Sam

Sanford

, Portland

, Oregon

, United States

Posted on
2020-02-22 19:27:09
“I started out in FPV drones as a hobby while working for a 3D printing company in 2017. I used a simulator for a month and began to fly for fun for 2 years and build my own racing and acro multirotors mostly in the 3″ to 6″ prop size class. After serving in the Peace Corps I decided to start my own business, GeckoLibre, by flying drones for videography and film making purposes. I now design and build custom cinema drones that are much more dynamic and fluid than any commercial drone because I rely on my own piloting skill via manual mode (acro mode). It has been over a year now that I earned my FAA Part 107 license and I have been contributing videos and knowledge to the drone community. It’s been a slow start, but I have made some money (~$1,000) from a construction company and I have participated in a handful of student and independent films, donating my own time. These regulations would effectively bring my business to a halt. I would need to reconsider my life goals and everything I have been working toward for the past 3 years. The $15,000 I have collectively spent on my drone R&D for my enterprise would be lost. I have made some small, but real innovations in drone design/cameras and if I was no longer doing this for fun or for a living, I could no longer create these things. There are some things in life that people cannot live without and it’s their passion, such as archery, surfing, horseback riding, etc. My need in life is drones, and if this was taken away from me, I’m not sure what I would do.”