several cutting edge programs which furnish certification to enable real-world applications and well-paid jobs, most recently for the new Drone Program, and much interest is being generated in this burgeoning industry.
With over 10,000 new jobs slated to be created in Northwest Florida alone in the next 10 years, Florida Panhandle Technical College has wasted no time in capitalizing on the demand for pilots.
The Inaugural FPTC Drone Program, graduating 100% of their class with honors and subsequent FAA licensure in the form of Part 107 Certification, has been featured in the media, most recently by WJHG-TV in Panama City and WTVY-TV in Dothan, Alabama.
Local public relations firm The Goulding Agency, through media production subsidiary Real Florida Media, has hit the ground running, with demand from several corporate and business entities as diverse as the City of Vernon, Florida, Catalyst Fabric Solutions and Family Dollar Distribution Center in Marianna, Florida, and many destinations in the tourism and travel industry.
Here’s a short segment from a recent project highlighting the Gulf of Mexico from Apalachicola to Santa Rosa Beach.
See more video clips, including aerial video, along with photos, on Facebook at Real Florida Magazine, and listen to interviews with business owners, community leaders and event organizers on FPTC Radio, the voice of Florida Panhandle Technical College at www.FPTCRadio.com.
Members of the Fire Service and Law Enforcement Community are also starting to use drones in their work, and here is an interview with Capt. George Gay and Chief Nicky Lovett from the Marianna, Florida Fire Department, speaking about the Drone Program at Florida Panhandle Technical College and the FAA Part 107 Certification on Wednesday, November 29, 2017 on the campus of Florida Panhandle Technical College in Chipley, Florida.
Persons interested in preparing for the FAA Part 107 Certification should call Florida Panhandle Technical College at 850-638-1180, Extension 317, or email Paul.Goulding@FPTC.edu for more information.