Ken Dono
YouTuber & Video Creator
Today, we have a very energetic, humorous, and exciting guest on our UAV Interview Series.
Allow us to introduce you Ken Dono (aka OriginaldoBo), who upload tech and drone-related videos on his popular YouTube channel. Also, he is a certified 107 remote pilot and known for his brutally honest reviews.
In this interview, we talk in-depth with Ken on how he discovered drones, why he started his YouTube channel, what’s inside his drone kit, advice for fellow pilots, how the commercial drone industry is shaping up, how he spends off time from drones, and so on.
If you are aspiring to become a video creator or start your drone channel, this is the interview for you.
It has something for everyone, so give it a quick read, and sure it’ll be worth your time.
Now, let us dive in and see what Ken has to say for our questions!
Let’s Start the Interview
Welcome Ken Dono, Tell us about yourself & how did you ever get started with flying drones?
Think it was 4 Christmas ago my wife bought me a Parrot Bebop I remember instantly wrecking it. I was attracted to the fact things could fly, so I bought another and another. I think I lost like 3 Bebops that year.
What made you passionate about the industry to launch your drone & tech YouTube channel?
I was always passionate about Tech. I just didn’t know the tech I would enjoy so much would fly. Passion evolves the deeper down a niche you go. Now there isn’t a day I’m not flying or crashing something.
How hard it is to STAYORIGINAL while creating drone videos, tutorials, vlogs, and reviews almost daily?
Today its incredibly tough to find ways to stand out online. When you try to be like someone else, you often fade away with the crowd. Soon as you realize someone will enjoy you for you, things start to click! I say stay original because everyone is original already, and I want to remind them that.
What are a few of the criteria you consider when reviewing drones?
Quality, camera, and battery life; the last thing I look at is the price. I always try to review stuff based on those pillars. I think lots of people look at the same things when buying drones.
How have fans and brands reacted to your HONEST drone videos?
Some people hate my guts; some brands hate my guts, but it’s your job to be brutally honest. Most enjoy it because it’s refreshing. We’ve been caught up in this PC creator world, and often people are looking for a shakeup.
Tell us about your Overcast Podcast with Billy Kyle, what could we expect over there?
We changed the name some months back. It’s called flight time. That’s just a spot where we can casually discuss the things occurring in the drone industry. It’s more of long-form content. We are pretty busy often, so it’s tough getting around to creating content there.
What types of drones are you flying? Any ideas to upgrade?
I fly mostly the EVO II Pro as of late, past year was the mavic 2 pro… I wanted to make the mavic air 2 my daily driver when I’m traveling, but I can’t stop wrecking them.
Mavic Air 2 vs. EVO II: Which quadcopter will you pick and why?
Oliver come on man you know I’m team orange all day. The EVO hands down have the superior camera, and it will disappoint you far less with no geofencing and better obstacle avoidance. Battery life is stellar as well.
What is your best drone shot you have ever taken? Any dream location for a drone shoot?
William Penn Philly at night favorite shop all time. Check it out on Instagram. Dream location if I could fly anywhere would be the Rome hands down.
You are a certified 107 remote pilot. Where do you believe the commercial drone market is heading?
So many twists and turns in the industry right now, but if I had to say in the next few years, commercial pilots would play a key role in inspections and deliveries. I don’t care how advanced autonomy is; you can’t replace a human mind.
What advice will you give to other pilots who want to create drone YouTube videos to a living?
I wouldn’t advise doing YouTube as a sole income right out of the gate unless you like Ramen noodles, but I would suggest if you do create a channel, don’t have one foot in and one foot out. Do it right and do it to the best of your ability. Don’t get hung up on perfection, either.
Based on your experience, could you offer any tricks to fly a drone and edit drone footage?
Shoot in shorter clips and fly with purpose. Don’t aimlessly hover. Visualize the edit and execute on it.
Who are some YouTubers/pilots you follow in the drone space?
I’ll be completely real pilot wise my buddy Billy he’s always pushing the needle and pushing me to do better. Sam Kolder and as of late I enjoy watching Le Drib. Paul Nurkula is another pilot I respect the hell out of.
When you are not with drones, where would we find you? What is something interesting people do not know about you?
When I am not droning, I like to surf when I can or e-board around. I used to ride BMX semi-pro back in the day, but sort of hung it all up.
And finally, did you enjoy our interview?
Yeah, Oliver, this was fun, sorry it took so long I’m pretty terrible with email and shipping things. I should probably hire an intern.
Check Out OriginaldoBo on the Web
- Website: https://www.originaldobo.com/
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/dobo122884
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/Originaldobo