Dustin Gaessner is a Part 107 Certified Drone Pilot and founder of DroneTribe.
His flagship Remote Pilot Ground School training has produced thousands of Part 107 Certified Remote Pilots, while his Drone Business Accelerator has helped hundreds of people start their own drone businesses.
Dustin Gaessner's Drone Story
Hi, I'm Dustin Gaessner and I'd like to share my story with you.
I grew up in Hawaii to a normal, working-class family and I didn't know anything else. I was taught to keep my head down, live frugally, and pursue the traditional path of going to college and getting a stable white-collar job.
I decided to study Mechanical Engineering in college, and developed an analytical and logic based skillset. I excelled in solving difficult and unknown problems, however in my last year of my studies I began looking at my future and the road ahead of me. Working for the next 40-50 years at the same job and then retiring did not seem like I had any say in what my life was going to be.
It's around this time when I was 23 that I founded my first company, a digital marketing agency, helping local companies expand their online presence and drive customers thru their websites.
For the first time, I was in control and quickly grew this business - hiring videographers, animators, web programmers, and designers. I was successful for a time, however I soon realized I didn't have any passion for the industries my clients were in.
This lead me to finding a role as an engineer in the solar industry in 2014, helping design solar systems for residents who wanted to go green and save on their electricity costs. During this time, I began hiking and exploring Hawaii from every angle, all while filming and editing videos of my adventures.
My First Drone
In February 2016 I finally pulled the trigger and purchased my first drone, the DJI Phantom 3 Advanced. I quickly began flying my drone every day