Sky's the Limit

"The list of industries in which aviation drones are crucial tools is ever expanding. Drones are the now, and the future, and the ability to operate one is key. We spoke to drone pilot Oliver Lane from Darkwing Aerials, to gain an insider’s perspective of this burgeoning occupation."

- By Brent van der Schyff

Drones have infiltrated and shaken up many industries over the past decade. Their influence, along with other major technological developments, has seen advancement that’s drastically disrupted how many businesses operate.

Positively impacting sectors such as aerial photography, farming, engineering, mining, construction, search and rescue, crime prevention, and many more, it’s really no surprise that drones are now a $100 billion global industry. And, notably, all of these sectors have managed to cut costs, save time, and greatly benefit from using the services of qualified full-time drone pilots.

In South Africa, the drone-pilot profession is in its relative infancy, but it’s gaining popularity, quickly, as more and more companies realise its cost-saving and business-growth benefits. To gain more insight into the world of qualified drone pilots, PM sat down with Oliver Lane from Darkwing Aerials, a fully licensed UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) company in South Africa.

Popular Mechanics: How did you get into flying drones?

Oliver Lane: I first entered the industry in 2014 when I flew a DJI Phantom. The Phantom series was a little primitive in that you had to attach your GoPro camera to it to capture images or footage. The Phantom 4 was one of the first drones that incorporated everything into one package. I was working as a game ranger at a reserve at the time, and realised that I had really good subject matter all around me in a beautiful natural landscape, and that capturing it all from above was a really good idea.