Catholic BCIT graduate utilizes his talents to make drones for photography and for racing
The B.C. Catholic
RICHMOND
Model aircraft, and now drones, continue to capture the hearts and minds of many people, whether they are interested in manned flight, aerial photography, or even product delivery.
Marco Santiago Ocariza’s passion for building and flying consumer drones began with “what seemed to be a wooden cross with propellers on all four arms.”
One day when Ocariza was at a picnic with his family, he noticed a man flying a radio-controlled aircraft in the park while focusing on a small monitor in front of him instead of the aircraft.
“I soon found out what he was flying was called a quadcopter (or drone), and he was flying it in first-person view (FPV) which meant he had a camera mounted on the aircraft, and a transmitter was relaying that image to a monitor right in front of him.”
Ocariza, a BCIT graduate in mechanical engineering, had always been interested in radio-controlled vehicles such as cars, boats, and aircraft. “I was a very practical person, growing up, and I loved working with my hands and tinkering with anything I could get my hands on,” he said.
His encounter with the aircraft happened in 2013, where the hobby was “just getting off the ground, no pun intended.”
He soon realized the niche drones provided, and decided to funnel his creative talent into learning how to build his own, despite a lack of information at the time. “Eventually I designed my first scratch-built quadcopter that was capable of flying FPV,” said Ocariza. “It wasn’t the best, but improvements came with time and experience.”
As the hobby progressed, and new technology became available, Ocariza noticed an increased interest in the hobby. “I knew right away this was the business to be in, so I decided to create a Facebook group called ‘BC-FPV Society’ where people around B.C. with the same interest could talk about anything FPV-related, and share their ideas on how to improve the hobby,” he said.
“A light bulb turned on in my mind: start a small business, building drones for anyone interested in getting into FPV flying.”
The two types of drone Ocariza normally builds for customers are for aerial photography and videography, and racing drones for the aerial sport. “Once the budgeting is settled, I ask them their drone specifications and what they expect for the finished product. Depending on the specifications given and availability of parts, it can take anywhere from one to four weeks to finish a build.”
Ocariza noted the potential dangers of drones, and strongly promoted safety by testing the drones and instructing customers how to fly them. “It has become a huge problem recently: people flying near airports or crowds and jeopardizing the safety of themselves and others.”
Despite the drive to always build a lighter, faster drone, Ocariza’s spirituality has become patient and dedicated as a result of his hobby. “Building and flying drones really helps with my Catholic faith because it teaches me the importance of patience and perseverance. It takes time, dedication, and practice in order to build one and fly it.”
“Marco has always been a restless person,” admitted his sister Linnette Ocariza. “He can’t sit still, and is always tinkering with things. I think building and flying drones allowed him to find a sense of calmness, and that mirrors how he approaches his faith now. It’s apparent that he is at peace in his conviction that God is piloting his life.”
“I’ve come to realize it is truly the same with our faith,” Ocariza added. “There are times when we experience spiritual dryness, and it feels like all hope is lost. But the more we fall from grace, the more we feel God working through us.”
More information or examples of Ocariza’s work can be found on Instagram @ocramocariza and @jonkiks.
