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Business Matters Columnists Gareth Kelly

The Drones are Coming

drones

Story and photo by Gareth Kelly ~

We’ve all heard about them and many of us have seen them. We hear them whizzing above us and see their pictures all over the Internet but how much do we really know about drones?

One man who knows quite a bit about them is Ben Wooldridge owner of Top Drone Aerial Photography based in Shell Beach.

“I broke my collar bone not that long ago and I was worried I may not be able to go back to work,” said Wooldridge. “I have always been interested in radio controlled things, such as cars, and a friend told me I could make some money doing drone photography.”

Wooldridge’s drone of choice is the 350 QX3 he named Gus. It’s a relatively entry level drone that retails for around $599, but when you add in a GoPro camera and other accessories this small machine is worth around $2,000.

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“I wouldn’t say I’m an expert pilot but I would say I’m advanced,” said Wooldridge. “I started off with many smaller drones but I kept losing them. This one is way more advanced than those, but with a 15-minute battery life, I have to be really careful. Once the battery dies it will simply drop out of the sky. I set a timer and am really careful when flying. This drone can go up to 1,000 meters straight up and up to 2,500 meters out but if the battery dies its gone.”

As drones become more popular, people are looking for more of those cool pictures of their business or event from high above, a market Wooldridge is hoping to tap into.

“I’ve taken quite a few pictures of the Cliffs (Hotel) and of the local Shell Beach area,” said Wooldridge.” “A few have made it onto KSBY News. I’ve also started doing weddings and other events. My dream is to travel around the world and be able to trade out aerial photography of places and businesses for say a weeks stay. I’m heading to the Atlantis resort soon, so I’m hoping to get some cool shots of that place. I just want to stoke people out on life and help out with tourism and learn new stuff.”drones 3

So next time you see or hear a drone buzzing above you don’t forget to smile as Wooldridge may very well be at the controls hoping to catch that perfect moment.

To find out more about Top Drone visit them online at www.topdronephoto.com

Gareth should probably stop sunbathing naked in his yard with all these drones flying about. Email him your ideas at [email protected] and keep up with all his goings on at www.garethckelly.com

About the author

Justin Stoner

Justin is a journalist of more than 20 years. He specializes in digital technology and social media strategy. He enjoys using photography and video production as storytelling tools.

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