Frequently Asked Questions About Our Drone Services

What is the difference between UAS, UAV, and Drone?

Realistically not much. Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS), Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV), and Drones all mean the same thing in common terms.

Why should I hire an FAA Certified Drone Pilot?

All commercial uses of assets gathered via unmanned aircraft require the pilot flying the aircraft at the time to be certified. The FAA has prosecuted many non-certified individuals for illegal flights. Additionally, the hiring agent can be dragged into a prosecution costing them time and money. See this article and this article for in-depth information. Our lead pilot holds waivers from the FAA for operations over moving vehicles and operations over people. This is a challenging waiver to receive and allows us to fly missions that other operators legally cannot, even if Part 107 certified.

Why can’t I buy a drone and take my own photos or video?

It’s easy to fly a drone, but it’s hard to fly a drone legally. There are many local, state, and federal regulations. We have the knowledge and experience to navigate the confusing legal framework. Additionally, it takes a significant amount of time “behind the sticks” of a drone to master movement of the drone and the camera at the same time, all while being aware of your flight area. The phrase “easy to learn, hard to master” applies here. We have extensive flight experience which helps us take the absolute best possible footage for you.

What drones do you use?

We use DJI Drones. Our primary platform is the DJI Mavic 3. The Mavic 3 has a large camera sensor giving us excellent picture quality. The Mavic 3 also has up to 7x optical zoom which allows us to stay far enough away to be unobtrusive while still getting a great shot. We use a DJI Air 2s for autonomous missions, including photogrammetry, and a DJI Mini 4 when we need to be in close or need to fly in small areas or are flying under our waiver. We also use Avata and Avata 2 drones for shots that benefit from FPV video, and can fly the Avata 2 under our waiver.

What limitations are there to your services?

We do not fly when it is under 40 degrees Fahrenheit or over 100 degrees Fahrenheit. We try to avoid flying in rain though we can fly in light rain if needed. Winds over 25 MPH also limit what we can do. In addition to weather limitations, we follow all provisions of our waiver for operations over people and operations over moving vehicles, and we do not fly without airspace permission where it is needed. With our experience and safety record, we can get airspace permission where other providers are denied!

Why use Flying Coyote Aerial Photography instead of a national company?

We partner with some national companies like DroneBase, Droners, Droneup, and others. They provide middleman services and we like to fly so we work with them, but since we are local we can do much more on our own than we can working in their restrictive environment. As a Memphis Metro Area and Shelby County local drone services provider, we provide much better service and end product if you contact us directly instead of going through a middleman. And we can do it for lower cost!

How long does it take?

Depending on the requirements of the contract, we can get your aerial photos or video as soon as 3 hours after we are on site. Time on site is usually under 1 hour, and generally less than 30 minutes in the air. Of course, this will change depending on requirements and property/job site size. We will spend as long as needed to get you the best photos or video for your requirements.