FAA Part 107

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Written by Randall Hobbs

Category: General

Published: 10 April 2018

So, several of us went and got our FAA Part 107 (for commercial work) a few weeks ago. We've gone through the steps necessary to get everything in order, so we're able to fly commercially (as needed).

If you're interested in having someone fly for you, please feel free to give me a shout and we can discuss your need (you can see existing photos here - which are photos I took for Google Maps in Panama City and surrounding towns). We have a wide selection of drones that we can fly with (some like the Phantom 4 Pro+ with a 20 megapixel camera, or some like the Mavic Pro with 4K video, etc.). Let us know what you need and we can discuss options and price.

Thanks!

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Welcome!

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Written by Randall Hobbs

Category: General

Published: 01 February 2017

Welcome to Panama City Drone Club - a way for drone owners in Panama City, Lynn Haven, Panama City Beach, Destin, and all surrounding areas to group with like minded people who enjoy piloting their drones. We are just getting started, so you'll find this site being updated as quick as we possibly can. In the meantime, if you own a drone (or are interested in getting one - or just want to check them out), and live in Northwest Florida - we invite you to join us and go with us on flights of our UAV's. We all bought our drones for different purposes, but we try to find commonality amongst us and go on flights that we'll never forget (and we'll have plenty of photographs and video to remember them by). So, let us know you're here and feel free to join us.

We'll be adding a calendar with upcoming events and a way to RSVP to those events in the near future! 

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Drone Insurance

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Written by Randall Hobbs

Category: General

Published: 21 March 2017

So, I've been trying to track down insurance for my drone (considering it is an expensive item that I'd feel safer about flying if I had insurance). I ended up calling This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. at Gail Sarvis - State Farm Insurance Agent in Panama City Beach. I purchased a Personal Articles policy for my Phantom 4 Pro Plus, which covers it in case it's destroyed, stolen, or lost. I ended up paying $75 for the entire year to cover it. Needless to say, I'm relieved that I have insurance on it. It makes me a little more confident to fly it now....

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Devil's Hole

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Written by Randall Hobbs

Category: Places We've Visited

Published: 07 May 2018

So, Sunday I went and took photos of Devil's Hole in Youngstown, Florida. I wanted to get photos of some more of Ecofina Creek - and there's quite a bit of it there to see. I ended up meeting a woman named Sarah and her daughter - who gave me quite a bit of information on some of the surrounding area, and I definitely enjoyed it (and the company to boot). I have attempted to find her on various Social Media sites, but so far - nothing. I did give them a few of my business cards though (for the drone club, not the photography company), so am hoping they contact me. Her daughter mentioned she works at Coram's, but me being the ever bright person I am totally missed her name and which Coram's (if she even mentioned it - I feel she probably did though). Either way, if you're reading this Sarah, please shoot me a text, an email, or even give me a call. I am wanting to follow up on several of the places you mentioned, and the truth of the matter is that I need to jot it down so I know for sure. I appreciate your info on Sunday, and would love to go to those places you mentioned (even if I need to get prepared to go, it'd still be worthwhile), and if you guys can go, I would absolutely love the company.

Thank you....

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Wilkinson-Baggett Family Cemetery

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Written by Randall Hobbs

Category: Places We've Visited

Published: 09 December 2017

User Rating: 5 / 5

So, over the weekend (Dec. 9th to be exact), I went looking for the Wilkinson-Baggett Family Cemetery on Chance Drive in Holt, Florida (Link). I was spending the weekend out at my mom's (who lives about 2.7 miles away - another point that was made about me being sooooooo far from their place). I went there to take photos (like I've done at 30+ cemeteries so far), but this one was quite different. I went walking around trying to find it (I didn't pull the drone out and fly over people's houses because they get antsy from what I've seen), and when I couldn't find it (and since my blood sugar was dropping ever so slightly), I decided to head back to the car (and since I had walked around a bit, it took me a little bit of time to get there). Once I got there, there was a pickup truck parked behind my car (off the side of Chance Drive), and there was a guy in the truck (in his late 50's or 60's) sitting in the truck. I walked up, and he asked me who I was. I told him. He then started asking me questions - meanwhile, another girl (mid 30's it looked like - daughter, wife, cousin, I don't judge) walked up carrying a rifle (it looked like a .283), and proceeded to join in on the interogation. I kept answering questions, giving them all the info I had - and they proceeded to act like I had just robbed them (even though I came out of the woods with nothing - showed them my drone, gave them business cards, you name it). When I walked over to the truck where he was sitting (to talk to him), he asked me to back away from him and his vehicle. I would say I was shocked, but not really.

 So, after he called somebody about the cemetery (in his usual smart assed way), the guy on the other end proceeded to tell us that he didn't want anyone taking photos, and then he told the older guy that he wanted to get a sign for the driveway to the cemetery (which I had already seen - I just didn't realize it was the drive to the cemetery), and then he proceeded to tell us that he'd shoot anyone that came there, and shoot any survivors. Ho hum. The usual red neck drivel.

 One of his questions was "Do you think we want you over here taking photos? So that your friends can come back and steal from us?". I said no. Let me elaborate on this a little bit: You live on about 5 acres of land - and there's only one house on it - an abandoned house that's about 100 years old. All the rest are trailers. You essentially live in a big trailer park. Me, I live in a nice gated community in Panama City - which is known as "The Redneck Riviera", but let's be honest, rednecks here have nothing on you. They at least have some class (most, not all, but I digress - in other words, I am straying off topic - duh). That being said, do you possibly think there is ANYTHING on your property that I want besides photos? Let me answer that question for you - not no, but hell no. Your stuff (no matter how nice YOU think it is) is nowhere near impressive to me. I've worked all my life, and I make a good living being a server administrator for a company that writes software for the Air Force, Army, Marines, and Coast Guard. Do you really sit there and think I want your crap? Hell no. Your junk is just that to me - junk. I do not need it. I do not want it. The only thing you have to offer that is of any value to me are photos of a place that was of importance to your family. I see it's not important to you, but again I digress.

