I’m working as an intern at an architecture firm, and they need drone footage for both ongoing and completed projects. They’ve approved me getting a drone to handle this in-house, and I was also thinking about doing it on the side if I get good at it.
I’m interested in the Mini 4 Pro, but it’s a big investment, so I was wondering if the Mini 4K would be good enough to start with. Will the footage be high enough quality to sell commercially?
Yes, but you will need a Part 107 drone pilot license if you want the firm to use the footage for commercial purposes.
Cade said:
Yes, but you will need a Part 107 drone pilot license if you want the firm to use the footage for commercial purposes.
Honest question—how is that enforced? And if they’re found in violation, who is at fault?
Let’s say the pilot is an unpaid intern or the business owner’s child and they’re just doing it as a hobby—can the business still use that footage? Does someone come by and ask for proof that the footage was taken by a Part 107 certified pilot?
I’m asking because I’ve been into drones since 2012, but I didn’t get too deep into it back then. Recently, I’ve been thinking about getting back into it.
@Blair
I looked into that, and it seems like they’re not very strict about enforcing it. But it’s really more of a risk-reward situation. The license is easy to get, so it’s probably better to just get it and avoid the risk.
@Leighton
The risk is definitely against you. Every time you take photos of a building for a progress report, you create evidence. The FAA is more focused on educating people now, but that might change after a recent incident where a drone almost collided with a firefighter plane. The Part 107 test is easy to pass—just go ahead and get it. You’ll be better off in the long run.
@Leighton
Maybe ask your employer if they would help cover the cost of the training and test. It can’t hurt to ask! 
@Blair
As far as I know, it’s never really been enforced. Honestly, no drone regulations are truly enforced.
For your needs, I’d recommend at least an Air 3S. You’ll likely need to take low light shots, and the zoom feature could come in handy, especially for shots where the scenery looks compressed and closer.
@Westley
I’d love to get a drone like that in the future, but I don’t have the money for one right now. That’s why I’m asking if the Mini 4K could make enough money for me to buy one later on.
Leighton said:
@Westley
I’d love to get a drone like that in the future, but I don’t have the money for one right now. That’s why I’m asking if the Mini 4K could make enough money for me to buy one later on.
If you can, go for at least a higher-end Mini model, like the Mini 3 or 4 Pro. You’ll get 48mp images, which is a big upgrade. But since your workplace is already interested, see how much they’re willing to pay for project photography. Firms often pay a good amount for that kind of work. They might even be willing to buy their own Mini 4K if they want aerial shots, instead of paying someone else to do it.
No, the Mini 4K isn’t good enough to sell commercially.
I bought it a month ago and I love it. If it’s just for a quick recap of the work done, I think it should work fine. If you DM me, I can send you some short videos I filmed with it. They’re unedited and filmed by someone who doesn’t know anything about photography.
You’ll need at least an Air 3. Minis are more like toys for influencers.