We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Patrick Harlan. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Patrick below.
Patrick, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to hear the story of how you went from this being just an idea to making it into something real.
I started my business with the simple idea that I wanted to fly drones for a living. I had experience with it and robotics before, so I thought this to be a natural progression. Some of the main steps that helped make this a reality are some incredible people that showed support and believed in me in my time of need. I am lucky enough to have a very special person in my life, Angelina Bolaños, that has kept me going. She comes from a fantastic family with strong family values which has shown through numerous times. I began to have this idea when I was sitting on a couch in Boise, Idaho. I was renting a home with my roommate, Jason Soubliere, and I had just recently been let go of my job that I worked so hard to pursue. I had a growing interest in drones and technology, and he suggested in passing that maybe I should do that. I thought about it for a second and spoke with girlfriend at the time, now fiancée about the idea. We discussed it and she agreed that to be successful at something, a person must at least somewhat enjoy the work they are doing. This began a job search that seemed to go on forever with little to no results. This sparked another idea, switch locations. I was determined to be good at the job of being a drone pilot/ Photographer/ Videographer/ Content Creator, so me and my fiancée packed all our stuff into 2 cars and drove across country and set up shop in Alabama. We had to start from scratch and had to figure out how to live and survive in a state that was very last in the country to legalize interracial marriages. This is an aspect which I hadn’t considered simply because I thought the rest of society already agreed in the 60’s that interracial dating and interracial marriages were not a criminal act by their very nature. This adversity has made our bond closer and stronger. That’s why I keep going, someone believes in me and I am determined to prove that she has not misplaced her trust because she is my angel on this earth.
Patrick, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I am just a guy from Birmingham who grew up playing soccer, loving video games, and had a strong interest in engineering. The service I provide is focused mainly on content creation and drone service. I have provided services regarding Search and Rescue, marketing materials for various small businesses as well as very large businesses. I’ve also done topographical mapping, infrastructure surveys, filmed and helped organize drone light shows, as well as taught a class to law enforcement. I’ve also flown FPV missions adjacent to highly sensitive areas. Drone work is not as easy as people believe it is. There are constant variables to consider such as: time of day, wind, light requirements, visibility, avian autonomy laws, airspace restrictions, height level of flight, population consideration, and open-air assemblies to name a few. If an operator does not follow these guidelines, then they can easily be fined or even sent to prison. This isn’t a game out here; this business requires constant vigilance. Remember if you’re gonna fly, you’re gonna die, each time you go up you’re just a little bit closer to each time. It’s like playing with fire with gasoline in your pockets, how would you approach that situation? I’m guessing pretty carefully.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
Resilience is defined as 1.) the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness, 2.) the ability of a substance or object to spring back into shape; elasticity. I define it as enduring the test of a resolve. Examples of that can be seen in numerous ways throughout my life, from packing up everything I have and moving to Idaho from Alabama as well as packing up everything me and my fiancée own and moving from Idaho to Alabama to build a business and get her education. I learned the definition of this word, resilient, most notably when training for soccer in the goalkeeper position. It was my job to stop the ball from going in the goal and create counter attacks, that means you’re going to get beat up a lot. But it wasn’t about getting hit, it was about getting hit and getting back up and pushing forward inch by inch. I was determined to be on the field as a starter and a player, the problem is, there can only be one goalkeeper on the field for the team. I tested that resolve and was successful. Me and my fiancée have a similar resolve to start a family and be successful together.
Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.
Creativity is an art form and there will always be struggle present. There are constant battles both seen and unseen that exist every day in world. A person may or may not like where they are in life, thinks that they deserve more than they already have, or may have trouble accepting the consequences of their choices or lifestyle. I can’t speak for everyone, but I can only speak for myself. What I’ve learned is that age is a gift and their presence is a bonus, that is why we call it the present. We can choose any way to achieve our desired goals, but we need to remember that kindness is a choice and we can make that choice every day. Kindness is strength and that strength helps us push forward together. Creativity can come in various ways and play out in various scenarios; in a way we are all creative we just have to apply that into our daily lives.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://airreelers3.godaddysites.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/airreelers/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61554686254141
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-harlan-60246951/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@PatrickHarlan-mt6fh
- Other: Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/cookwithcalibama/
https://www.instagram.com/harlan478/Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/patrick.harlan.14/
Image Credits
Patrick Harlan
Angelina Bolaños