Drone Consultants Ireland

Option 1: Are drones right for you organisation?

There's a lot to think about here. What are drones capable of? What are the rules and regulation? How much training would be required? How much might it cost to get fully set up?

We are here to make sure you have all the information before making that first purchase.

Drone capabilities

Here we start by chatting through your end goals, and discussing where drones are / are not a great fit. New technologies are coming out thick and fast, and there's a lot that drones can do now that was unimaginable just a few years ago. Drones are capable of a lot more than just taking photos these days, with everything from making 3D models to taking water samples to ground-penetrating radar all possible via drones. Still, there are times that other tools are still the better option, and we can help guide you to what is / is not feasible for your end goals.

Rules and regulations

This can appear a bit of a minefield at first, so it's our job to make it simple and understandable.

There are a multitude of factors that control what you can and cannot do with a drone here in Ireland. The weight of the drone, location you'd like to fly and whether you'll be over public / private spaces all affect the registrations and training that are required. We can guide you through what you'd need to do to make sure you are fully compliant with all the rules and regulations for your own specific use case.

Some drone operator registrations are quick and simple, some are very complex and expensive. We can work with you to see where's best value to be registered in house, and where you might find better value by outsourcing the more niche & complex requirements.

Equipment selection & budgeting

We can help guide you on the most appropriate drone equipment for your needs. You can pick up a drone for €500 that's great for certain applications, and yet for some jobs we turn up with €50,000 of equipment. We can help guide you to the appropriate equipment, including drones that can match both your needs and budgets.

Timelines

Another factor to consider is the hours you have available to invest in a drone program, and how quickly you need it to be operational. We can guide you here.

Depending on your needs, the time it takes to get fully setup can vary hugely. There are two main factors here. First is what classes of drones you are likely to use (the larger and heavier, the more onerous the regulation and training requirements). Second is where you want to fly your drones - again the regulations vary a lot here based on location. We can guide you to the scale of the undertaking before you decide if it's a good fit for your company.

Option 2: How to set up a drone program

You need a drone program that's capable, safe, and fully compliant. We are here to lay out the path to get you there.

The scale of the task varies hugely depending on what you are trying to achieve with drones, from a quick and simple process through to a serious undertaking. We can guide you to make sure you are setting things up at the correct level to not wasting resources, yet making sure your program is fully compliant with the latest drone rules and regulations in Ireland.

Equipment & Supplier selection

Guiding you through the myriad of options so you get the best equipment from the best suppliers. There's a huge array of options, from "toy" category right up to cutting-edge commercial drones. The best drone for the job is by no means the most expensive though. We'll help you pick the right equipment at the right level for your budgets and needs.

Getting registered & licensed

This can appear a bit of a minefield at first, but it's our job to make it simple and understandable.

There are many levels of registrations, so we'll make sure you are selecting the correct one for your needs without adding unnecessary workload and expense. Depending on your drone plan, this can be anything from a very fast and easy process to a serious undertaking.

Whatever level your company / organisation requires, we will guide you through the whole process to make sure you're fully compliant with all the current regulations. We ourselves were the first company in Ireland to achieve the new EASA Specific Category Authorisation, and have a wealth of experience on navigating both the smaller and larger registration options.

Planning & Sourcing Training Programs for your Team

Again the needs here vary hugely. Firstly your team needs the skills they need to carry out their operations both successfully and safely. Secondly there is the training requirements to make sure you are fully compliant with the drone rules and regulations for Ireland. We can help you with drone training programs that cover both.

There's lots of sources here - sometimes off-the-shelf online courses are ideal & very cost-effective for the more simple of needs. There are also specialist drone training companies with ready-to-go training programs. Finally we can provide fully customised training ourselves for you where your needs are more specific or complex.

Option 3: Outsourced drone program management

Here we can get fully hands on, looking after everything from setup & registrations to the ongoing training and management of your drone fleet. We can include:

Initial setup:

• Initial scoping of a drone program specific to your needs.
• Leading the registration & licencing of your company
• Equipment selection and purchasing
• Designing and implementing training programs for your team

Ongoing Drone Program Management:

• Ongoing training & upskilling of team members as required
• Managing ongoing registration & licensing requirements
• Managing drone maintenance programs