Listen Up! These Drone Podcasts Should Be on Your Radar
Nowadays, there’s a podcast for everything: from book series to sports teams to relationships. Therefore, it stands to reason that drones would have their time to shine over the airwaves. There are drone podcasts available for almost every facet of drone life: flying tips, business advice, news, reviews, and more! If you’re in the market for some new listening material, check out these drone podcasts. This list includes only a few of the many out there. Even if you don't see something you like, with a Google search, you might find a drone podcast in your area of interest.
Drone to 1K is the podcast backed by Drone Launch Academy. Founded by David Young, Drone Launch Academy aims to help prepare their clients for the FAA's commercial drone knowledge exam, which is the exam pilots take to obtain Part 107 certification. This certification allows pilots to fly their drones for commercial purposes. Drone to 1K is an extension of the Drone Launch Academy's goal to empower and inform drone business owners.
The podcast gets its name from its guests, business owners whose companies are making $1,000 per month or more using drones. Founder David Young hosts and speaks with these successful drone business owners, discussing how they got started and how they grew to earn a 1K or more monthly income. There are currently 2 seasons out now, 10 episodes each. Episode lengths vary from 35 to 55 minutes. The podcast has a 5.0 from 115 Ratings on Apple Podcasts.
Bill the Drone Reviewer has been reviewing drones and drone accessories on his YouTube channel for 3 years. Alongside his reviews, Bill offers “tips, tricks, commentary, weekly [live streams], and updates on the drone industry.” He describes himself as a “seasoned IT professional who has always had a passion for technology.” He purchased his first drone in December of 2016, and then a few months later in February 2017, he obtained Part 107 certification, making him a licensed sUAS Remote Pilot. The Bill The Drone Reviewer Podcast features "same great quality content" seen on his channel with the occasional guest. As of the writing of this article, the podcast has 68 episodes with a typical episode lasting about 1 hour. The latest episode was posted on July 29th, 2020. In it, Bill hosts Rotor Talk Live Episode 70 and discusses the Skydio X2 announcement.
The Drone Radio Show is a weekly podcast featuring stories about drones and the people who use them. Guests of the podcast come from every walk of the drone life. They’re people in the industry, business owners, and even recreational fliers. “Our guests share how they’re using drones to make a positive impact, build a business, lessons they’ve learned and insights that you can use to take YOUR interest in drones to the next level.”
Randy Goers helms the podcast. He identifies as a city planner, strategist, and drone enthusiast. On his About page, he states that he started the Drone Radio Show to “showcase opportunities that are emerging in the drone industry, how those opportunities are changing lives, and more importantly, how you can be a part of this exciting industry.” As of the writing of this article, there are 100 episodes, and it has a rating of 4.5 from 45 ratings on Apple Podcasts. The Drone Radio Show podcast is also uploaded to a YouTube channel with the same name.
The Ask Drone U podcast is a daily Q&A podcast geared towards answering questions about drones and the drone industry. The questions featured are submitted by their audience: “We feature & answer actual questions from drone enthusiasts just like you!” Backed by the Drone U Flight School (“one of the largest online drone training schools”), the show is hosted by Paul Aitken and Rob Burdick, 2 out of the 3 founders of Drone U. You can listen to the podcast on their website or watch them on their YouTube channel. As of the writing of this article, there are 1,122 episodes of Ask Drone U up on their website.
The Drone Trainer Podcast is a weekly show hosted by the Drone Trainer himself, Chris Anderson. Weekly, Chris interviews successful drone pilots from around the world so that they can share their insight with his listeners. With the goal of learning what makes a successful drone business, Chris and his guests discuss tips both technical and commercial. On Apple Podcasts, it has a rating of 4.9 from 51 ratings and is currently sporting 123 episodes. In the show's most recent episode, Chris is accompanied by Melissa Schiele with whom he discusses flying Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS).
The UAV Digest’s podcast focuses on, you guessed it, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles and Systems. For the uninitiated, UAV is the name given to an aircraft that is flown without the pilot being on board. They are commonly referred to as drones but can take the form of crafts other than the iconic quadcopter. The UAV Digest typically updates on a weekly basis and tackles industry news, recreational and commercial drone trends, innovation, and regulation. The podcast launched in 2013 and is hosted by founders David Vanderhoof and Max Flight.
The UAV Digest currently has 340 episodes, 50 of which are available on Apple Podcasts. There, it is rated 4.8 from 60 ratings on. Episodes are about 30 minutes long. Earlier episodes can be found on their website. The latest episode discussed various topics such as Wide-Area Motion Imagery (WAMI), UAS pilot program for Virginia, and the first commercial delivery drone to the Smithsonian.
Tyesha Ferron is a writer based in Atlanta, Georgia. Specializing in digital content, Tyesha loves exploring the new ways technology intersects with culture and how drones make things more efficient and accessible for artists, hobbyists, and industry professionals. As a novice drone enthusiast, she continues to be impressed by what the drone community and industry can accomplish.
Instagram: @tyesha.ferron
Twitter: @Tyesha_Ferron
LinkedIn: Tyesha Ferron
