Meet Wes Watkins of Drone Vision Aerial in Alpharetta

Today we’d like to introduce you to Wes Watkins.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I worked in management in the retail automotive repair industry for about 20 years, before realizing that “living” is not working 6-7 days per week and 12-14 hours per day. I decided to get started early in the “up and coming” Drone industry, which was a complete career change… and well worth it! But I must say that I do not recommend going out and buying a drone, and expecting to make a living from it right away.

There were many challenges getting started, such as obtaining FAA certifications to fly Drones commercially, finding clients, and having competitors with the same idea. I had to find a way to stand apart from the competition, so I experimented with different ways of taking & post-processing photos & video until I came up with a winning combination to have my work stand apart from the rest. Creativity and proper composition is critical to success when performing aerial photography & cinematography. It almost seems that most pilots take the same photo & video shots as the next pilot. You’ll never stand apart if you’re doing everything the same as others.

I now perform tower inspections, mapping, cinematography & Real Estate photography for many different companies, some being high profile clients that give me a steady flow of work. I have also performed Drone disaster response services this year for Hurricane Harvey & Irma, doing cell tower inspections, power line inspections and aerial surveying to help the victims get their insurance money back much faster than normal.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
It has definitely been challenging. Mostly because there are so many people jumping on board in this industry. But my initial challenges were getting new clients to buy into the idea of using this new technology and how I should properly price my services.

A HUGE obstacle we professionals have, is losing bids on jobs due to individuals that go out and buy an inexpensive drone, and so called “perform the same service” much cheaper. Little do most people know that they get what they pay for. There are dramatic differences in quality. There are many drone pilots that can fly a drone, and there are many that can take great pictures. It’s very difficult to find someone that can do both equally as well, and people need to understand that there is a lot more that goes into each aerial photo shoot than what they think. In just one example, if their camera settings are incorrect, then they will still get a picture from the sky… But that picture could be 100 times better if the drone pilot knew how to properly take the picture! Would you hire a guy with only a cell phone camera to shoot your wedding?!

Also, choosing the right equipment. I tried various Drone models & cameras before finding the right drones for the job. I have multiple drones, and each one is used for different jobs or tasks.

So, as you know, we’re impressed with Drone Vision Aerial – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
I perform tower inspections, ortho & 3D mapping, roof inspections, cinematography (commercials, cable TV networks, and real estate), aerial real estate photography, aerial event photography (special occasions), and agricultural applications, to name a few.

So, what’s next? Any big plans?
I am looking to expand nationwide by creating a great pilot network. We are also going to expand our services as the industry finds new ways to use Drones.

Pricing:

• Pricing always varies for many different reasons, but generally starting at $175 for a simple photo shoot

Contact Info:

• Address: 333 Park Creek Ridge
  Woodstock, GA 30188
• Website: www.Dronevisionaerial.com
• Phone: 5139106986
• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: dva_aerial
• Facebook: /Dronevisionaerial
• Twitter: @wes_watkins
• Other: https://www.flickr.com/people/weswatkins/

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