Exploring Life & Business with Dillon Young of G4 AeroPhoto LLC

Today we’d like to introduce you to Dillon Young.

Hi Dillon; we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Currently, the story of G4 AeroPhoto is a short one. In 2016, I purchased a used drone just for fun. After a few flights and taking a few aerial photos, I knew there had to be a market for this kind of thing. Unfortunately, I needed the equipment to be more powerful, and I also discovered that a commercial license through the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) was required to do business with drones. At the time, the test was challenging, and I didn’t have the time or money to study and pay for the test while working full-time and attending school for computer networking. After discovering the hurdles involved in the drone industry, I sold my drone and thought nothing more of it.

Fast forward to September 2022. I was on vacation in Florida with my family, just hanging out at the beach. The scenery in Florida is always beautiful, and the sunsets are a 10/10 every evening. One of the days we were at the beach, I saw a drone flying around, capturing photos of all the sights to see at the beach. After seeing that drone, my interest was sparked once again. I kept looking and looking for something that would check all the boxes I wanted from a drone. While searching, I stumbled across a podcast called “The Drone Trainer.” I started researching drones to see what they cost and what capabilities come with that cost.

The host of “The Drone Trainer” would interview drone pilots worldwide and have them explain what they do in the industry. It turns out that there is so much more that I can do than take pictures and video. There’s surveying, 3D modeling, and inspections. At this point, I knew this was the business I wanted to enter. By November, I had studied, got my drone license from the FAA, formed my LLC with the state of Kansas, and started buying equipment. I am a one-person show with just a couple of jobs under my belt. My work so far has been the aerial photo and video shoots for businesses that want marketing material. I want to venture further into working for commercial real estate and construction companies. As time passes, I will learn more and add more knowledge and equipment to my arsenal. I couldn’t be more excited to see where this adventure takes me next.

Alright, let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what challenges have you had to overcome?
Currently, my biggest challenge is finding time to work on finding business. I work full-time as a mechanic and have a wife and three-year-old daughter to care for. My daughter is also starting to get involved in dance and soccer, so two evenings per week are too busy for me to do any work for my business.

Thanks for sharing that. So, you could tell us a bit more about your business.
My best work is aerial photography for commercial real estate and marketing material. I firmly believe in setting expectations (time frame, cost, quality, etc.) before any work is performed. I will gladly listen to any request for my work and approach each one individually.

What changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
I am still determining what the drone work market will look like. This technology only seems to be getting started. There are huge advancements made every passing year, and people are developing new ways to use this equipment daily. I think the future of the drone industry looks pretty positive.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.g4aerophoto.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/g4aerophoto/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100087824382727