Eagle Eye Drone Services

Words in [brackets] are blanks you fill in with your own details when you adopt this sample in Supreme Plan AI.

Executive Summary

Eagle Eye Drone Services is a new veteran-owned business that uses drones to inspect roofs, farms and construction sites and to make maps and thermal surveys. Inspecting a roof or a field by drone is faster, safer and often cheaper than climbing or walking it. We will start with a small, well-equipped operation and serve roofers, insurance adjusters, farms and builders.

With this grant we will buy two commercial inspection drones, a thermal camera and mapping sensor, and a rugged laptop, complete our pilot certification and training, and launch with a simple website and sample reports.

We expect sales of $56,800 in Year 1, growing to $256,000 by Year 5. We expect losses of about $17,500 in Year 1 and $17,700 in Year 2, then a profit from Year 3 (about $3,600), growing to about $39,500 by Year 5. The business starts with 1 job (the owner) and grows to 4 people by Year 5.

We are asking the Heritage Valor Fund for $30,000 for inspection drones, a thermal and mapping sensor, pilot certification and a launch website. We are also putting in our own savings and a small business loan, so the grant is only part of the money in the project.

I am Derek Hollis, the owner and chief pilot. The numbers in this proposal are estimates based on the assumptions listed at the end, not promises.

Company Description

Eagle Eye Drone Services is a new Colorado limited liability company (LLC). Eagle Eye Drone Services is 100% owned and run by Derek Hollis, a veteran. We meet the Heritage Valor Fund's rule that a veteran-owned business is at least 51% owned and controlled by one or more veterans, and we will provide discharge papers (a DD-214) and our ownership documents. We have fewer than five employees and operate inside the fund's service area.

Our mission. To give property owners, farmers and builders safe, accurate aerial inspections they can trust, while employing people with the discipline and skills veterans bring.

Where we are today. Derek is preparing to start the business and complete the pilot certification he needs to fly drones commercially. Before buying equipment, he will visit at least 15 roofers, insurance adjusters, farms and contractors to ask how they inspect today and whether they would hire a drone service, and he will ask for at least 3 letters of interest. If we cannot get them, we will adjust the plan before spending money.

What we do:
- Roof and property inspections with photos and a clear written report.
- Farm and field surveys, including mapping and crop health images.
- Construction site progress photos and maps.
- Thermal surveys that show heat loss or moisture, for buildings and equipment.

How we are run. Derek is the chief pilot and manages customers and reports. A pilot and data analyst joins in Year 2 and an office and scheduling person in Year 3. We carry aviation liability insurance, follow the federal rules for commercial drone flights and keep flight logs for every job.

Problem & Opportunity

Why this project is needed.

Drone inspections save time and keep people off roofs and ladders, but the equipment is costly. A commercial inspection drone with spare batteries, a thermal camera and mapping tools together cost far more than most new business owners can pay at once. Just as important, a new owner needs the right pilot certification and insurance before the first paid flight.

The gaps we see:
1. Equipment cost. Inspection drones, thermal cameras and mapping sensors are costly and must be reliable.
2. Certification and insurance. Commercial flights require a remote pilot certificate and proper insurance before the first job.
3. Slow, risky traditional inspections. Climbing a roof or walking a large field takes time and can be unsafe.
4. No track record. A new business has no sales history to show a lender.

What we will check before we start. Derek will ask roofers, adjusters and farms how they inspect today, how much time it takes and what they pay, and will use their answers to set our prices and services.

Who benefits first. Roofers, insurance adjusters, property managers, farmers and builders who need accurate inspections and maps quickly and safely.

Products & Services

What the grant will pay for and what we will do.

1. Complete certification and insurance. Finish the remote pilot certification and training and buy aviation liability insurance.
2. Buy inspection equipment. Two commercial inspection drones with spare batteries, a thermal camera, a mapping sensor and a rugged laptop and tablet.
3. Launch the business. A simple website, a logo and two sample reports customers can read.
4. Win the first customers. Offer pilot inspections to roofers, adjusters and farms and ask for referrals.
5. Add a second pilot and analyst. Hire a pilot and data analyst in Year 2 to handle more jobs and larger surveys.

