Pilot Institute is offering a fast-track 40 minute session designed to jumpstart your journey toward earning your FAA Part 107 Drone Pilot Certification. This workshop covers the essentials—airspace rules, weather, regulations, and test-taking tips—giving you a clear roadmap for what to expect. Whether you’re flying for real estate, media, inspections, or just expanding your skills, this session will help you understand what’s required and how to prepare. Taught by certified professionals, it’s the perfect introduction.

Thinking about turning your drone hobby into a business? Pilot Institute’s high-energy, info-packed 40 minute workshop! it’s real talk from experienced pros who’ve been there, flown that. We’ll cover how to launch your drone business legally and profitably—from FAA licensing and insurance must-knows to zoning laws, airspace restrictions, and business pitfalls to avoid. Learn how to build a simple, effective business plan, price your services, and market yourself in your community. Plus, we’ll share some cautionary tales you’ll definitely want to hear before you take off. If you’re ready to stop dreaming and start flying for profit—this is the runway you’ve been waiting for! -

Even the most carefully planned drone flight can encounter an unexpected problem. This workshop will help pilots prepare for emergencies such as lost signal, low battery, Flyaways, sudden weather changes, equipment failure, unexpected aircraft, and people entering the flight area. Attendees will learn how to remain calm, make fast decisions, use return-to-home features correctly, establish safe landing areas, and protect people and property. The session will also cover emergency planning, communication with crew members, incident documentation, and when an event may need to be reported. Preparation and practice can make the difference between a minor problem and a serious incident.

The drone industry continues to create exciting opportunities for women in aviation, photography, filmmaking, public safety, education, engineering, and entrepreneurship. This inspiring workshop will explore the experiences, accomplishments, and growing influence of women throughout the drone community. Attendees will hear practical advice for building confidence, developing skills, creating professional connections, and pursuing new career or business opportunities. The session will also discuss overcoming barriers, finding mentors, and encouraging more women and girls to become involved in unmanned aviation. Whether you are an experienced pilot or simply curious about drones, there are no limits to where this technology can take you.

Discover how drone technology can inspire the next generation through STEM education. This session explores how remote pilots, educators, volunteers, and community leaders can use drones to spark curiosity, build problem-solving skills, and introduce young people to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Learn about outreach opportunities, successful community programs, and simple ways to make a lasting impact by sharing your passion for aviation and emerging technology.

Great drone footage is about much more than simply flying high and pressing record. This workshop will explore the techniques that help transform ordinary aerial video into smooth, professional-looking cinematic footage. Attendees will learn how to plan shots, choose effective camera angles, control speed and movement, and use coordinated flight patterns to create visually compelling sequences. The session will also cover camera settings, lighting, composition, frame rates, and ways to avoid common problems such as jerky motion or overexposed skies. Whether filming landscapes, events, real estate, or commercial projects, participants will leave with practical ideas they can use immediately.

A powerful aerial image depends on more than altitude—it requires thoughtful composition, timing, and a clear visual purpose. This workshop will explore how leading lines, patterns, symmetry, contrast, scale, and perspective can turn an ordinary drone photograph into a memorable image. Attendees will learn how to position the drone, choose the best angle, use natural light, and recognize shapes and textures that are often only visible from above. The session will also cover framing, subject placement, and simple techniques for creating stronger visual balance. Participants will leave with practical ideas for producing more dynamic, professional-looking aerial photographs.

Keep your drone safe, reliable, and flight ready by learning the maintenance practices every pilot should know. This workshop covers routine inspections, battery care, propeller and motor maintenance, cleaning, storage, firmware updates, and pre-flight and post-flight inspection routines. You'll learn how to recognize signs of wear, avoid common maintenance mistakes, and determine when a component should be repaired, replaced, or retired from service.
We'll also discuss your options when a repair is beyond a simple fix, including manufacturer service, independent repair providers, warranty considerations, and when replacing your drone may be the better choice.
Whether you're a new pilot or an experienced flyer, you'll leave with practical tips to extend the life of your equipment, reduce downtime, and fly with greater confidence.

Experience some of the creativity, storytelling, and technical skill celebrated at AZDroneFest, an international festival devoted to drone cinematography and photography. This special session will feature a screening of selected aerial films while offering practical information for pilots interested in submitting their own work. Attendees will learn about festival categories, entry requirements, film length, aerial-content guidelines, judging considerations, and the submission process. The presentation will also cover music and footage rights, preparing a polished entry, and common mistakes to avoid. Whether you are an experienced filmmaker or creating your first drone video, discover how to prepare your work for the big screen.

Turn your aerial captures into photorealistic, explorable 3D scenes. This workshop walks through the complete Gaussian splatting workflow - planning and flying the capture, processing and training the model, and sharing the finished result. You'll learn the flight patterns, camera settings, and lighting conditions that produce clean input data, and how splatting differs from traditional photogrammetry and orthomosaic mapping.
We'll also cover the software and hardware you'll actually need to get started, the common capture mistakes that ruin a scene before processing ever begins, and where this technology is being put to work today - real estate, inspection, marketing, historic preservation, and creative projects.
Whether you're new to 3D capture or already flying mapping missions, you'll leave knowing how to bring home data that makes a great splat.

Learn how waypoint missions can make your drone flights more precise, repeatable, and efficient. Designed for both new and experienced remote pilots, this workshop covers mission planning, route creation, altitude, speed, camera actions, gimbal control, and points of interest. Explore real world applications for photography, videography, mapping, inspections, and public safety while learning best practices for safe automated flight, preflight planning, FAA operational considerations, and techniques that deliver consistent, professional-quality results every time.

A successful drone operation begins long before takeoff and continues after the aircraft has landed. This workshop will guide attendees through a complete professional workflow, from mission planning and airspace research to equipment inspection, weather checks, safety briefings, and flight documentation. Participants will also learn effective post-flight procedures, including reviewing flight logs, inspecting equipment, organizing files, backing up footage, and preparing deliverables for clients. Whether flying recreationally, commercially, or for public safety, a consistent workflow improves safety, efficiency, and professionalism. Attendees will leave with practical steps and checklists they can apply to every mission.