What to Look for When Hiring a Drone Pilot in Connecticut
Connecticut has a lot of people offering drone photography, and the quality and legitimacy varies widely. A few things worth checking before you hire anyone.
FAA Part 107 certification
This is non-negotiable for commercial drone work. The FAA requires any pilot flying drones for compensation to hold a Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate — that's true in Connecticut, every other state, and every US territory. It's a real exam with an aeronautical knowledge test, and it takes genuine preparation to pass.
You can verify any pilot's Part 107 certification through the FAA's DroneZone lookup. Just ask for the pilot's certificate number and confirm it. If someone can't produce one, that's a red flag — and if something goes wrong on a commercial flight with an uncertified pilot, their insurance (if they even have it) likely won't cover it.
Liability insurance
Commercial drone pilots should carry liability insurance. Standard coverage in the industry is $1,000,000 per occurrence. This matters for property owners, real estate agents, and contractors who would be liable if a drone incident caused property damage or injury on a site they hired a pilot to fly over. Ask for a certificate of insurance before anyone flies at your property.
Overstory Drones carries $1,000,000 in liability coverage on every flight. I can provide a certificate of insurance for any project that requires it.
Airspace familiarity
Connecticut's airspace is more varied than most people realize. Proximity to Westchester County Airport affects much of southern Fairfield County. Tweed New Haven, Bradley International, and several smaller airports each create controlled airspace zones that require either LAANC authorization or a manual FAA waiver to fly in legally. A professional pilot will know this, check it before every flight, and handle the coordination without you having to ask. If a pilot doesn't mention airspace at all, that's a sign they may not be taking compliance seriously.
Turnaround and deliverables
Be specific about what you're getting and when. For real estate photography, you want to know: how many edited stills, what format, is video included, and when exactly will files be delivered? A professional service should be able to answer all of this upfront. At Overstory Drones, I deliver edited photos and video within 48 hours of the flight — and I confirm exactly what's included before we schedule.
If you want to talk through a project or check availability, send me a message. I'm happy to answer any questions about the work or the process before you commit to anything.