Drone UAS Training · 1 Day · Live In-Person
Drone & Investigations
LIVE Training — 1 Day
Drone UAS Operations Combined with Private Investigations Field Training · Alden Wheeler Detective Agency · Anderson, SC
Course Information
Course
Drone & Investigations — 1 Day LIVE
Duration
1 Day — In-Person Field Training
Format
Live Classroom + Field Exercises
Instructor
Alden Wheeler · FAA Part 107 · SLED #3112
Target Audience
PIs, LEO, Corporate Investigators, Drone Operators
Prerequisite
None required · FAA Part 107 beneficial
Catalog #
#1003 / #1012
Price
$300.00
What You Learn
Drone Operations Applied to Real PI Work
Hands-on, live instruction combining FAA drone operations with practical private investigation techniques. You fly, you investigate, you document — all in one day.
Live flight exercises with real surveillance scenarios
Aerial evidence capture and chain of custody
SC drone law, FAA regulations & PI legal boundaries
Drone surveillance documentation for court
Certificate of completion issued
Course Overview
One Day. Drones + Investigations. Live.
This intensive one-day live training course bridges the gap between drone operations and private investigations. Students learn to deploy UAS as an investigative tool — from pre-flight planning and legal compliance through aerial surveillance, evidence capture, and court-ready documentation. Delivered by Alden Wheeler, a SLED-licensed PI and FAA Part 107 certified drone pilot and instructor.
Ideal for working private investigators looking to add aerial capability, drone operators entering the PI space, law enforcement, corporate investigators, and insurance professionals.
This Course Includes:
Live Drone Flight Exercises — Real flight time on surveillance scenarios with instructor oversight and feedback
Aerial Surveillance Techniques — Fixed and mobile aerial observation, covert approach, and target identification
LAANC & Airspace Authorization — Real-time airspace approval walkthrough using FAA-approved UAS Service Suppliers
PI Legal Framework — What PIs can and cannot do with a drone under SC law and FAA regulations
Evidence Documentation — Timestamping, metadata authentication, chain of custody, and court admissibility
Certificate of Completion — Issued upon course completion for professional documentation purposes
Training Schedule
Training Day Schedule
MORNING — Classroom
| Time | Session |
|---|---|
| 0800–0830 | Welcome, Safety Briefing & Course Overview |
| 0830–0945 | Block 1: Drone Law, FAA Regulations & PI Legal Boundaries |
| 0945–1045 | Block 2: Drone Surveillance Techniques & Aerial Evidence Standards |
| 1045–1100 | Break |
| 1100–1145 | Block 3: LAANC Airspace Authorization & Pre-Flight Planning |
AFTERNOON — Field Exercises
| Time | Session |
|---|---|
| 1145–1230 | Lunch Break |
| 1230–1400 | Block 4: LIVE Flight — Surveillance Scenario Exercise |
| 1400–1500 | Block 5: Evidence Review — Documentation & Chain of Custody Exercise |
| 1500–1530 | Block 6: Report Writing — Drone Evidence for Court |
| 1530–1600 | Debrief, Q&A & Certificate of Completion Distribution |
Detailed Curriculum
6 Training Blocks
Block 1 — Drone Law, FAA Regulations & PI Legal Boundaries: 75 min
FAA Part 107 overview for PI operations · SC Code § 55-1-30 — SC drone law · Expectation of privacy from the air — altitude and legal standards · Where you CAN and CANNOT fly for PI surveillance · Video Voyeurism statute (SC § 16-17-470) and drone applications · Admissibility of drone-captured evidence in SC courts · What a PI can legally document from UAS vs. ground surveillance
Block 2 — Drone Surveillance Techniques & Aerial Evidence Standards: 60 min
Fixed vs. mobile aerial observation · Covert drone approach techniques · Subject identification from altitude · Camera settings for surveillance: resolution, zoom, stabilization · Video documentation sequence: establishing shot, medium, close-up · Timestamp verification and metadata authentication · Never alter, crop, or filter evidentiary drone footage · File naming and evidence logging protocol
Block 3 — LAANC Airspace Authorization & Pre-Flight Planning: 45 min
LAANC — Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability · Real-time airspace authorization using FAA-approved UAS Service Suppliers (Aloft, AirMap) · NOTAM review and interpretation · Pre-flight checklist: weather, battery, equipment, airspace · Mission planning for PI operations — target area assessment · Risk mitigation: bystander safety, abort criteria, lost-link procedures · Live walkthrough: obtaining LAANC authorization on a mobile device
Block 4 — LIVE Flight: Surveillance Scenario Exercise: 90 min
Live outdoor field exercise with instructor oversight · Students fly a realistic surveillance scenario: locate subject, observe activity, document on video · Practice maintaining legal altitude and position · Subject identification and activity documentation from UAS · Battery management and in-flight decision making · Handling unexpected situations: lost visual, wind, aircraft proximity · Instructor debrief after each student flight — strengths, corrections, legal issues
Block 5 — Evidence Review: Documentation & Chain of Custody: 60 min
Review actual footage captured during the live flight exercise · Authenticating drone video: metadata, GPS coordinates, timestamps · Logging evidence from capture to submission · Secure storage — encrypted drives and access controls · Transferring evidence to client or attorney — documentation required · Handling subpoenas for drone footage · Chain of custody log completion — hands-on exercise with actual flight footage
Block 6 — Report Writing: Drone Evidence for Court: 30 min
Writing the aerial surveillance activity log — time-stamped, first person, chronological · Referencing drone exhibits: video file names, GPS coordinates, altitude · Findings summary for drone surveillance · Foundation testimony for drone footage — how to testify about UAS evidence · Hands-On: Each student drafts a short aerial surveillance report from their live flight footage