How we will measure results. We will count inspections and surveys completed, average days from flight to report, customer repeat rate and incident-free flights. We will ask each customer for feedback after every job.

Market Analysis

Who benefits and how.

- Jobs. The business starts with 1 job and grows to 4 people by Year 4, with about $42,000 in wages in Year 1.
- Veteran employment. We plan to hire veterans and train them as pilots and analysts where we can.
- Safer, faster work. Fewer people on roofs and ladders, and faster claims, inspections and surveys for local customers.

How many we will reach. In Year 1 we expect about 120 property inspections and 16 larger surveys, growing to about 420 inspections and 80 surveys by Year 5.

Competitive Landscape

Other choices people have, and how we fit.

- Traditional inspectors who climb roofs. They are experienced, but it is slower and riskier.
- Other drone companies. They compete for the same roofers and adjusters, so report quality and speed matter most.
- Doing it with a customer's own drone. Some companies try it, but many lack the certification, insurance and time.

What makes us different: Certified, insured pilots, clear reports within a day or two, and thermal and mapping tools most small inspectors do not have.

Marketing & Sales Strategy

How we will reach roofers, adjusters, farms and builders.

- Visit roofers, insurance adjusters and property managers with sample reports.
- Offer farms and builders a first survey at a discount.
- Join the local chamber of commerce, a veteran business network and contractor groups.
- A simple website and a free Google business listing with before-and-after images.

Marketing budget. About $3,000 a year in Year 1, growing about 8% a year.

Operations Plan

How the project will be carried out.

Timeline:
- Months 1 to 2: Register the LLC, finish pilot certification, buy insurance and talk to potential customers
- Months 3 to 4: Buy the drones, sensors and laptop; practice flights and build sample reports
- Month 5: Launch the website and begin first paid inspections
- Months 6 to 9: Add customers, collect referrals and refine the reports
- Months 10 to 12: Review results with our mentor and plan the Year 2 hire

Space and suppliers. We work from a home office and a small storage area for equipment, and travel to job sites in a vehicle we already own. A drone dealer supplies and services the equipment, and a software company supplies the mapping and report tools.

Equipment. About $26,500 in all: Two commercial inspection drones with spare batteries ($14,000); Thermal camera and mapping sensor ($9,500); Rugged laptop, tablet and charging gear ($3,000). After that we set aside about $2,500 to $3,000 a year to repair and replace equipment as we grow.

Permits and safety. A remote pilot certificate and compliance with federal drone rules, which we will confirm with the current regulations before every flight. A state business license and aviation liability insurance. We will also follow local rules for flying near buildings and people.

Records and reporting. We will keep a flight log, equipment maintenance records and a copy of each report. Grant money is tracked separately, and we will send the funder a short report with receipts at the end of the grant year.

Management & Organization

Who leads the business.

Derek Hollis, Owner and Chief Pilot. Derek flies and manages customers and the money. Planned salary: $42,000 a year.

Our team. A pilot and data analyst ($40,000 a year) in Year 2, a second in Year 4, and a part-time office and scheduling person ($20,000 a year) in Year 3.

Advisors and help. A free mentor from SCORE or the Small Business Development Center (SBDC), a veteran business network, a drone safety instructor and an accountant.

Money management. A bookkeeper will review our records every quarter, and we will track grant money separately.

Milestones Narrative

Our goals and how we will measure them.
- Year 1: Finish certification, launch and win our first customers, about 120 property inspections and 16 larger surveys, $56,800 in sales and a loss of about $17,500; 1 person employed.
- Year 2: Add a pilot and analyst and more repeat customers, about 200 property inspections and 32 larger surveys, $104,080 in sales and a loss of about $17,700; 2 people employed.
- Year 3: Add an office person and reach our first profit, about 280 property inspections and 48 larger surveys, $154,240 in sales and a profit of about $3,600; 3 people employed.
- Year 4: Add a second pilot and analyst, about 350 property inspections and 64 larger surveys, $203,780 in sales and a profit of about $5,000; 4 people employed.
- Year 5: Serve more roofers, farms and builders, about 420 property inspections and 80 larger surveys, $256,000 in sales and a profit of about $39,500; 4 people employed.

