Baton Rouge brothers Danny and Kevin Landry hope recently obtained approval from the Federal Aviation Administration to fly drones legally for commercial use will help their fledging aerial photography business take off.
The Landrys founded LandBros Aerial Photography in 2014, and they say their company is the first in Louisiana to obtain an exemption from the FAA for commercial drone use. The brothers use small remote-controlled, low-altitude quadcopters with mounted cameras to take aerial photos and videos of industrial and commercial construction sites.
“It really opens the doors for this industry, for Louisiana-based companies,” Danny Landry says of the FAA approval. “For us, the goal is to take photos from a low altitude and create something that gives an advantage for construction site.”
The Landry brothers had experience working in the construction industry prior to starting their aerial photography business. They decided to launch their business about a year ago after flying drones recreationally. They have several drones in their fleet and operate across south Louisiana, with Danny based in New Orleans and Kevin in Baton Rouge.
Obtaining FAA approval to fly drones for commercial use was not any easy process, Danny Landry says. First the brothers had to complete a lengthy application, explaining their business in detail. After that it was a waiting game.
“It took about six months,” Danny says of the entire process. “There’s a lot of technical things in the application checking if it’s in the public interest, and will it benefit the public. Safety is always important.”
LandBros was one of more than 500 applicants to apply for approval since it was made available earlier this year, according to the FAA’s website. The approval allows unmanned aircraft under 55 pounds to be flown for commercial use up to 400 feet high.
While helicopters traditionally have been used for aerial photography, Danny says, drones make more sense both economically and for safety. For a helicopter to get the same photo as a drone, it would need to fly so close to the ground it might affect the work going on at a site and could endanger people. To make sure everything is as safe as possible when using their drones, LandBros must check each drone before flight and must keep the drone in their eyesight at all times.
“A lot of people have a negative view of drones because of military drones,” Danny says. “These are much smaller and much safer. Instead of risking men out there, you have a drone that can get closer and the risk is gone.”
While out on the job, the brothers work with construction firms to plan photos with site managers. Then they send their small aircraft zooming above the worksite to capture the images. A screen on the remote control lets them know when they have the shot perfect.
“We will see where the workload goes, but in terms of expansion, I think the sky’s the limit.” Danny says of how the new FAA approval will aid LandBros’ growth. “We found a need for this service and we are providing safe quality service to these construction companies.”
—Deanna Narveson
