Sundance Media Group

What Sundance Media Group does

Sundance Media Group producing training for trade events, public safety organizations, and private individuals. Instructors from SMG have taught, presented workshops and have participated in panels worldwide. Over the years, SMG’s area of focus has been audio, video and software applications for production and post-production. Douglas Spotted Eagle, the original founder of SMG, has long history of aviation, from the adrenaline-filled world of fast-action videography in skydiving to commercial application of drone/UAV use. SMG’s latest evolution and vision is to incorporate its years of experience for best-practices training into the world of UAV use.

Name

Sundance Media Group

Legal name

Sundance Media Group, LLC

Website

http://www.sundancemediagroup.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Sundance Media Group producing training for trade events.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Drone Training & sUAS Consulting

NAICS

Flight Training (611512)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Aviation & Aerospace (EDABALAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Small Unmanned Aerial Systems (sUAS) & Multirotor Drones (IMABAIAA), UAS Ground Control Stations (GCS) & Remote Operations Infrastructure (IMABAIAL), Private Aviation Pilot & Crew Staffing/Training Services (THABAFAJ)

Keywords

• Drone training services
• SUAS consulting
• FAA Part 107 prep
• Photogrammetry training
• Drone pilot certification

Headquarters

HQ city

West Jordan

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Training Services: Revenue generated from various training programs including Part 107 test prep, practical flight training, advanced flight training, night flight courses, mapping, inspection, journalism, real estate, and public safety applications. Offered in multiple formats: self-paced online, live webinar, and in-person.
2. Consulting Services: Advisory services for standing up sUAS programs including policy/procedure documentation, operational standards creation, equipment selection, software suggestions, and workflow process optimization.
3. Drone Services: Field services including aerial photography, videography, aerial public service support, aerial security, and post-production services for various industries including film production, real estate, construction, journalism, and inspections.
4. Instructor Certification Program: Train-the-trainer program enabling organizations to self-manage training programs. Includes curriculum materials, website listing as authorized instructor, customer acquisition handling, and wholesale book pricing.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Sundance Media Group delivers vendor-neutral sUAS/drone training programs (Part 107 prep, practical and advanced flight, night flight, Pix4D mapping BARE/BETTER/BEST, public safety, risk mitigation, instructor certification), consulting engagements that establish FAA-compliant sUAS programs with ISO-aligned policy/procedure/operations documentation, and field drone services (aerial photography, videography, public service support, aerial security) for organizations and government agencies. Training is delivered via self-paced online, live webinar, and in-person formats, with a SYNNEX reseller channel serving government customers.

