Drone Expert Jamie Newson-Smith
Jamie Newson-Smith is the owner of FlightSight – the drone business he created to provide professional aerial photography and videography in a number of business areas ranging from aerial inspections through events and marketing to agricultural surveys.
He’s a DSR member who has actually just taken the decision to renew his membership after his first year and he has a lot to say about why this is and the benefits that being part of the UK’s biggest qualified and legal drone pilot network has brought to him. We͛re going to let him tell you about it in his own words.
“After taking redundancy 2 months after my twin boys were born seemed like a daunting time. However, I used my skills, knowledge and passion to enter the drone business by deciding to invest my redundancy package into the new business, FlightSight Ltd, with expert training through Flyby Technology and my choice of drone being the DJI Phantom 4 Pro. I studied the industry in depth and looked at all the different networking and membership groups available. I looked at Drone Safe Register a couple of times before taking the plunge as soon as my PFCO came through.
I had joined DSR like many others with the hope that it may provide me with leads to get my business off the ground – there were a couple of other operators nearby yet there should be plenty of work to share between us.
Skip forward a good few months and my membership was up for renewal and it was time to make the decision – do I renew or walk away? Well at this point I hadn’t received a single quote request, not one. Still, I renewed.
During my time as a member of Drone Safe Register I had discovered that it wasn’t just about getting that quote request. In fact, there was much more available. I didn’t say that I had not got any work from DSR, in fact quite the opposite – whilst there was nothing through the instant quote system, I did pick up work through networking, being part of a community who work together, share jobs with other operators and support each other. This is a community where no question is a silly question. We all have our strengths in the industry and there is always someone who is willing to share this bit of knowledge.
A month after renewing and I have just completed my first job through the instant quote system which will pay for my membership for the next couple of years, but strangely I feel that this extra work is a bonus on top of the benefits of being part of a community which is proudly professional”
– Jamie Newson-Smith – 01482 235558 – www.flightsight.co.uk
DSR Membership
DSR is a network of approved and certified drone pilots from across the UK and also the premier provider of stock footage. Professional membership is available to all qualified and legal pilots (there is also a hobbyist membership which you can find out more about on the website) and membership will make you part of a network that can be searched by potential clients to find the nearest pilots to them and submit quote requests directly. You will also become part of our supportive group who can provide an invaluable resource when you have questions – our pilots are some of the most experienced in the UK who are always happy to share advice , resources and job opportunities to other DSR pilots. Yearly membership is £195 +vat with renewals at £150 +vat and you can find out all of the details and join online at the Drone Safe Register website.
