Support Veteran's Drone Filming Dream

Hello everyone! First and foremost, I wanted to thank you for coming to my page and reading my story. As most people's journeys entail, I've had many ups and even more downs since separating from the US Army in 2016. Now this isn't to say I haven't come a long way and earned a loving wife and beautiful daughter in that time. Part of my self-healing has come from connecting with my family, but also selecting hobbies and activities crucial to staying in touch with all parts of myself and growing as a person. After 5 years of serving as a special operations soldier I was left with 100% total and permanent disabilities which really limit how much I can work and what types of work I can even do. Frankly, there hasn't been anything accommodating enough and I have spent my time trying to make money fixing electronics, designing and making home-made products, and now filming with my unmanned aircraft! I absolutely love to fly, and while it might not be in the cards for me to get a pilot's license for manned aircraft, I made sure to get certified in my field with a Part 107 license. Here's the part where I need your support; business licenses, insurance, and gear get very expensive fast! I'm asking for donations at any amount because I'd really love to build an opportunity to work for myself and earn some income for my family. With your help, I'm confident that it's not only possible, but I'll knock it out of the park.

I currently film and fly for recreational purposes regularly, and will update this if possible with some of the work I have already done.

*Business Objective*

Epoch Productions will be a privately owned and operated LLC or Sole-Proprietorship whose goal is to provide unique, creative aerial photography and videography services to small businesses, individual consumers, for events and action sports.

The drone photography industry is expected to grow from approximately $3BN in 2023 to $12.8BN by 2032; if local business owners, event promoters, and individuals are expected to compete in their individual markets then they will need appropriately priced options from local pilots to provide some creative presence. Some events require documentation for personal and professional use. Epoch Productions aims to provide exactly that by creating personalized business relations, using First Person View (FPV) unmanned aircraft, and offering competitive pricing and capabilities. Currently, the market is flooded with pilots who have obtained their FAA Part 107 license and bought a factory camera drone to fly and film for others. This is why Epoch Productions will focus on using primarily FPV aircraft, built in-house, and designed to capture a variety of activities. This perspective is unique to the primary market since other camera drones cannot fly and maneuver in the ways FPV craft can, so I will be using the skills I've obtained as a pilot to fly craft in 100% manual flight, in close proximity to obstacles and people, and at higher speeds if necessary. House-built craft allows a cheaper entry cost while maintaining the ability to adjust performance parameters to fit the situation best.

Experience & Order of Operations:

To date I have flown approximately 100 hours in flight simulators and approximately 125 hours with real-world craft of various sizes. All of my commercial flights will be logged appropriately moving forward. I have made appointments with the Small Business Administration to receive any resources or advice that I can, and for help to navigate legislation regarding taxation of services or goods provided inside and outside state boundaries. As of December 26th, 2024 I am FAA certified with a Part 107 commercial license. The next step is obtaining a business license, insurance, and the appropriate equipment to deliver the product.

Costs:

-In the state of Kansas, the first year obtaining and operating an LLC costs approximately $630.

-Insurance coverage costs will depend on the exact equipment I end up with, but ranges from $600-$3000 annually depending on the liability mount. ($2M liability coverage is about $1500 annually)

-The equipment needed begins with a digital video system to ensure I can fully see and interpret obstacles and dangerous situations. Approximately this costs $850. The high cost of entry will allow me to stream video feeds for future phases of business operations. There are also hidden costs of repair and maintenance of all equipment. Propellers, motors, tools and consumables need to be factored in to the startup cost and also into the price charged for product delivery. I need to have at least enough parts to fix my working craft during business operations. Since the minimum viable product is to provide small businesses, individuals, and events video coverage, I have determined that two different sized "cinewhoop" aircraft will achieve this while maintaining a higher level of safety and precision. These will cost about $450 per craft.

The fund raising amount was set to $2000 to cover the majority of my startup costs that I cannot afford up front. While it won't cover everything I have listed, I'm confident that a well-designed approach will allow me to earn capital to reinvest into this endeavor.