Sky Scout Drones, a commercial drone business that opened in June 2024 in North Port, Florida, has three main missions: aerial, video, and photography for real estate (MLS); infrastructure inspections; and 3D modeling. The keys to success for Sky Scout Drones are the experience gained from a career in aviation, the latest in commercial drone technology, and an eye on future business opportunities.
Dan Bidwell Brings Experience to Commercial Drone Business
Dan Bidwell, founder of the company, is a veteran, having served for 20 years in the U.S. Air Force. His duties included maintaining and supervising maintenance specialists on aircraft like the C-141B, MC-130H Combat Talon, and others. Bidwell is also an FAA Private Pilot, FAA Airframe and Power Plant Technician. He recently added the FAA Remote Pilot, (Commercial Drone) certification to his rating.
When Bidwell decided to start Sky Scout Drones, he looked to DJI to purchase his drones. His most advanced and capable drone is the DJI Matrice 350RTK.
DJI Matrice 350 RTK Commercial Drone Has Advanced Features
The Matrice 350 RTK stands out with its sturdy features like operating in temperatures ranging from negative four degrees up to122 degrees Fahrenheit. DJI reports that the drone has a 12-mile transmission range via 4G signals, although Bidwell prefers to keep it with line of sight. He added that he can extend this if he gets help from a spotter.
With four powerful motors, the Matrice 350 RTK commercial drone can fly with a payload of 5.95 pounds at a maximum altitude of 22965 feet. The drone has specialized features like radar obstacle avoidance, terrain following, night vision, and a gimbal that moves cameras through 3 axes: pitch, roll, and yaw.
Zenmuse Cameras Provide Precise Images and Videos
When paired with one of its advanced cameras, the capabilities of the Matrice 350 RTK really stand out. One of these cameras is the DJI Zenmuse P1. Its main function is programmetry, which is basically surveying and mapping. The camera takes high resolution 45-megapixel images of large areas in a short time. For example, in just 140 minutes of flight time, it can collect data for a 6.21 square-mile area.
Bidwell also has the DJI Zenmuse L2 camera for his Matrice 350 RTK commercial drone. Attached to the drone’s gimbal, it combines a Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) module with a 4/3 CMOS RGB mapping camera. The L2 can penetrate and extract dense vegetation canopies from images. It can then create digital elevation models of terrain to use for topographic maps and surveying.
The Matrice 350 RTK commercial drone has two batteries. It can fly for 35-40 minutes with a camera and 55 minutes with no payload. The drone also features a hot swap ability which allows Bidwell to land it and change batteries without shutting it off. No data is lost, and the mission continues without delay.
The Matrice 350 RTK comes at a significant cost of about $13000 for the drone, $6000 for the P1 camera and $9000 for the L2.
AVATA 2 Drone Gives Users First-Person View During Flight
Bidwell also uses the DJI Avata 2 Drone. Users operate this drone with a small hand-held controller. They wear DJI goggles that give the first-person perspective of flying in a cockpit and looking forward.
Mavic 3 Pro Cine Commercial Drone Has Three Cameras in One
Another camera in Sky Scout Drones’ fleet is the DJI Mavic 3 Pro Cine. This commercial drone is unique for having three cameras: a 4/3 complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) Hasselblad Camera,1/1.3″ CMOS Medium Tele Camera, and a 1/2″ CMOS Tele Camera. This configuration gives Bidwell a lot of flexibility in choosing from images very close up or farther away defending on the situation and conditions.
DJI Mini 4 Pro Drone is Small with Advanced Features
The fourth drone Bidwell has is the DJI Mini 4 Pro, which is unique due to its small size and innovative capabilities. Weighing only 8.78 ounces, the Mini 4 Pro can detect obstacles above or below, left or right, and forward or backward. It can also record images vertically, in low-light conditions, and in slow motion. Another strong feature of the Mini 4 Pro is that it can fly for 45 minutes on a single charge.
Bidwell does not just record various images with his drones. His commercial drone customers require their videos and other data in certain formats. Bidwell uses software including Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom, Davinci Resolve, and DJI’s own video and graphics editing software. Using these programs, Bidwell can convert the camera images to any format his customers require.
Bidwell says most of his customers are in real estate, but he’s hoping to expand and do even more work in areas like the LIDAR mapping he can do with the Matrice 350 RTK and L2 camera.
Veteran Dan Bidwell Dedicated to Supporting Other Veterans
Bidwell has always had a strong interest in aviation. His military experience as an Air Force Veteran is also important to him, and he is proud to offer discounts to veterans that come to him for commercial drone services.
Credit: avgeekery.com
