Meet Michael Haggerty | Commercial Drone Pilot

We had the good fortune of connecting with Michael Haggerty and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Michael, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I have been self employed for most of my career. I have had to reinvent myself several times due to market changes and shifts that made it difficult to continue in a field. You have to be a bit of a polymath to survive on your own with swift changes in trends and markets in the modern marketplace. I am doing something now I could not do 20 years ago because the technology simply did not exist. Currently, I am pursuing a more creative field in drone photography but you have to be creative to be self employed no matter what you choose to do.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
This is my first foray into photography and drone video. I was technician in the Air Force and I have always had an interest in both technical work and anything that flies. I am still trying to make a name for myself so I can confirm it is difficult. I find it enjoyable to capture images that I like. When I am flying the drone there is a little on the line and anything can happen like birds attacking you, so its always a bit of a thrill. Any time you take a risk its thrilling. I am taking a risk every time I fly. Losing the drone or even bumping the camera and gimbal can be a costly mistake.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I am a little sad that a lot of what I have loved for years is going away. I heard the area known as little five points will soon be high rises. I would probably take them there for food and shopping while we still have it. I am all for keeping the weird parts of Atlanta weird.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I have had the pleasure of working with some great mentors in my businesses. One that comes to mind is David Klein. David has been an inspiration to me for years. He is a real life Willy Wonka. He is the mind behind Jelly Belly which he calls the moment he came up with that idea as “the best fifteen minutes in my life.” He did something nobody had ever thought of. He took gummy tasteless easter jelly beans which was all there was at the time and changed them into tasty treats. He sold his business to the company who manufactured the beans for him. It has been great to talk to him hear his ideas and try and understand how his mind works. Recently, he launched a nationwide treasure hunt. He called me and pitched the idea and all I could think of was “oh, dear this ain’t gonna go well.” He committed to giving away a large amount of money and property he owned. It seemed like a terrible idea to me. Well, turns out it wasn’t a bad idea at all and it was a tremendous success! What do I know? It was great to have such a witty and inspiring mentor.

Website: smalluasatlarge.com

Image Credits
Portrait : Sevrin Haggerty Drone Photos: Michael Haggerty