The sky’s the limit for the Steward brothers Chris and Tim and their father, Jim, who have just launched their Dirty Birds Aerial Imagery commercial drone photography company in Schaumburg.
Chris Steward, a video editor for 20 years, heads award-winning production / post company Invision Media Group. Tim Steward is a long-time still photographer specializing in landscapes. Jim Steward has been building and flying aircraft for more than 40 years, so Chris and Tim had been surrounded by aerial vehicles all their lives.
“We are the people who understand both visual media and aviation that enables us to deliver high quality imagery,” Chris Steward says. “We see many creative applications for flight footage, for film, broadcast, corporate, real estate and construction.” The Stewards spent last year in preparation for their handling of drone photography assignments.
Part of that preparation was becoming one of a handful of local drone companies that have been certified by the Federal Aviation Administrationto use drones for commercial purposes. Having the certification, they feel, sets them apart from other drone companies.
And also unlike most drone companies that are single operations, the Stewards have separated drone flight and capture into three operational functions.
Tim Steward, the pilot, possesses the FAA-required license to operate small unmanned aerial systems. Chris is the actual camera operator and Jim is the visual observer, who keeps his eye on the sky and monitors aerial traffic for drone safety and communicates with airport towers, a natural fit for the former pilot.
“When the three of us are working, we’re in sync and know what the other is doing, which makes it a more professional job all around.”
Dirty Birds Aerial currently owns two drones. One is a four-propeller DJI Inspire-1, “with a 4K, micro 4/3 SLR camera that provides high-end professional results, on a par with broadcast and film images, taking you to places you could never get to before, such as 400 feet -– the maximum height a drone is allowed by law,” notes Steward. Maximum speed is 100 miles per hour.
The second drone is little brother DJI Phantom-3, with an action camera equivalent to the GoPro and used in smaller and tighter areas.
Booking rates are determined by the scope of work required and tailored to each job, “comparable to a standard video shot with a regular crew around town.”
The Stewards are optimistic about the future of their new venture. “This is the beginning of a big drone industry. We’re positioned at the right time and place to be on the cutting edge and become a leader in the field,” Steward says.
Dirty Birds Aerial Imaging is located at 1051 Perimeter Dr., Schaumburg; Chris Steward may be reached at 847/737-9410.
