Hiring Only The Best
This year, FlyRoute hired 31 contracted drone pilot operators. Each pilot passed the initial hiring interview and pilot practical exam. The FlyRoute pilot practical exam is intended to ensure each pilot can safely and competently operate the
drone.
After the interview and pilot practical, each pilot is
assessed on their abilities and experience level, at which point we determine if we have a contracted football team suitable for their skill level. Each pilot is then issued drone equipment and provided with in-person and online film training.
Drone Operations
Week 2 of the football season we supported 40 high school football events. This includes practices and regular season games. Thanks to all of our pilots for ensuring a safe and high quality drone film operation!
Shoutout to Brandon Purcell for making the long drive from Loveland to Palisade CO to support Roosevelt HS! FlyRoute covered the hotel cost and Brandon made a great trip out of his visit to the Grand Junction area.
FlyRoute drones are covering a lot of ground!
Drone Pilot Spotlight: Jeremy Stockdill
Hello! I'm Jeremy Stockdill, and this is my first year with the FlyRoute Team! In my day to day life, I am a full time staff videographer and lead drone pilot for my local CBS station in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. I have been flying drones professionally since 2017 all across the state of Pennsylvania chasing news, weather, and sports. While I've always lived in the Pittsburgh area, I still like to get out and explore local restaurants and wineries. In my downtime, you can find me researching drones, cooking or spending time with my fiancée and two cats. FlyRoute's launch here in Pennsylvania has provided me with the opportunity to do what I love all while being able to capture new views for high school football teams and giving them an incredible edge over their competition.
What was the most challenging part of starting the drone program at your local news station?
A big challenge was getting my team out of their comfort zones. Change isn't always easy, but this program has provided us all with the opportunity to experience and utilize this new way to tell our stories using these incredible tools. None of my teammates had experience in flying drones prior to the program, so there was a bit of apprehension to work through. I have been able to show my team that drones are an innovative way to have a one up on the other local stations, but more importantly, it's also a really rewarding opportunity to see our area from a perspective that was rarely seen before.
What is your favorite news story you have done with a drone? (Can you provide a link to it?)
Here is a fun story I got to do at work utilizing not only my ground cameras but also my drone!
As you interview other pilots for the news station, what are a few things you like to see within resumes and interviews that a current FlyRoute pilot can learn from?
When looking for prospective pilots, I first and foremost want an individual who has undeniable passion for what they do and looks to continue to grow their skill set and thinks outside the box. I like to see that an individual does their research and understands the importance of safety. Knowing full well that viewers may see us when we are out in the field, potential pilots must be able to demonstrate and maintain professionalism throughout the entire mission. A bonus attribute that a pilot can possess is to be educated on what's up and coming in the drone space and beyond.
Fly Safe, Film Smooth, Have FUN!
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