Stokes+HERZOG Wins U.S. Government Drone Exemption

Eau Claire - Owners Chris Herzog and Sarah Stokes are proud to announce that after seven months of providing detailed information to the Federal Aviation Administration, the FAA has granted Stokes+HERZOG an exemption to operate a drone, or an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) for commercial purposes.

“This is so exciting for western Wisconsin and our growing company. We’ll soon be ready to offer commercial drone service to companies and organizations as one of the very few legal service providers in the state of Wisconsin and the only one in the Chippewa Valley. As a licensed pilot, I want other pilots to be safe in the air, free from inexperienced and illegal commercial drone operators. That’s why I support the FAA’s legal requirements and why our company went the extra mile to fulfill the law. It’s about safety, first and foremost,” said Stokes+HERZOG co-owner Chris Herzog.

Chris Herzog is an FAA licensed private pilot which is one of the many requirements a company must fulfill to operate a UAV commercially. The U.S. government spent more than seven months examining the Stokes+HERZOG application and paperwork before confirming they have the necessary experience,  documentation and procedures in place to fulfill the FAA’s stringent requirements.

“We know the FAA is cracking down on illegal drone operators. Those drone operators who are charging money for their services without the necessary legal exemptions and the companies that unknowingly hire or employ them will face significant fines. We wanted to be on the right side of the law and help companies and organizations get great service, legally. It’s the right thing to do,” Herzog added.

Stokes+HERZOG plans to offer drone video for use in the movie, television, real estate, agricultural, utility, search and rescue and construction industries as well as for local governments, schools and non-profits. 

Stokes+HERZOG was started by the married former television news anchors in July of 2014 and assists

companies and organizations of all sizes with their advertising, public relations, and video needs.