Above the Grid

Most drone operators built themselves a job and called it a company.

You passed the Part 107 and bought the aircraft. You landed a client, then another, and somewhere around month eight you noticed the company cannot run without you. Every other drone business book stops at that moment. This one starts there.

Rob Smith built an aerial data company in Tampa Bay while flying a 747 for a living, which meant the business had to work when he was on the other side of the planet. Before that, he built and sold an insurance agency that is still one of the largest in its market. Above the Grid lays out how he did it: the systems that will let a trained pilot fly the missions you are flying yourself right now, pricing that pays for the company instead of the flight hour, the processes that will allow you to hire, and the client experience that justifies your rates while the rest of the market quotes by the hour.

Every business in every industry site either above or below a "Grid Line." In the drone industry, if you are below the Grid Line, you are a pilot trading flight hours for dollars. Above it you are the owner of a business that flies whether or not you are in the field. This book is about crossing the line and getting Above the Grid.

If you are ready to make that move, start reading.