We had the good fortune of connecting with Chaz Simmons and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Chaz, how has your background shaped the person you are today?
I was born in Charleston, South Carolina, and grew up mostly in Hopkins, a little town in the Lower Richland neighborhood of the Midlands. Living in these different parts of the state taught me early on that not every place you go will have the same traditions or cultures, but you should respect them. Today, I am a commercial Part 107 drone pilot that travels the world to highlight diverse communities.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I started flying my own drones for fun in 2017 while living near Hobby Airport in Houston, Texas. With scant knowledge at the time, the regulations were straightforward but a little hazy. I would phone the control tower to make sure I was cleared to fly; even their crew had hazy knowledge, but they would clear me by stating, “You don’t have to call us; just don’t interfere with flights.” I had approximately a month to practice before an upcoming overseas trip, so I would take the metro to various sections of Houston and fly. When I arrived in Dubai to finally capture my holiday on film, as soon as I had my drone in the air, UAE and resort officials told me to bring it down. I recently learnt that I needed a commercial license to fly in their country. These are things I should have looked into earlier, but I didn’t think it was a huge concern. Nonetheless, to avoid being shut down again, I formally became a commercial drone pilot in February of 2018. Drone flights are now banned in the UAE, but I’ve continued to use my license for anything from auto meets to corporate events, and I conduct rigorous research before flying my drone anyplace.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I’m typically outdoors at Memorial or MacGregor Park. For drinks, I visit Urban Social or Five Cental. I would tell people to check out POST Houston for picturesque views of downtown Houston.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would like to give credit to 5Deezy & T.R.I.B.E. L.I.F.E. TIN for inspiring me to fly drones. I would also like to give a shoutout to my family and Vision 4 Productions for all of their support.

Website: https://www.eyezofchaz.com

Instagram: @eyezofchaz

Youtube: Eyezofchaz

Image Credits
Chaz Simmons

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