Hiring a Drone Pilot? here's your checklist!

28.02.25 01:10 PM

Buying a drone is easy. Flying one for business - not so much.

As a certified drone pilot, I often get asked if I "really need a license to fly."

The answer is almost always yes.

Here's how you check for your pilot's credentials. 

Check the Airmen's Registry

The FAA maintains a list of all pilots and their registration in an easy to check out list. This list is located at https://amsrvs.registry.faa.gov/airmeninquiry/ and pilots are located on it by name, address,pilot number and other identifiers. When signing up, the pilot can opt out of everything except their certificate number and name, so sometimes they can be hard to track down. My certificate number is 004300408. Can you find me there? 


Of course Pilots also carry a card similar to your drivers' license, and can provide that when asked too. 



Other things to check

With the Remote pilot Certification, the pilot has to Recertify every 2 years. This information is less easy to track and the best way is to ask the pilot for their Recurrent Certificate. This is a credit card size paper or a full sheet certificate. 

Unlike the TRUST certificate for hobby flight, the Remote pilot certificate allows the pilot to fly "for profit" or in ways that could be "for profit." 

Other Things to look for

Professional service providers carry flight and business insurance to cover any potential mishaps. Look for policies that have 1 million dollars or more in coverage.

Some other things that you may need to look for: 

Workers Compensation - for on the job injuries.

TWIC - Transportation Worker Identification Credential, is a biometric identification card issued by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) that verifies the identity and background of individuals who need unescorted access to secure areas of the nation's maritime facilities, vessels, and ports. 

Sky Photos Pilots are TWIC certified.

OSHA - Occupational Safety and Health Administration, is a federal agency within the U.S. Department of Labor that ensures safe and healthy working conditions for employees by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, outreach, education, and assistance.  There are several flavors of OSHA certification. 

Sky Photos Pilots are OSHA-10 Certified.

SUAS Thermography Thermography is the science of understanding heat transfer and emittance. It is a technique that uses infrared cameras to detect temperature differences and create thermal images.

Sky Photos pilots are Thermography 1 Certified. 

Learn more and ask for a call.
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