Product overview

Sundance Media Group (SMG) is a training and consulting organization specializing in the commercial sUAS (drone) industry, with over 31 years of operating history. The company operates two core offerings: (1) sUAS/UAV Training & Consulting — a comprehensive portfolio of instructor-led and self-paced training programs covering Part 107 exam prep, practical and advanced flight training, and vertically-focused courses (cinematography, journalism, real estate, inspection, mapping, public safety, night flight, risk mitigation, policy/procedure); and (2) Drone Services — field aerial photography, videography, public service support, and aerial security services. Supporting these core offerings are the AVOC (Aerial Vehicle Operations Center) — a mobile command unit for field sUAS missions — and UAS Instructor Certification (Train the Trainer) programs. SMG is vendor-neutral, collaborating with manufacturers, service providers, and software developers, and offers software training on tools such as Pix4D (in BARE/BETTER/BEST tiers), DroneDeploy, AgiSoft, and Leica/Trimble GIS systems.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• sUAS/UAV Training & Consulting Vendor-neutral sUAS (drone) training and consulting services spanning Part 107 exam preparation, practical flight training, advanced flight techniques, and vertically-focused programs for cinematography, journalism, real estate, inspection, mapping, public safety, and night flight. Includes policy/procedure/operations documentation for organizations standing up drone programs.
• Drone Services Field drone services including aerial photography, videography, aerial public service support, aerial security, and post-production services. Covers industries including film production, real estate, construction, journalism, vertical/tower inspections, solar inspections, insurance inspections, aerial thermal imaging, and search and rescue. Holds airspace waivers in Class B airspaces nationally and night waivers.
• Part 107 Training FAA Part 107 remote pilot certification preparation available in three formats: self-paced online, live online webinar, or in-person instruction. Reported 100% pass rate with hybrid (online plus in-person) attendees averaging 88% exam scores.
• Practical Flight Training One-on-one to six-on-one practical flight instruction with SMG-provided or student-provided aircraft, typically a 2-4 day program covering basic UA operations, automated flight for accident scene reconstruction, construction capture, and inspections. Includes Risk Mitigation and Industry Best-Practices components.
• Public Safety sUAS Training Training for law enforcement and firefighting agencies covering Part 107, flight training, risk assessment, traffic accident capture, forensic scene capture, night forensic capture, UAS maintenance, overwatch/perimeter observation, and Level One Thermal applications. Includes full program stand-up and ISO-aligned Policy, Procedures, and Operations documents.
• Night Flight Training Night UAV flight training covering risk mitigation, FAA waiver filing (107.29), and practical night operations. Includes the Drone Pilot's Guide to Night Flight book (Amazon best-seller).
• Pix4D Training (BARE / BETTER / BEST) Three-tiered Pix4D software training: BARE (relative accuracy, one-day, $595/person), BETTER (manual tie points, two-day, $995/person), and BEST (Ground Control Points + RTK, 1cm absolute accuracy, two-to-three-day, $1,495/person). Workflow-focused training for public safety, construction, forensics, crash reconstruction, and land/site development.
• UAS Instructor Certification (Train the Trainer) A full-week (36-hour) instructor certification program following FITS protocol and Part 141 standards. Covers Purpose/Assessment, Planning/Preparation, Presentation/Facilitation, and Performance/Evaluation. Graduates receive SMG Instructor Candidate Certificate and are listed on SMG's website as authorized instructors. Requirements: valid Part 107 certification, minimum 200 logged sUAS flight hours.
• Risk Mitigation Training Risk mitigation course serving as preparation for organizations seeking ISO audit compliance. Full-day theoretical course.
• Policy/Procedure/Operations Training Training on writing and standardizing Policy/Procedure/Operations (PPO) documents, targeted at municipalities, public safety, and large organizations, particularly those seeking ISO compliance for audits.
• Vertical Inspection Training Theory and practical instruction on vertical/tower and infrastructure inspection using sUAS. First portion covers inspection partner requirements; second portion covers field work and inspection of working equipment.
• Cinematography Training Introduction to two, three, and four-axis controls for smooth cinema-grade aerial content from small UAV platforms.
• Real Estate Imaging Training Full-day (residential) or two-day (commercial) training session taught as blended theoretical and practical program. Includes the Drone Pilot's Guide to Real Estate Imaging book.
• Audio Video Production and Post-Production Training Production and post-production training covering pre-production decisions, audio/microphone selection, color correction/grading, color timing, audio processing/mixing, transitions, compositing, compression, and codec management. Includes theoretical and practical components.
• AVOC (Aerial Vehicle Operations Center) Mobile command unit for public safety and field sUAS missions. Self-contained with power (shore/generator), battery charging station, 2 computer systems, Cradlepoint WiFi, weather station, UAV storage, FoxFury lights, first aid, and safety equipment. Supports on-site data processing while pilots continue collecting data.
