Until the corona crisis, Natan Banjo, a pilot himself, lived in France – and made a living as a consultant in the field of aircraft mechanics. In 2019 he immigrated to Israel, abandoning his previous occupation. “When I immigrated to Israel, I experienced language difficulties and could not engage in counseling,” said Banjo. “I looked for a job for a long time and already gave up. I chose to work in the field of drones and was looking to provide customers with added value that would differentiate my business from the competition. Finally I chose the field of industrial aerial photography. I worked on the product day and night, without salary, and many times I was close to giving up.”
As a new immigrant, Banjo had difficulty obtaining assistance from the banks because he did not meet the various criteria. “I needed NIS 100,000 to buy the equipment and I worked as a pizza delivery boy to get the amount. Although I had a private pilot’s license, I didn’t have a degree, which is required in Israel. What’s more, the profession is not known to the banks, and they didn’t want to take a risk.” .
The turning point in Banjo’s story came when he asked for a loan from the Nathan Foundation, a philanthropic foundation that enables the granting of a loan without interest or linkage to those who open a business for the first time in their life and have training in the field, with the maximum loan amount being NIS 240,000. “Unlike the banks, at the Nathan Foundation they judged me according to my idea,” he said. “What’s beautiful is that they were willing to take the risk.” The loan allowed Nathan to continue developing the business, purchase the equipment he needs, and build a dedicated website through which he manages the relationship with the customers.
However, even after he received the aid, the difficulties did not end. Banjo explains that the regulation in the field makes it difficult for him: “It is not easy to get a license to fly a drone. In order to pass the theoretical and practical tests, there is a requirement to know a large amount of material, while in my opinion a significant part of it is complicated and not at all relevant to flying a drone. Also, the law makes it difficult for us to do our work and make a living with dignity. There is an iron law called ‘meter for meter’, which means that if I want to fly a drone at a height of ten meters, for example, I must not have anyone within a radius of ten meters around me. In theory, it is permissible to work, but in practice it is almost always necessary to obtain a special permit which is received only a few days later from the date of the request.”
Today Nathan has a company that provides industrial aerial photography, measurement, solar 3D modeling and mapping services. The photos help the process of creating a model that is used as an aid to the architects in the various projects. “Based on the model I design, the architect draws the project. In the past, a surveyor was needed to go up on the roof and measure. My model allows the architect to receive the product in a few days instead of a few weeks. This way he saves at least 60% of the costs.
“I want to be known as someone who is able to produce an accurate model of any area, including complex areas. I believe that I can turn any photo and realistic space into a useful digital model.”
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