Alston Antony, founder of My Dear Drone and certified drone pilot

Alston Antony — My Dear Drone Founder

I'm a drone enthusiast, SEO strategist, and certified pilot with 15+ years of digital marketing experience. This site exists because I got frustrated with drone reviews that skip the real limitations.

My Drone Journey

I've tested over 50 drones across every category: mini drones, racing drones, camera drones, commercial platforms, and everything in between. I didn't start here—I came to drones through a different path.

My professional background is in SEO and digital marketing. I've built 100+ websites, taught 30,000+ students through online courses, and run a 15,000+ member community called SaaS Pirate where we discuss marketing, tech, and business strategies. But drones became a genuine passion project.

Why I Started My Dear Drone

Every drone review site I found had the same problem: they glossed over real limitations. A drone might have an amazing camera, but if the wind knocks it around or the battery drains in 12 minutes, that matters. If it's hard to control for beginners, that's worth saying.

My Dear Drone exists to give honest assessments. We cover what drones do well AND where they fall short. We test hands-on, we fly in real conditions, and we link to everything we recommend with full disclosure about affiliate relationships.

What I Bring to Reviews

Hands-On Testing: I fly these drones myself. Specs matter, but real-world performance in wind, with different lighting, and across different skill levels tells the real story.

SEO Expertise: I've spent 15+ years optimizing content and understanding what information actually helps people make decisions. That rigor applies here—every guide and review is structured to answer the questions drones shoppers actually have.

Community Focus: I build in public. My YouTube channel documents drone testing, my SaaS Pirate community asks hard questions, and this site exists because I want to share what I'm learning with others interested in drones.

My Certifications & Credentials

  • Certified Drone Pilot: FAA Part 107 certification for commercial drone operations
  • Drone Hobbyist: 50+ drones tested and owned across all price ranges and categories
  • SEO Strategist: 15+ years of search engine optimization experience, 100+ sites managed
  • Digital Marketing Expert: Founder of SaaS Pirate community (15,000+ members), Udemy instructor (30,000+ students)
  • YouTube Content Creator: 426+ videos, 400,000+ views on my main YouTube channel

Drones I Own & Have Tested

My personal collection includes DJI Mavic series, Mini series, Air series, FPV drones, Snaptain beginner models, Potensic options, racing FPV platforms, and more. I rotate through test units from manufacturers and purchase others myself to ensure honest, independent reviews without manufacturer bias.

If you see a review here, it's based on actual flight time with that specific model. Not specs from a datasheet—real hands-on experience.

My Review Methodology

Every drone review on My Dear Drone follows the same process:

  1. Unboxing & Setup: First-time user experience matters. How hard is it to get started?
  2. Control & Handling: How does it feel in the air? Beginner-friendly or requires skill?
  3. Camera Performance: Real-world footage in different lighting, wind conditions, and distances
  4. Battery Life: Realistic flight times under normal conditions, not ideal conditions
  5. Durability: How well does it hold up to crashes, wind, and regular use?
  6. Value Assessment: Does the price match what you get? What are the real competitors?
  7. Honest Limitations: Every drone has tradeoffs. We name them explicitly.
  8. Verdict & Recommendation: Who is this drone actually for? Beginners, hobbyists, professionals, filmmakers?

Affiliate Disclosure

We earn commissions from Amazon affiliate links when you buy through our site. This doesn't change our recommendations—we link to products we actually tested and believe in. We're transparent about this because trust matters more than revenue.

Every review includes a clear "Best Drone Deals on Amazon" button. That's our way of supporting the site while helping you find good prices. We could hide affiliate links, but we don't.

Contact & Social

I reply to every comment on My Dear Drone articles and YouTube videos. If you have a drone question, ask—I'm here to help.

This page was last reviewed and updated on April 30, 2026 by our editorial team.