Stuart Smith spent decades touring arenas as a guitarist for the band Sweet before COVID collapsed his music income and pushed him into drones. Today he runs The Droning Company, a subscription platform connecting thousands of US drone pilots with paying work, without taking a cut of their earnings. Stuart breaks down how his no-commission model works, why niche gigs like ash scattering and gender-reveal flights can pay $500 a session, and which industries are hiring drone pilots at the highest day rates. He also shares what separates pilots stuck doing roofing shoots from pilots landing oil and gas contracts. Alan and Stuart close by comparing the US market to what's unfolding across the Caribbean's tourism, agriculture, and coastal industries. Tune in to discover how a rock musician built one of the largest drone pilot networks in America.

The Pilots of the Caribbean Podcast recommends the Pilot Institute - Part 107 Made Easy course for anyone looking to prepare to sit the part 107 exam and become a licensed commercial drone operator.

Website: https://pilotsofthecaribbeanpod.com

Email: pilotsofthecaribbeanpod@gmail.com

All our links: https://linktr.ee/pilotsofthecaribbeanpod

* Affiliate disclaimer: some of the above links maybe affiliate links, which may generate a sales commission.*

This month's Caribbean drone news: Barbados stands up a new multi-role drone unit spanning defence, disaster response, and agriculture. Antigua and Barbuda's Cabinet weighs a national BVLOS security network amid rising gun crime. And out of Washington, a Section 232 tariff proclamation and an FCC proposal to redefine "military-grade" drones could both reshape what Caribbean operators pay for thermal, LiDAR, and heavy-lift equipment. Alan Gabriel breaks down what each story means for operators flying across the region, from training structures to supply chain timelines. Tune in to find out what's changing and what to budget for before your current fleet ages out.

The Pilots of the Caribbean Podcast recommends the Pilot Institute - Part 107 Made Easy course for anyone looking to prepare to sit the part 107 exam and become a licensed commercial drone operator.

Website: https://pilotsofthecaribbeanpod.com

Email: pilotsofthecaribbeanpod@gmail.com

All our links: https://linktr.ee/pilotsofthecaribbeanpod

* Affiliate disclaimer: some of the above links maybe affiliate links, which may generate a sales commission.*

Derrick Annan built a drone survey business in Ghana, then used one certification to expand into four more African countries. As Co-Founder and CEO of Axis Drone Surveys, Derrick grew the company from a single survey job into operations across Ghana, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, and Tanzania, riding on West Africa's ECOWAS framework for cross-border recognition. Alan and Derrick get into why Ghana's regulators moved fast once Zipline built the world's largest drone delivery network there, why Axis walked away from agriculture in favor of mining and energy work, and how local operators compete against foreign companies that clients assume are more reliable. Derrick also makes the case for why the Caribbean and Africa should be building this industry together. Tune in to discover what a truly connected drone industry looks like.

CONNECT WITH DERRICK ANNAN
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/derrick-annan-98023554/
Website: https://www.axisdronesurveys.com
Drone Ignite Africa: https://www.droneigniteafrica.com

The Pilots of the Caribbean Podcast recommends the Pilot Institute - Part 107 Made Easy course for anyone looking to prepare to sit the part 107 exam and become a licensed commercial drone operator.

Website: https://pilotsofthecaribbeanpod.com

Email: pilotsofthecaribbeanpod@gmail.com

All our links: https://linktr.ee/pilotsofthecaribbeanpod

* Affiliate disclaimer: some of the above links maybe affiliate links, which may generate a sales commission.*