Our Team

As A Company

In the beginning days, photography/videography and drone operations started as a hobby. We would spend our time with our “main” gigs and then keep our hobby for off-time activity. This is the same way many people in the industry started out. 

The Founder of Aerial Drone Capture; Nik Farooqui owns other successful businesses including a construction management/consulting firm. In the mid 2010’s he was purchasing property for development and building custom homes. He began to use his drone and camera gear to help expedite the building process or to bring added value to his clients. This was the seed of using drones for real estate and construction. 

In the mid 2010’s, Nik partnered with a team of drone pilots and put them to work with local contracts with realtors, fire fighters, and land developers. Since then, he has led the team into multiple projects and contracts while changing the dynamics of how drones are utilized in the industry. 

His passion for flight didn’t start or stop there. As a life-long lover of aviation Nik also began his training in fixed wing aircrafts with some of that time also in rotary (helicopters). Through his connections in aviation Nik has been able to make partnerships with other pilots who assist us in fully manned aircraft operations while we handle the photography and videography component. 

THE NEXT PHASE

This is where Chis and Jesse get involved. Chris Cooper has been a “drone nerd” his entire life. As a kid he was building drones from scratch and entering drone racing competitions across the US. In his college days Chris was working part time at a local camera store where he fell in love with photography. He then started his small business as an event photographer and wedding photographer.  When Chris and Nik met at an event, they started talking drones and how both of them have used drones. 

Jesse was roommates with Chris during college and was studying interior design and architecture while also interning for an architect for custom homes. If the design was built, Jesse would allow Chris to practice photography in the home as long as the architect firm received copies of the work. Upon graduation Jesse became a draftsperson and then a freelance architect working on commercial and residential designs. Jesse became involved with the aerial operation when 3D Mapping and Modeling became available. 

AS A TEAM

Between these (3) gentlemen, the birth of Aerial Drone Capture was inevitable. Each of them bring a valuable component and passion to the table to match their professionalism. Since then, we have trained and hired multiple pilots and photographers to join the team. A few of these team members have since moved on to start their own business but still consider themselves as a part of our family.  They often assist us on projects, attend our training sessions, and certainly welcome the relationship we have built. 

WHY THIS MATTERS TO YOU

There are many great photographers/videographers and drone operators in the area for you to choose from. Many of them are hobbyists while others are professional operators for a living. Selecting the right team is partly about skill and cost, partly about scheduling, and often the overlooked item is “specialty.” Many drone operators are looking to book their schedule so they may do a construction site today and wedding tomorrow then try a roof inspection the day after. That is not what we do. Our background as a team is in construction, real estate, and land development.  Sure, we have flown other missions at times too but our focus is our industry. That is because we understand architecture, design, construction processes, materials, and items specific to the missions we choose to fly.  We do not say “Yes” to every opportunity. We follow the opportunities that we know we can truly serve with beyond high quality. 

So the question is truly for you… “Do you want anyone with a drone and camera, or do you want someone who KNOWS your work and how to make it stand out?”  That is why our clients pick us!