{"id":66,"date":"2026-08-29T22:40:15","date_gmt":"2026-08-29T22:40:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/autoaerials.com\/?page_id=66"},"modified":"2026-08-31T04:16:51","modified_gmt":"2026-08-31T04:16:51","slug":"home","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/autoaerials.com\/","title":{"rendered":"Home"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Your man on the ground and eye in the sky.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Helping San Diego’s watershed and habitat restorers tell their story \u2014 and backing it up with data.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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START A PROJECT<\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Documenting restoration where it happens.<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Drone mapping and aerial video for habitat and watershed restoration across San Diego’s canyons and creeks \u2014 including ongoing work in the Chollas Creek watershed.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n

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Aerial Video & Storytelling<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Get-to-know-your-canyon fly-throughs, hero shots, and short films that build public awareness and rally support for your sites.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Aerial Data & Mapping<\/span><\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Detailed aerial imagery and precise measurements: orthomosaics, elevation and bare-earth models, and repeatable capture you can hand to your own analysts.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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The Living Record<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Scheduled revisits that document each site before, during, and after restoration \u2014 one continuous record of progress over time.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n

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Why work with me<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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What you get working with me instead of a one-off drone vendor.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Embedded in the effort<\/span><\/h4>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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I already work alongside the organizations restoring San Diego’s watersheds \u2014 not a one-off vendor.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Tailored to your mission<\/strong><\/h4>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Each project shaped to your organization’s goals; I cover the gaps standardized drone services leave behind.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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One flight, two deliverables<\/span><\/h4>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Map and video captured in the same trip, so every visit does double duty.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Field-ready anywhere<\/span><\/h4>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Comfortable in remote, rugged terrain, drawing on a Navy uncrewed-systems background.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Season-to-season continuity<\/span><\/h4>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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The same operator, same flight paths, documenting your sites over time, building one consistent record.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n

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Check out what clients say<\/span><\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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“Rod is really great to work with and has produced some incredible drone footage and site surveys to support our community enhancement work in the Chollas Creek Watershed. Highly recommend!!”<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Allie McCarthy<\/span><\/h6>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Deputy Director, Groundwork San Diego<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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“Great option for anyone looking for a licensed drone pilot for any drone-related work!”<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Nico Shirey,<\/span><\/h6>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Nico Shirey Photography<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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“Very professional, FAA certified, and worth the price!”<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Michael Knauer,<\/span><\/h6>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Uncrewed Systems Manager<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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“He did our drone videos and photos for our monthly Rides & Coffee event. Highly recommend \u2014 great quality, and we’ll definitely continue using his services.”<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Stephanie Valdez,<\/span><\/h6>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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General Manager, Detail Garage San Diego<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 See all our reviews on Google<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n

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On the ground & in the air at every step<\/span><\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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I’m Rod \u2014 a field-ready drone operator and problem-solver who turns restoration work into aerial documentation that funders and communities can actually see. Backed by a Navy uncrewed-systems background and grounded in San Diego’s watersheds, building a living record of the places you’re working to restore.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Email<\/h4>\n

rod@autoaerials.com<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Phone<\/a><\/h4>\n

206-678-5640<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Socials<\/span><\/h4>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Let’s make your restoration work visible.<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Tell me about your site and your mission \u2014 I’ll tailor the capture to fit.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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