Author: Bill

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Remote Pilot Small Unmanned Aircraft System

I can now fly a “drone” for commercial purposes to expand my photography reach and perspective.

pilot institute class of 2022 decal
Pilot Institute Class of 2022 Remote Pilot Graduate

The Part 107 Certificate, as it is called, provides me with an FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) license as a Remote Pilot with the rating of Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems. This allows me to fly my “drone(s)” for commercial purposes. I can now capture photographs of my (our) favorite places – from a new perspective – and offer them for sale in my online galleries. The “commercial” designation deals with the actual intent of the flight – so I did not heretofore shoot any photographs with the intent of offering them as wall art. But Now I Will Begin…

I studied an online course provided by the Pilot Institute and, because of that preparation, was well-prepared to pass the FAA written exam and obtain my Part 107 Certificate. So you might say I am a successful graduate of the Pilot Institute Class of 2022. Seriously, it is a good program and I will write a review in a future article. BTW, I managed to score a 92% on the test. I’ll take it. And make use of it.

temporary airman certificate remote pilot
Remote Pilot Temporary Airman Certificate – the certificate is “temporary” until it is replaced by the actual (plastic) license itself. It will be similar in appearance to my Private Pilot license – but serves a different purpose.

It is permissible to fly a drone without a Part 107 license – for recreational purposes only. Those pilots/flyers must complete a training program and earn a TRUST Certificate. “The Recreational UAS Safety Test” is a free program and is offered through several sources. I did my TRUST training through the Pilot Institute’s TRUST Portal when I first got my drone.

However, please be aware that there are many unlicensed drone flyers out there performing commercial operations – doing things like real estate photography, inspection work, etc. – without a license. They are operating in the national airspace system without being properly trained and are, therefore, a safety hazard to others. The federal government has been monitoring, catching and (severely) fining perpetrators. Fines are even being levied against people (for example, real estate agents) who hire unlicensed drone operators.

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Do You Treat Your Art Business Like a Business?

You can run an art business as a hobby or as a small business (or even a large business).

business checks catalog
Business Checks

If it generates any income at all, not necessarily a profit, but receipts or commissions for sales – then you need to keep your business finance separate from you personal finances. That is one of the IRS guidelines that many hobbyists or small business owners seem to put off or totally neglect.

The easiest way to avoid the problem of co-mingled monies is to open a new checking account and use your business checks, especially the register part, to keep track of income and expenses. Simple? Yes, it is. Unless your small business really grows, that may be all you need for your bookkeeping. Be sure to keep track, in the check register, of all money you receive and expenses and keep receipts for expenses paid by cash check or credit card.

Please note that I am not an accountant or a lawyer but I do keep records this way. It has worked well for me and allows my accountant to accurately complete the “Schedule C” for small business when she completes our personal tax return each year.

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Local Printing Sources for Photographs

The printing equipment at your local Walgreens or CVS pharmacy is top quality.

I have a quality Epson printer that has seen years of service. It is still going strong and prints high quality images at sizes up to 13″x19″ on photo quality paper. However, I occasionally want a 16″x20″ print either for a client or to display in our own home. There are both CVS and a Walgreens drugstores (mini-department stores?) in our neighborhood. They both have quality photo processing equipment (that I only wish I could afford), offer very fast service and have reasonable prices.

Discount note: Another plus with both CVS Photo and Walgreens Photo is that they run a deep discount sale at least once a month.

While it’s true I have online galleries and can get my work printed in high quality there, sometimes I just need a 16×20 print, which is larger than my printer can handle, and find it more convenient to “shop local,” so to speak. For today’s project I’ll use the local Walgreen’s Photo service. Here is what I want to have printed in a 16″x20″ size.

Nancy's blue and purple pansies
Nancy’s Blue & Purple Pansies

What’s cool about using the service at Walgreens Photo is that I can upload the full-size image and place the order online. I may even be able to pick up the finished print in a few hours time. The store is also less than one mile from home – can’t get much more convenient that that. Right? So, I’m about ready to place this order – and will try to return here with the results (a bit later on).

Progress…
1) Order placed online Thursday at 10:44 AM – with an estimated “ready time” of Friday at 10:44 AM (24 hours – not bad).
2) Oder ready (notified by email) at 11:45 AM Thursday (TODAY). Wow, how good is that?
3) Order picked up just before 2:00 PM – and it is perfect. I will post an image when I frame it and hang it on the wall.
4) Because I found and used a coupon code (right from the Walgreens’ website) I got it for half price. Total cost was $9.49, noting that I live in Delaware so there was no sales tax.

photo print from walgreens pharmacy
Picking up the 16×20 photo print from the local Walgreens – less than four hours after the order was placed online. It is a perfect, high quality photographic print.

Oh, yes, I will also (eventually) upload this image, along with other pansy images, and make them available as wall art in my online galleries at FineArtAmerica/Pixels and Pictorem – in the “Flora” collections.