 You also said "After you take photos of the cemetery, and then thieves come in and break the headstones, YOU'RE going to be responsible". Nope, I don't think you understand law. Taking a photo of something and putting it on the net doesn't include you in on a crime if a crime happens. Criminals do the crimes - they're responsible. Just because you graduated the 6th grade and think you have a law degree - you don't. You need to leave that to the people who've actually studied it. You're sadly mistaken if you think my taking photos would make me the cause of the crime. You do realize that people take photos of people and things all the time right? It's the way things are now. People have cameras on their phones and they are everywhere. So, if someone took a photo of someone and then 5 minutes later they were murdered, does that mean the photographer was part of it? Or would be charged? No. It doesn't. You see where I'm going with this.

 Now, on to the real reason I was there - I came there to take photos of the cemetery, as my drone has a 20 megapixel camera and can take GREAT photos. I do that as a way for people to see the cemeteries without going to them. See, if there are photos, it stops people from wanting to go there. But in your mind that wouldn't work, as you're looking for somebody to lynch. It's hard to lynch a good guy. I came there to take photos and to put them on Google Maps because I think it's a respectful thing to do. Cemeteries are places for people who have died to be laid to rest, and FOR PEOPLE to come and view the graves and to remember their loved ones. No, I am not getting paid to take photos of them. Do you think I should be? I take them because I still can. I am alive. I have a great drone that can do nice aerial shots. I think it's sorta' a dick move to call the "owner" and then act like I'm a thief (or am in cahoots with thieves) - and that doesn't make me look bad, it makes YOU look bad. Smuck. The "owner" isn't technically off the hook though - you do realize he made a verbal threat, right? That can cause him a whole lot of problems if I were so inclined. You also had that superiority complex going on - do you know that I was also carrying? Yes, I have a concealed carry permit here. Yes, I had my 40 calibur with me. Don't think for one second that if I felt threatened I wouldn't have pulled it. I know it was all about you feeling superior, but that drama BS is for the birds. You unlawfully stopped me and interrogated me, and you sir were not a cop. Your "arrest" powers are nil. Even had I came out of there lying my ass off, there's not a thing you could do about it. NOTHING. Your only resort would have been to call the local law enforcement, or you could have had your lap dog fire on me - which is also a dick move - making HER come there with the rifle so that if anything goes down, she's the one getting arrested. Bravo. Had I decided to bring my weapon into the mix, it would have meant that she'd have been the first person to be in the sights - again, just like you planned, right? What were you thinking? I know that your thinking and mine aren't the same, but come on. Don't you realize that's just a douche move no matter how you handled it?

I was there to take photos of the cemetery and that would have been a great way for him (the "owner") to get some current photos (and great photos). See here (long lost relatives) and here and here and here and here and here and here and here and here and here and here (sorry if you thought you were the only one on the planet that has a family cemetery near your trailer - these are just the ones I've been to around this area - there are still a BOATLOAD more I haven't been to - but will, as time allows). I apologize if I offended you because I didn't walk up to one of your trailers and introduce myself and show my intentions. That cemetery was the first (out of 33+ cemeteries I've taken photos of) that I have ever been accosted at (at near about gunpoint no less). Now, the question is - what are you hiding? Are you growing reefer there, and just afraid I'd happen upon it? Or are you upset that your family tree doesn't branch, and just pissed off at the world? GET OVER IT. You are a human. You have to interact with other humans without holding them hostage - even if you think they're on your property. Again, you are not law enforcement, and you're lucky someone hasn't come along that isn't as forgiving as I am. Consider yourself lucky.

And I know you made a remark about shooting down the drone if I ever came back (provided I wasn't on your property - as you'd much rather shoot me).... Now, let me be the first to tell you (since you obviously aren't very knowledgeable of the law) that shooting down a drone is a FEDERAL CRIME. Yes, I know that your type believes the first thing they should do is shoot at any drone over your property, but as you'll see here. You should REALLY consider running your comments past a law enforcement officer before you do something stupid and irreversible. I know, I know, you don't trust them, but you'd be better off bouncing an idea off of one before you actually follow through with it and wind up in a federal courthouse having to explain why you're a trigger-happy retard that shoots at anything flying over your property. I know you don't like liberals (that was obvious), but when you are before one you'll be lucky if he/she doesn't put you in prison - ignorance of the law isn't an excuse. You've been warned.

And - I know it fits into your little story line that you think my photos would cause VANDALS (not thieves - but I know you just misspoke, kinda' like your sidekick did when she told me I needed to take more insulin because my blood sugar was low - after saying that you were an insulin dependent diabetic) to destoy the cemetery headstones, but do you know how many of the 35 cemeteries that I have thus far photographed that have been vandalized? Go ahead, guess.... The answer is ZERO (that means none). There has been ONE vandalism, and it happened at the Milton Cemetery 2 days before I took photos. I know you wanted to have someone to lynch, but you're going to have to go looking again, because this guy isn't it. Period.

Had you guys let me, I would have photographed the cemetery and gave you guys all the photos - but that part didn't come out because I was being held up. I would have given you copies of all of them. Too bad - it would have been historical, and I for one love old family cemeteries (I've now photographed at least a dozen - none of them are hidden, guarded by a militia, or been vandalized). Your logic is wrong, and you were just trying to force me to say something that would allow you to lynch me without you feeling guilty. Sorry. Not this guy....

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