THANK YOU….
Before I begin, I would like to personally thank all members for their support and dedication shown to DSR this year. Without our loyal members, none of our milestones and the past year’s achievements detailed below would have been possible.
2017 saw DSR membership grow each month as we welcomed new members and retained existing members. DSR is now a fully nationwide drone hire platform covering all parts of the UK. With more than 350 members, DSR has now grown to an impressive size and we can now proudly say with confidence that we are UK’s number one website for CAA approved drone operators for hire.
With each new member that we welcome, we see our nationwide coverage improve and expand. You only have to take a look at the DSR homepage map to see our drone pilot full coverage across the UK.
DSR is proud to represent the UK’s finest drone pilots that are all operating legally with both CAA approval and commercial insurance. DSR is the safest website to hire a drone operator.
With hundreds of approved CAA pilots available for hire across the UK – DSR is now the ‘go-to’ place to locate an approved drone pilot.
The UK’s leading drone hire website
DSR has always been a heavily marketed, highly Google ranked website and in 2018 it will only get busier. We have a huge marketing budget for next year. The DSR platform has become the nation’s most visited website for drone hire. The DSR team is committed to bringing the aerial work to our members. As a result of DSR’s hard work and member support, incredible contracts and jobs have been secured by members. DSR’s pilots are trusted by schools, local councils, TV/Film production companies, broadcasters, insurance companies and all manner of industrial sectors that use drones in the workplace.
Since DSR launched in 2015, our goal was always to create an easy to use website for the hiring customer and a level playing field for our members. With our simple to use website, we make the process of locating a drone pilot ‘quick and easy’. And with an average of 6000+ visitors to the DSR website each month, our online directory is becoming a very busy drone hire platform indeed! Since launch, we have enjoyed nearly seven million Facebook impressions and just under one million Google impressions. 2018 will only get busier as the industry grows and more businesses see the benefits of using drones.
The DSR brand, since launch, has now had over £120,000 invested into marketing its members. Currently all membership fees go back into marketing our members. 2018 will continue to see DSR operate as a not for profit organisation as we become even bigger.
2017 milestones and achievements
DSR is proud of our 2017 achievements. Here is a summary of this year’s milestones…
DSR Stock
DSR’s biggest achievement this year was the launch of our sister site DSR Stock. Now DSR Pro members get access to two websites included in their membership. DSR Pro Members can feature both on our main DSR HIRE site and also the DSR STOCK site.
DSR Stock is a totally unique website. No other stock website can boast that its’ stock has been 100% shot by legal, commercial CAA approved drone pilots.
Stock sales is a very profitable way of creating an extra income so we hope all members will take full advantage of the DSR Stock site and upload their UK stock.
Selling is free. DSR Pro Members keep 100% of all sales minus PayPal fees. Loading stock takes minutes. The system is easy to use and free for all Pro members to use.
Feedback from production companies has been very positive! With new clips being added daily the DSR Stock site is fast becoming a fantastic resource to locate, purchase and licence stunning aerials of the UK.
DSR Stock has now paid out over £2000 to members for their stock sales. That’s a drop in the ocean when you consider DSR Stock’s upside potential. If all members uploaded their stock just think what that figure would be!
Please keep the stock clips coming….Stock wise; our goal of 2018 is to massively expand the DSR Stock library with our member’s world-class aerial clips. Our end goal for DSR Stock is to offer complete aerial coverage of the UK.
DSR Instant Quote
In the first half of this year DSR also launched its ‘INSTANT QUOTE’ feature. Located on the DSR homepage the ‘Instant Quote’ feature now makes the process of locating the right approved drone pilot even quicker and cost-effective.
From a customer point of view this is a great tool to use to quickly compare prices and see what you get for your money when hiring a professional pilot. From a member perspective the ‘Instant Quote’ helps channel more work our members’ way.
In 2018, DSR will continue to market and promote the DSR ‘Instant Quote’ feature to ensure the nation is fully aware of the service.