How we will check our results. Inspections, surveys, report turnaround, repeat customers and safe flights are recorded every month. Each quarter we compare them with our goals and review them with our mentor.

Funding Request

What we are asking for, and how the money will be used. Our request: $30,000 from the Heritage Valor Fund for inspection drones, a thermal and mapping sensor, pilot certification and a launch website, for January through December 2027.

The request is spread across these budget lines:
- Equipment: Two commercial inspection drones with spare batteries, $14,000.
- Equipment: Thermal camera and mapping sensor, $9,500.
- Equipment: Rugged laptop, tablet and charging gear, $3,000.
- Other: Remote pilot certification and training, $900.
- Other: Logo, website and sample reports, $2,200.
- Other: First insurance payments, $400 (we add $1,500 of our own).

Other money in the project. We put in $1,500 toward the first insurance payments, and our own savings pay for legal and business registration ($1,500). A $38,000 small business loan and $10,000 of our own savings keep us going through the first two years, while we build a base of customers.

What the numbers show. Sales of $56,800 in Year 1 growing to $256,000 by Year 5, with losses of about $17,500 in Year 1 and $17,700 in Year 2, then a profit from Year 3 (about $3,600), growing to about $39,500 by Year 5. With this funding and our own money, the business has money in the bank at the end of every year, and the lowest year-end balance is about $7,900.

The loan. We plan a $38,000 small business loan at 10.5% over 7 years, with payments of about $641 a month (about $7,688 a year). These payments are already included in our cash flow. We chose 10.5% as a cautious planning rate. Ask the lender for the real rate, which may be lower or higher.

After the grant. The equipment is bought once. From Year 1 on, customer income pays for insurance, travel, software and wages. We expect losses in the first two years while we build a customer base, then a profit.

Risks and how we will handle them:
- Slow first customers. We will ask for letters of interest before we buy equipment, and offer a first survey at a discount.
- Equipment damage or loss. We will insure the equipment, buy spare batteries and propellers and follow a written pre-flight checklist.
- Rules that change. We will check current federal and local drone rules before every job and keep our certification current.

If we are just starting. A new drone business can begin with one drone and one customer type, such as roof inspections, and add equipment as income grows. Letters of interest and sample reports make a grant request stronger.

Appendix Notes

Documents to attach with this proposal:

- Your LLC registration and ownership papers.
- Your discharge papers (DD-214) showing veteran status.
- Your pilot certificate, or proof you have scheduled the exam.
- Quotes for the drones, sensors and laptop.
- Letters of interest from roofers, adjusters or farms.
- Insurance quotes and sample reports.
If you don't have any of this yet, no worries - let's continue.

The assumptions behind our numbers (change them in the Financials section to match your own):
- Roof and Property Inspections: about $320.00 per unit in Year 1, rising to $360.00; direct cost about $45.00 per unit, rising to $50.00; about 120 property inspections in Year 1, growing to 420.
- Farm, Construction and Thermal Surveys: about $1,150.00 per unit in Year 1, rising to $1,310.00; direct cost about $160.00 per unit, rising to $180.00; about 16 larger surveys in Year 1, growing to 80.
- Pay (a full year, per person): Owner / Chief Pilot $42,000, Pilot and Data Analyst $40,000, Office and Scheduling (part-time) $20,000.
- Other yearly costs in Year 1: Insurance $3,600, Vehicle and Travel $5,400, Software and Data Storage $3,000, Marketing and Association Dues $3,000. These grow between 5% and 8% a year.
- Customers pay about 29 days after we bill them. Income tax at 21%.
- Every dollar amount is an estimate. Replace them with your own quotes and real budget.

Startup Costs