Helping to prepare locals for technology integration uses across sectors, Guyanese company Caliper Drones says it has trained more than 300 persons in the use of the drone, which is a major tool in industries such as agriculture, mining, and surveying.
“The training programme offered by Caliper Drones is a combination of theoretical and practical exercises, designed to build the confidence required to become an effective pilot. Participants will learn about the latest drone technology, safety regulations, and flight techniques, as well as gain hands-on experience through real-world scenarios,” Company CEO Julian Cadogan told the Stabroek News.
Stating that his five years of experience in drone services has equipped him to benefit significantly as the oil and gas sector is developed here, Cadogan said the company’s training programme is designed to provide participants with the knowledge and skills needed to become effective drone pilots.
“As Guyana’s economy continues to soar, the demand for skilled drone pilots is only going to increase,” he posited, while encouraging more persons to look into acquiring the skill and getting necessary compliance.
Caliper Drones, Cadogan believes, can assist, especially youth, who are passionate about learning to operate drones. He said that with its “proven track record and experienced team of instructors, it is committed to providing individuals with the training they need to succeed in this exciting and rapidly-evolving industry.”
On its website, the company gives insight into its history, and Cadogan said that persons should not be afraid to start out by themselves. “We are a small, specialist, creative company offering dynamic, close range, aerial video and photography solutions to a wide range of commercial industries and private individuals using the latest cutting edge drone technology and computer software applications. We have a wealth of knowledge, skills and experience in combining technical drone operations along with close precision camera work,” the website states.
“From your first contact with us we can help shape your individual requirements and customize your needs through our pre operational analysis and assessment, giving you a plan on how best to achieve your project aims, on your timescale and within budget. From the start we are there to help you better understand how our drone systems operate and what can be achieved with our camera equipment and software applications,” it adds.
When he started the drone services business in 2017, Cadogan had told this newspaper, he did not have an inkling about such a business. He had attended the Digital Wealth Creation Summit in 2017. He was among a number of farmers at the conference who were made aware of how drones could be of service. They learned that instead of farmers venturing into the backdam often to inspect their crops, they could simply have drones do it for them.
He did not just take the presenter’s word for it. Instead he returned home and researched. In doing so, he realized how effective using the technology could be for farming. But the more he looked into the advantages of having a drone, the less he thought of using it for farming. He went back online to learn how to operate the device.
He began thinking of how beneficial it would be for construction services to have drone shots of their sites and shared this idea with three friends. Once they had talked it over, they had a friend invest in the business to provide them with the capital they needed to get the initiative underway.
His company and another were then the only two well-known companies offering such services.
Today other companies are in the same market but Cadogan doesn’t feel threatened as he believes with Guyana’s projected economic growth, there is more than enough business for everyone. He hopes that persons grab the opportunity, which he believes that they would not regret.
