As more and more people are adopting and utilizing drone technology, drones are becoming easier and easier to operate. Just about a year ago, DJI™ released the DJI™ Spark, the first drone to be controlled by hand gestures. To name a few gestures; you can tell your drone to take a “selfie,” fly in a certain direction, and even follow you while your walking, all with simple motions of your hand. On top of hand gestures, many drones take-off, fly, and land all with the tap of a button. In fact, here at Botlink, we have created a software that does just that. Botlink allows for 100% autonomous flight, from takeoff to landing, with just the simple tap of a button. Check it out our app here!

Not only is controlling your drones movements easier than ever, but drones have become “smarter” and less complicated to operate in many other ways. They now require less steps to take off and get your tasks done. Tasks such as taking a simple image, flying a field with an NDVI sensor, or flying over your entire stock pile. Due to this ease of operation, drones are becoming more prevalent and beneficial in the workforce. Construction companies are using drones to survey buildings and take linear measurements. Agronomists are flying drones to detect issues with crops in minutes rather than hours, and aggregate companies are capturing volumetrics of their stockpiles without the heavy machinery. While, roofing contractors are measuring and inspecting roof lines. The list of use cases really goes on, and it's because drones are proving their usefulness and their ease of operation. 

So, with it being so simple, how do you make sure that there are less complications or problems that could potentially arise?

Easy. By taking the proper steps and precautions to prepare your drone for flight. These are things such as checking both your aircraft and controller batteries for full charge. Making sure your memory card is installed and that it has enough space, and making sure the weather conditions are suitable for flying your drone. But how do you remember all of this, and make sure you complete each thing before take-off? Simple, with a Pre-Flight Checklist!

Here at Botlink, our pilot, Will, makes sure he checks everything off his list before every flight. To help you do the same thing, Will has created checklists for several different drones that you can download below! Each checklist is designed specifically for a certain type and model of drone. Allowing you to easily go through task and assuring that you have a safe and successful flight.

Before you take-off, there are some important things to keep in mind that are not listed on our checklists. The FAA has put in place some rules and regulations for both commercial and recreation drone users. These rules and regulations are to not only keep you safe, but to also make sure that the airspace shared with planes, helicopters, birds, and so much more remains safe. Please respect these rules and regulations when out flying.

Some general things to keep in mind:

• Make sure you have a functioning drone that is free of damage

• Make sure you follow the rules and regulations set by the FAA

  • A Part 107 is required for commercial use

  • Register your drone

  • The drone must be under 55lbs

  • Fly within visual line-of-sight

  • Never fly near another aircraft

  • Fly only during daylight or civil twilight

  • Fly at or below 400 feet

Read more about the drone rules and regulations on our blog or on the FAA page.

So, you ready to go out and fly? Fill out the form below and receive your totally FREE Pre-Flight Checklist! Go ahead and download more than one! Download them all! Don’t have a drone just yet? Visit our compatible drones page to learn more about some amazing drones and chat with one of our specialists to find out how it can be yours!

Happy Flying!

Botlink software comes in two parts: the Botlink Capture Mobile App and the Botlink InSites Web App. These two apps work seamlessly together allowing you to utilize drones for your business. We specialize in helping agriculture and aggregate companies save both time and money, while keeping employees safe. We will walk you through the steps from beginning to end to ensure you have a seamless transition into using drones. If you would like to have a demo of our software and capabilitites, click the button below to get started!

We currently have Pre-Flight Checklists for:

• AgEagle RX-48

• AgEagle RX-60

• BirdsEyeView FireFLY 6 Pro

• DJI™ Inspire 1

• DJI™ Mavic Pro

• DJI™ Mavic 2

• DJI™ Phantom 3

• DJI™ Phantom 4

If you own a drone that you do not see on the list, contact our specialists to request a checklist for your drone or chat about our compatible drones.