Drones Making a Splash in Wilmington

August 12, 2015 – Wilmington, NC – The web design experts at webworks89 have opened the door for the new frontier of drone commercialization. This leader in digital solutions has become the first company in Wilmington to be granted an exemption from the FAA for licensed commercial drone use.

Over the past year, this all-encompassing digital solutions provider has taken their photography services to the next level by incorporating drone technologies into their platform. These Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) capture stunning images from a birds-eye-view. Ryan Summerfield manages the Virtual Tours production at webworks89, and was recently approved for his Certificate of Authorization (COA) from the Federal Aviation Agency (FAA). His passion for drone technology runs deep and can be traced back to his childhood. Summerfield has applied this passion to his career for the past four years as he has built and piloted UAVs. He is a pioneer in an industry that is relatively untapped; he had this to say on his recent accomplishment, “It shows my willingness to become an asset to the FAA, the NAS, and the overall general safety of the public. The idea is to provide a safer option so customers aren’t forced to use amateur photographers for aerial stills. I’m proud to say that we now offer a professional, licensed and FAA approved service.”

One of the drones that Summerfield and webworks89 currently use is the Phantom 3 Quadcopter that has a 4K camera attached and can be used for aerial photography, videography and commercial production. Summerfield has integrated drone use in a unique way. “Each of the Virtual Tours I shoot is done with UAVs. As a skilled operator, I regularly fly these lightweight drones inside of houses. By flying at a steady height and controlled pace, my tours have a cinematic visual that glide viewers through a property,” said Summerfield. These abilities have made him an extremely valuable asset to webworks89 as they have answered the call for many real estate companies in the Wilmington, NC area.

These past few years the drone industry has grown exponentially and webworks89 looks to apply their services to industries across the board. These drones can have a great impact on Terrain Mapping, monitoring erosion along the eastern seaboard. It could also survey crops for farmers and provide unique angles for cinematographers in the renowned Wilmington film industry. When asked about this growth in expansion, Summerfield said, “Because the UAV field is expanding, there’s been a rise in unexperienced, free-lancers that jeopardize the safety of the public.” Summerfield and webworks89 have always stressed safe, professional UAV use and have now officially applied these ethics by obtaining this FAA Certification license for drone operation.

By becoming the first in flight for commercially licensed drone operation in Wilmington, webworks89 aims to take local businesses to new heights. With innovators like Ryan Summerfield, they are the leading provider for all aerial perspectives.

Photo Credit: Ryan Summerfield