Is anyone a " Skycatch Workmode Pilot" or know of someone who is?
Any info would be appreciated

i signed up and took the test.  Two weeks later they sent me an email saying i passed and needed to shoot some shots and upload them.  i haven't done that yet.  you?

I signed up and took the test too and basically got the same message about taking shots and upload them for certification map.

when are you doing your shots, don?

HermosaDrones Posted at 2015-4-1 23:46
when are you doing your shots, don?

I plan on trying to complete this next week. How about you HermosaDrones?

Whats the test?

i have to review the info.  i don't have a vision or an inspire so not sure i can do it with my gopro.  if so i will fly it just for giggles.  there are about a dozen companies out there trying to do this now.

I got certified as a pilot with Skycatch today.

xsphere, what is the final assignment.  is that the one where you have to fly a pre-programmed grid?  does it require the vision+ or can a gopro do it?

The "mapping" is probably a cover story. What they really want is updated information about business activity. How many cars in a parking lot? How full are the storage tanks? How many containers are in the yard? This is used by hedge funds to trade public stocks or to create research reports sold for big bucks. This is all legal except that you will still need a commercial license in the US which are still in the proposal stage.

fortunately i have a commercial pilot's license...

HermosaDrones Posted at 2015-4-8 23:19
xsphere, what is the final assignment.  is that the one where you have to fly a pre-programmed grid? ...

Yes sort of. You just have to pick out a location and capture enough images for them to create a map of the location. I used a vision plus myself. I'm really not familiar with the GoPro because I haven't used them before. Essentially you have to set your cam to take continious photos at regular intervals depending on how fast your drone is going. It  doesn't have to be in a grid, but that is probably the easiest way to go. It will depends on the shape of the area you're trying to capture. I kept mine rectangular and to a size that could be captured in about a 15 minute flight.

Thanks, Xsphere.  I have a place i want to try monday where there is major construction going on so anything they have will probably be old.  i'll just point the camera down and fly a grid over it.

I just received an email stating I passed the mapping test and I am now a Workmode Certified Pilot.  I think it took about a month from the time i took the online test, and i wasted some time laying out the plan for the test flight.  The flight itself was easy and quick in my case.

Sooooo, it turns out that they sign people up and then charge them for backend services.  You can pay $300 a month to process ten maps or $500 a month to process 30 maps a month.  plus incidental fees i'm sure.  that's fine if you're processing the 10 maps but there is no guarantee.  They're also (probably) going to offer insurance to everyone which they will make a cut off of as well.  I'm in now, just have to wait and see what becomes of this.

HermosaDrones Posted at 2015-4-16 07:42
Sooooo, it turns out that they sign people up and then charge them for backend services.  You can pa ...

Just curious how this working out for you, HermosaDrones? Have they sent any business your way?

I must say.     The info here is invaluable.     Combing through here this morning,my eyes landed on this post about SkyCatch.    Thanx Guys.    HermosaDrones.    Thanx for the insight.

Since becoming a certified skycatch pilot i have received exactly zero notices about work, no requests to bid on work, no new communications from skycatch, nor anything else that would remotely connect me with aerial work.  i have not tried to go out and sell this service either.  This is not going to be the focus for me when looking for drone work.  i signed up hoping it might be a small revenuew generator.  but with the high fees they charge to use their platform i am very doubtful.  but i do have the handy png file to show off!

Has anyone here gotten work due to skycatch/workmode?

HermosaDrones Posted at 2015-5-24 23:51
Since becoming a certified skycatch pilot i have received exactly zero notices about work, no reques ...

Thanks Hermosa Drones. Not very promising it would appear.
What's this .png you mentioned?

they email this to you when you are certified.

grangerfx@gmail Posted at 2015-4-9 01:55
The "mapping" is probably a cover story. What they really want is updated information about business ...

Interesting twist.  It is true hedge fund and other might use the data this way.  In any case if they will pay these people to help them do the research, win win for all.

i don't know of anyone who has money from it yet.

So... who exactly is certifying these 'pilots'?
Unless they are recognized by the government (FAA etc) the certification means absolutely nothing.
Hell.... send me $10. and I will send you a certificate as a licensed drone pilot. It will mean just about as much as their certification.
There is one other thing.... you will have to answer a skill testing question.
(Do you know what  you are doing?)
dave

talked to a buddy who is another certified sktcatch pilot yesterday.  he said he actually sent in a request to have someone shoot in his area to skycatch to see if he would receive notification.  nothing, nada.  not sure they are fully ready to take on work yet.

I just received a request for a map through Skycatch/Workmode.  I will update this thread when something happens.

Also, in a real surprise, the first month of the map-making service is free and the pricing drops the more of these maps you produce.  I may like this Skycatch thing after all... we shall see.  I remain optimistic.

Thanks for keeping us updated HermosaDrones.

HermosaDrones Posted at 2015-6-17 05:05
Also, in a real surprise, the first month of the map-making service is free and the pricing drops th ...

Hi hermosadrones,
Would you mind updating us on you Skycatch adventures? Just sent in my map with GCPs etc., but not sure if besides the handy png Skycatch has any potential. Pricing seems pretty steep, especially if you have to pay a monthly fee with no guarantee of work..
Corto

Corto,I signed up with them also, did the test and passed then they requested me to do a map to process so I did.
I spent many hours by the time I went out to site and did the mission then uploaded lots of photos to get processed.
Then when I get an email saying my map was finished I logged in only to find out that they only processed half the map.
Very disappointing cause I was going to sell the map to the Real Estate Agent who was selling the block.
Now I have egg on my face as the Real Estate Agent just laughed at me and said don't bother me again!

OzBlueDragon Posted at 2015-9-18 07:54
Corto,I signed up with them also, did the test and passed then they requested me to do a map to proc ...

Hi OzBlueDragon,

Sorry for the late reply.
This doesn't looks like a win-win situation. I passed the test end July and didn't even get a link to the orthomosaic to use in my "portfolio". I had to sit through the dismal tutorial videos, fly my P3P in a grid to get the pics... Feels like a big waste of time, but on the bright side I've learned how to make a 3D terrain model without even using Pix4D capture app (wasn't available yet). I got the trial Pix4D mapper s/w to process my images and got a neat DEM that I can now use in my portfolio.
I wouldn't not recommend Skycatch to anyone who doesn't have a lot of time to waste.

corto