• Aerial Security / Event Security Services Drone-based aerial security and event security services providing situational awareness, perimeter observation, crowd monitoring, and thermal imaging capabilities. Supports up to four simultaneous automated aircraft and two manually flown aircraft with various payloads including RGB cameras, night-vision, thermal, bullhorns, and conceal/control devices.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% pass rate on Part 107 FAA knowledge test with hybrid (online + in-person) training program
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration12 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Frontier PrecisionminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPrimary sponsor of Commercial UAV Expo 2024 Live Outdoor Flying Demo. Equipment dealer and service provider.
• Multicopter WarehouseminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDrone equipment reseller participated in CUAV 2024 Live Outdoor Flying Demo.
• AUVSIminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorld's largest nonprofit organization devoted exclusively to advancing unmanned systems and robotics. SMG partners for industry advocacy and community building.
• CompTIA Drone Advisory Council (DRAC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry advisory council representing all facets of drone ecosystem. SMG participates in developing industry best practice standards, education, and certifications.
• Deseret Unmanned Aerial SystemsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNon-profit organization created by Tooele and Box Elder Counties in Utah to advance UAS through economic development, applied research, and testing sites.
• Nevada Drone Center of Excellence (NDCoE)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerForum to share information and discuss sUAS issues with primary focus on public safety vertical. Researches, tests, and evaluates best practices and technologies.
• Diversified CommunicationsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGlobal media company producing Commercial UAV Expo. SMG has participated since inception and organizes the Live Outdoor Flying Demo.
• NAB Show / Post Production WorldminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPremier broadcast and media technology trade show. SMG instructors lead aerial cinematography workshops and present at the show.
• Idaho Public Safety UAS Council (IPSUASC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerForum for Idaho public safety officers to share UAS information, provide training, and discuss UAS issues among law enforcement, fire, medical, and search rescue personnel.
• International Security Conference (ISC) West & EastminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLargest converged security trade show in the U.S. covering video surveillance, access control, biometrics, public security, drones & robotics.
• SYNNEX CorporationcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorReseller agreement (June 2020) providing certified drone training to government agencies and organizations across the U.S. through SYNNEX's distribution network.
• Women and DronesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMembership organization driving excellence in UAS by achieving equity and participation of women. SMG supports women in STEM and aviation initiatives.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• DARTdrones: DARTdrones is a direct competitor in commercial drone pilot training and program consulting, offering Part 107 prep, advanced flight, and enterprise program stand-up — overlapping almost entirely with SMG's core training portfolio.
• UAV Coach: UAV Coach is a direct peer in online drone training and Part 107 preparation, with an active blog, community, and paid courses that compete with SMG's self-paced and webinar offerings.
• Pilot Institute: Pilot Institute is a direct peer offering Part 107 test prep, drone training courses, and commercial drone career resources, with similar content depth and self-paced delivery to SMG.
• Drone Pilot Ground School: Drone Pilot Ground School is a direct peer focused on Part 107 exam preparation with online courses, mirroring the entry-level certification layer of SMG's training stack.
• Drone Launch Academy: Drone Launch Academy is a direct peer in online drone training, offering Part 107 prep and commercial drone pilot courses that compete head-to-head with SMG's self-paced programs.

Broad incumbents

• FlightSafety International: FlightSafety International is a broad incumbent in professional aviation training, offering pilot and crew training across multiple platforms; it represents the scaled, established benchmark against which SMG's aviation training niche is positioned.
• CAE: CAE is a broad incumbent in aviation training services for pilots, crew, and mission-critical operators, with adjacent UAS training initiatives; its scale and capital base set the upper bound of competition in commercial aviation training.
• Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (Professional Education): Embry-Riddle is a broad incumbent in aviation and aerospace higher education with UAS certificate programs; comparable to SMG in curriculum content for aviation/drone students but operates at university scale and accreditation.

Emerging players

• DroneDeploy: DroneDeploy is an emerging drone-software player with adjacent training content for its mapping and inspection platform, competing for the same mapping/construction learners that SMG trains on Pix4D workflows.

Others

• AUVSI (Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International): AUVSI is an industry association that sets standards, runs training/credentialing programs, and hosts events in the UAS ecosystem; comparable to SMG in industry influence and as an ecosystem enabler rather than a direct training competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/SundanceMedia
• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/SundanceMediaGroup
• Facebookfacebook.com/SundanceMediaGroup
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sundancemediagroup
• Instagraminstagram.com/sundancemediagroup

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Sundance Media Group