Drone Mastery Workshop at Croydon College

On the 9 December, CAA Qualified FPV Racing Drone Pilot, JR from Dirty Dishes Productions, held a FPV Drone Mastery Workshop at Croydon College. In attendance were four groups of engineering students from our School of Technical, Engineering and Building Professions including Level 1, Level 3 and T-Level students. Electrical motor vehicle students were also present.

The global drone industry (estimated to be valued at £50+ billion by 2025) is fairly new but its fast growing and developing technology covers a range of engineering disciplines including aeronautical, electrical and mechanical.

During the presentation, JR explained to the students how he first gained experience in editing for a company called Little Dot Studios where he worked for free to gain editing experience. This enabled the licensed drone pilot to create a show reel as proof of concept to show clients how the power of drones can capture magical moments.

Through doing his showreel, JR and Dirty Dishes Production have acquired many clients across various industries although they specialise in film, TV and motor sports. The company is now trying to break into the music industry by going recently on tour with British afrobeats band, NSG. JR informed the students that he aspires to take filming music with a drone to the next level by capturing the live experience on a big screen at festivals such as Glastonbury with a live crowd.

JR said, “Every time I think my drone is complete the industry shifts so you have to constantly adjust to be ahead of the curve.” He emphasised that the nature of flying drones is that you crash quite a lot so it is ideal to build your own. There is a learning curve there and it is best to build your own and more rewarding. JR’s drones are made from carbon fibre. To be successful in the industry, he advised the students that is a juggling act between what the clients want and how you meet their needs.

JR explained to students what a spotter is and how the range (how far a drone can go) is dictated by the spotter. Carefully considering the range of a drone is a legal requirement; the FAA requires the drone to remain within eyesight at all times.

Anyone operating a drone commercially needs a licence to do so. Not adhering to these rules could risk the licence being withdrawn.

As the presentation drew to a close, some students had the opportunity to ask about drones and participated in a live demonstration which they enjoyed and found very engaging.