Title: Owner & President
Company: Down to Earth Aerial Imaging
Location: Deerfield Beach, Florida, United States
David R. Friend, Owner and President of Down to Earth Aerial Imaging, has been recognized by Marquis Who’s Who Top Business Owners for dedication, achievements, and leadership as a pilot and entrepreneur.
An expert in both manned and unmanned aviation, Mr. Friend has found success since 2015 as the owner and president of Down to Earth Aerial Imaging, where he is the only pilot who flies the company drones to capture images. He also handles the paperwork, finances, and administrative aspects of the business. A lifelong professional pilot, he spent 30 years flying aircraft, working for the Kohler Company.
Mr. Friend prepared for his accomplished career in aviation through his higher education. He attended Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, graduating in 2006 with an associate degree and earning a bachelor’s degree in 2015. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University is the world’s largest and most respected university specializing in aviation and aerospace studies.
Alongside his primary professional endeavors, Mr. Friend is a master mason with the Masonic Lodge. He spent years as a flight instructor and additionally enjoys woodworking. After flying planes for his entire professional life, he decided to venture into unmanned aircraft, now focusing on using drones to capture footage for Down to Earth Aerial Imaging. Mr. Friend attributes his success to his father, whom he credits with shaping his entire career.
Throughout his accomplished career in aviation, Mr. Friend is proudest of having five type ratings in his career as a pilot, a rare distinction. Even more notable, each of his type ratings was for an airplane made by a different manufacturer. In the unmanned aircraft industry, his skillset in manned aerial systems is rare. Mr. Friend lives by the motto: “improvise, adapt, and overcome.”
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