What to ask before hiring a drone operator
You do not need to speak pilot jargon. You do deserve straight answers about legality, insurance, and what will land in your inbox afterward. If a vendor dodges basics, that is data.
Certification and currency
In the United States, compensated small UAS work commonly expects a Part 107 remote pilot certificate holder in command. Ask who flies, whether credentials are current, and whether night or waivered operations are in play for your mission. Our plain-language primer: Part 107 context.
Liability insurance
Request a certificate of insurance naming your organization when appropriate. Limits should match project scale — a municipal bid differs from a backyard still.
Airspace and landowner permission
Controlled airspace needs authorizations; private property benefits from owner awareness. A serious operator maps this before quoting. The FAA’s LAANC and B4UFLY ecosystem is summarized alongside other resources at faa.gov/uas/getting_started.
Deliverables and usage rights
Spell out resolution, aspect ratio, license duration, and raw vs. graded assets. Our deliverables explainer lists common forks in the road.
Safety and abort criteria
Ask how weather calls are made and what happens if the shoot slips a day. See seasonal and weather limits for our side of that conversation.