At Commercial UAV News, we typically report out happenings in industries that structurally make up our world such as construction, infrastructure and transportation, and agriculture. While drone operations have made significant impacts on pushing these critical industries to be safer and more efficient, we also like to recognize drone operations that are helping humanitarian efforts.

As we look at independent drone operators and their path to success, we tend to see most pilots start with photography as a jumping off point. But lately, we are seeing a new trend emerging amongst new pilots around animal search and rescue.

The story of how Brandon Akers, Owner of Skyz the Limit LLC, got into drone operations combines both photography and animal services. By day, Akers works full time in a hospital. Skyz the Limit is a nights-and-weekends operation built on passion rather than necessity, which perhaps explains the sincerity behind it.

Akers originally purchased his first drone to capture his proposal to his wife. Afterwards, he asked himself,:What else can I do with this? That is when he discovered the market for deer recovery via thermal drone. Deer recovery is the process of locating and retrieving a fatally shot deer after a hunt, and is a critical part of hunting ethics designed to prevent meat waste and ensure whether the deer has expired, will expire, or live to see another day. This was his bread and butter when he first got his company off the ground in 2023, but since hunting is such a seasonal sport, he decided to further explore how he could use his drone year-round.

“I started exploring other uses for the drone, and that's when I discovered a community of people using thermal drones for pet rescue. I joined some of those Facebook groups, started learning from others and asking questions and before I knew it, I was doing it myself. What started as curiosity turned into a year-round passion," said Akers.

Dogs, cats, and deer are not the only animals Skyz the Limit tends to. The company also provides livestock services to help locate any barnyard animal that has decided to make a break for it.

Akers tends to do most of his work in rural areas, serving the tri state area of Ohio, Kentucky, and West Virgina, which can present a few challenges outside of the remoteness of the area. Due to its remote nature, it can be especially difficult to tell the public that they will be flying there, mainly because not many people live in these areas to tell in the first place. But there are still a few uneasy witnesses.

Growing a business built on trust is no small task, and Akers has taken a hands-on approach to getting his name out in the community.

To grow its client base, Skyz the Limit is bringing its brand directly to the community by appearing at craft fairs, public events, and career and STEM days at local schools with eye-catching booths, business cards, flyers, and yard signs. The company has also been deepening its ties with nonprofit animal rescue organizations focused on trapping and rehoming animals, who in turn refer clients his way when a thermal search is needed.

One persistent obstacle to building that trust, however, is the prevalence of online scammers. Whenever a missing pet post appears on Facebook, comment sections are quickly flooded with fraudulent offers for help. To combat this, Akers has helped develop a verified directory of thermal drone pilots in Kentucky, a resource designed to connect pet owners with legitimate, vetted operators.

"Any time you see a missing pet post on Facebook, there are so many scammers that comment on there," Akers explained. "That's part of why we created a Kentucky map for thermal drone pilots that highlights true businesses that actually do this work. I talk to all of them, get pictures from them, and verify their Part 107 certification to make sure they have the right equipment."

The directory reflects something larger about the animal rescue drone community: a commitment to doing the work right, not just doing it. For Akers, what began as a drone purchased for a single romantic moment has grown into a multifaceted operation dedicated to reuniting families with their animals, all while holding the industry to a higher standard in the process.