The Drone Network The different kinds of work for drone pilots | Benji Nevatt of Bluegrass Dronography
Feb 2, 2026
18:37
Benji Nevatt has been flying drones professionally since 2017, starting as a police department drone operator and now running Bluegrass Dronography in Western Kentucky. This episode explores the diverse work available to commercial drone pilots and how the industry has evolved over the past decade.
- (00:00) - The different kinds of work for drone pilots | Benji Nevatt of Bluegrass Dronography
- (00:21) - Introduction to Benji of Bluegrass Dronography
- (03:35) - Why Benji is interested in drone work
- (05:18) - Benji's first missions on the Spexi app
- (07:23) - How Spexi differs from typical drone work for clients
- (08:39) - Why Spexi flies small drones so high in the sky
- (10:20) - What Benji thinks about getting paid in tokens instead of cash
- (12:51) - How has US drone policy and regulation affected Benji's business in 2025?
- (14:56) - Drone or don't: which is the lie?
- (16:28) - An unsolicited history of drones
Discussed:
- Police department drone operations (SWAT support, thermal imaging, surveillance)
- Evolution from DJI Inspire 2 to consumer-grade mapping drones
- Commercial drone services: real estate, roof inspections, small business marketing
- First experiences with autonomous drone mapping using the Spexi app on the LayerDrone network
- Recent US drone regulations: DJI ban, BVLOS approvals, Part 108 licensing, and the impact of policy changes on small drone businesses
- Drone or Don't—a trivia game featuring whale snot collection, speed records, and the surprising history of unmanned aircraft from 1849.
Connect with Benji at BluegrassDronography.com
Instagram, Facebook, TikTok: @BluegrassDronography
Hosted by Bryce Bladon (brycebladon.com). Edited by AJ Fillari (ajfillari.online)
Sponsored by Spexi.com and LayerDrone.org