DSR’s ‘Drones for Schools’ campaign
Launched in the summer of this year, ‘Drones for Schools’, was created to introduce drones to school children by professional DSR pilots.
Drones in the right hands create lots of benefits both in the workplace and for leisure. DSR launched the new initiative to inspire younger generations, convey our members’ knowledge and instil safe drone practices to perhaps the drone pilots of tomorrow.
DSR’s ‘Drones for Schools’ is a ‘win-win’ situation for schools, the children and our members.
In spring 2018, DSR will continue our drones for schools campaign. With nearly 25,000 schools in the UK; DSR is confident that the campaign will be busier than last year.
Here’s what to look forward to in 2018
DSR is already working exclusively with many national companies. Our number one mission is to keep our Pro members busy doing aerial jobs.
In 2018 DSR’s priority plan is to market our members to the UK’s national companies that use drones in the work place. It will be our aim to spread the word of DSR’s nationwide service to the national companies and see more DSR national contracts won by our members.
New DSR FREEPHONE 0800 number
As part of this ‘new business drive’, DSR has launched a dedicated 0800 FREEPHONE number. This will allow members and drone hire customers to speak to a DSR friendly staff member. The 0800 number will be manned Monday to Friday 10am – 5pm.
DSR OSC
DSR is delighted to announce that we will be applying for our own company CAA Operating Safety Case (OSC) in January 2018. This will mean very soon DSR Pro members that fulfil the safety standards and membership criteria will be able to operate under DSR’s OSC. DSR will be submitting the OSC to the CAA on the 4th January 2018.
DSR is hiring!
In the New Year DSR will appoint a ‘Director of Safety’ to the DSR team. The DSR DOS will be responsible for assessing member competence and training (where necessary) members to ensure they operate safely under DSR’s OSC.
The DSR OSC is written and once approved will be open to DSR members that have been a Pro member for minimum one year and have also held a PFCO for a minimum of two years.
The aim of the DSR OSC is to help our members obtain more work in congested areas and help advance our industry forward as a whole.
This is a huge project that we have been working on behalf of our members. DSR believes this is 100% achievable with the correct safety case; which we believe we now have.
DSR members wanting to operate on DSR’s OSC will require extra training. The details of this will be released in Q1 next year.
Reduction in membership fees for existing members
As a way of saying thank you to our loyal members, DSR has now reduced membership renewal rates. We have reduced membership renewal prices by £30 for yearly membership and £20 for six monthly. If paying yearly DSR now works out at just over £10 per month. We feel this is exceptional value to feature on the UK’s most visited drone hire website.
All members to receive a DSR ID card
Identification in a regulated industry is highly important. As standard, we now issue a DSR photo ID card and lanyard to all members when they join or renew. Please wear your ID on location to help identify you as a DSR member.
Pro Member Regional Meet-ups
DSR is also delighted to announce that throughout next year we shall be organising regional meet ups in various parts of the UK for pro members.
Kicking off in the South East the first meet up is planned for Beachy Head. The plan will be to charter a boat and an opportunity for members to capture cliffs at sunset. More details to follow soon!
Additional Pro member benefits
There are so many reasons to join DSR as a Pro member. As well as featuring on the DSR HIRE and STOCK sites all members are eligible to receive a minimum of 5% off all DJI products with our dedicated kit partner.
DSR Pro members also receive 5% reduction off their commercial drone insurance with our insurance partner, Coverdrone. Coverdrone is the biggest insurer of commercial drones on the market. DSR is delighted to have partnered with Coverdrone and in turn offer our members even more reason to join us by receiving discount on their commercial drone insurance.
Here’s to a successful and busy 2018!
The DSR office will be closed 21st December until the 2nd January 2018. Our automated website will still be operational for sign ups and renewals.
On behalf of the DSR team and myself, I would like to take this opportunity to thank all DSR members again for their support and loyalty.
We wish you and your family a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!
Mark Boyt
Founder
Drone Safe Register |
