A Hernando County man has gone high-tech with his commercial drones.
Jay Rowden flew helicopters for the Army during the Korea and Vietnam wars. Now, when he gets behind the controls of an aircraft, it’s to fly his unmanned aerial vehicle.
"I started flying when I was 13 years old," he said. "I couldn't even reach the rudder pedals on the airplane. They had to put a pillow behind me."
Drones are becoming more and more popular these days, especially since they can shoot video from high above the ground.
And now, flying drones is no longer just a hobby for Rowden. It’s actually his job. Rowden has been certified by the Federal Aviation Administration as a commercial drone pilot. He says he’s the only one in Hernando County.
His wife, County Commissioner Diane Rowden, thinks his position is pretty cool.
"There are probably about 2,000 (people) nationwide that have their 333 Exemption, and in Florida, it is less than 100," she said.
Rowden is already putting his skills to work by documenting road work, utility projects and more.
"You get a whole different perspective than you do from the ground," he said.
Rowden is one of the first drone pilots in the county to receive his commercial license from the FAA. David and Denise Hilton were the first commercial drone pilots in the county, receiving their exemptions in July.
The Rowdens have set up a website to promote Hernando County and they posted some of their drone videos.