Your Drone Questions. Answered.

Can drone pilots legally fly over people under Part 107 without a waiver and what does Category 3 approval actually change?In this episode of Your Drone Questions. Answered, host Chris Breedlove welcomes back Benton Szejk from Wingtra to break down the current state of operations over people in 2025. They cover what’s allowed under Part 107 today, how Category 3 works, and why Wingtra’s fully integrated parachute system is a major milestone for professional drone operations.The conversation also dives into Wingtra’s latest payload announcements, including ultra-high-resolution inspection capabilities, real-world use cases like airport runway inspections, pavement crack detection, and how AI-ready data is transforming surveying and infrastructure workflows.Topics covered include:What Category 3 operations over people really meanHow Wingtra achieved waiver-free approval under Part 107Practical use cases in urban, infrastructure, and public-asset mappingNew Wingtra payloads and inspection workflowsWhere drone regulations may be heading nextLearn how these advancements impact mapping, surveying, and inspection professionals working in complex, populated environments.https://www.faa.gov/uas/commercial_operators/operations_over_peoplehttps://uasdoc.faa.gov/listDocs?docType=oophttps://wingtra.com/ Have a drone question for a future episode? Submit it at ydqa.io.

In this episode of Your Drone Questions. Answered, we’re diving into one of the most in-demand (and misunderstood) drone inspection niches out there: cell tower inspections.Today’s question is this:👉 What are the real keys to success for drone pilots who want to work in the telecom inspection world?To tackle this topic, we are joined by Hunter Ardrey, a drone industry veteran who has spent years flying structural, utility, renewable energy, and telecom missions across the southeast.Together, we break down:🔹 The scale of the telecom inspection industry 🔹 What rads (antenna arrays) are and why they matter 🔹 How digital twins are captured and delivered 🔹 What equipment is (and isn’t) used in real-world tower work 🔹 Manual vs automated tower-capture workflows 🔹 Accuracy requirements and image-quality standards 🔹 How tower work compares to inspecting other infrastructure 🔹 Whether new pilots can still break into this niche todayHunter also shares an honest look at the current state of the telecom market, including pricing pressure, big-player consolidation, and practical paths for new pilots who want to build skills and get experience.If you’ve ever wondered how cell tower inspections actually work — or whether this niche makes sense for your drone business — this episode lays it all out.Have a question you want answered on the show? 📩 Submit anytime at YDQA.io or email chris@dronelaunchacademy.com

Welcome to Your Drone Questions. Answered from Drone Launch Academy. Host Chris Breedlove sits down with Tom Searing (Seiler GeoDrones) to tackle a hot late-2025 question: Can U.S. operators finally run a truly American-made, NDAA-friendly, end-to-end LiDAR stack—from airframe to sensor to workflow?What you’ll learn:What “end-to-end” LiDAR actually looks like for U.S. teams (airframe → payload → planning → processing → export)A quick tour of Flux payload options (H1 / O1 / L1) and when each makes senseHow the Flow app simplifies setup, status checks, processing, and exporting in the fieldMission-planning notes (calibrations, overlaps, orthogonal passes) and why dual-antenna GNSS mattersCost model highlights: Flow is included with the sensor (no annual software fee), plus an optional Verizon Hyper Precise RTK subscription if you want always-on RTK; PPK remains viableField-friendly data handling: scan, verify a quick point-cloud render on the tablet, export LAZ/LAS, and goAvailability & demand outlook as we head toward early 2026 ramp-upConnect with Tom and check out Freefly Flux:https://freeflysystems.com/fluxhttps://freefly.gitbook.io/astro-public/other-user-manuals/freefly-payloads/flux-lidar-payloadtsearing@seilerinst.com https://www.seilergeodrones.com/Have a question for a future episode? Send it in and we’ll tackle it on the show: chris@dronelaunchacademy.com or visit ydqa.io.

In this week’s episode of Your Drone Questions. Answered, host Chris Breedlove sits down with Will Dawson, attorney and founder of the Agricultural Drone Initiative (ADI), to explore how new federal policies could shape the future of agricultural drone use in the U.S.Will shares his journey from growing up on a seven-generation farm in Virginia to leading national advocacy for smarter drone regulations. Together, they unpack the ongoing DJI policy debate, the misconceptions around drone bans, and what these changes could mean for farmers, manufacturers, and policymakers alike.You’ll learn:Why ADI was created to bridge the gap between farmers and lawmakersThe real number of agricultural drone operators in the U.S.How the 2025 NDAA and DJI restrictions could affect drone availabilityWhat buyback programs and American-made alternatives like Hylio might look likeHow smarter drone policy can protect both innovation and national security👉 Learn more about the Agricultural Drone Initiative at https://agdroneinitiative.org/ 👉 Submit your questions for future episodes at ydqa.io or email chris@dronelaunchacademy.com

In this episode of Your Drone Questions. Answered, host Chris Breedlove sits down with Brandon Beal from Elevation Aerial Application to explore how UAV spraying drones are changing the future of agriculture. 🌱Brandon shares his journey from aviation into agriculture, explains how drones like the DJI T40 opened up scalable opportunities for farm spraying, and discusses the real-world impact drones are having on tree farms, row crops, and pastureland in Virginia.We dive into:Why drones are more effective than traditional spraying methods in tough terrainHow UAVs reduce reliance on migrant labor while boosting consistencyThe business case for spraying 50 acres an hourThe future of ag drones in the U.S. amid changing regulations and technologyWhether you’re a farmer, drone pilot, or just curious about the intersection of UAVs and agriculture, this conversation is packed with insights into where the industry is heading.👉 Connect with Brandon and Elevation Aerial Application on LinkedIn and social media.https://www.elevationaerialapplication.com/brandon@elevationaerialapplication.comhttps://agdroneinitiative.org/ 👉 Got a drone question for us? Submit it at ydqa.io

In this episode of Your Drone Questions. Answered, Chris breaks down one of the most common sources of confusion for new drone operators: When do you really need a Remote Pilot Certificate under FAA rules?Chris walks through:FAA registration requirements and how they compare to Transport CanadaThe role of intent in determining whether an operation is recreational or non-recreationalRemote ID requirements for both micro drones and larger dronesPractical scenarios, including flying under supervision, training before certification, and nonprofit use casesIf you’re trying to figure out where the line is drawn—or what applies if you’re using a sub-250g drone like the DJI Mini series—this episode clears up the gray areas.https://www.faa.gov/uas/getting_started/register_dronehttps://www.faa.gov/uas/recreational_flyershttps://tc.canada.ca/sites/default/files/2020-06/2019-2020-AA-33_INFOGRAPHIC_EN_V8.pdf

In this week’s episode of Your Drone Questions. Answered, host Chris Breedlove sits down with Benton Szejk from Wingtra to talk about where the drone industry is headed.With all the uncertainty around regulations, supply chains, tariffs, and evolving executive orders, many drone pilots and professionals are wondering: what’s next? Benton shares insights from the manufacturer’s perspective on:-The impact of the Blue and Green lists for drone certification-Supply chain challenges and how Wingtra is preparing for the future-Recent executive orders and what they mean for UAS policy in the U.S.-Key features needed for BVLOS operations-Wingtra’s latest technology, including obstacle avoidance, LTE connectivity, and AI-powered tools-How drones are being used for mapping, surveying, environmental monitoring, and even public safetyWhether you’re a drone operator, educator, or just passionate about the future of UAS, this episode offers encouragement and practical insights into what’s ahead for the industry.https://wingtra.comhttps://wingtra.com/ray/ https://info.duncan-parnell.com/acton/media/23538/WingtraRAY-Roadshow