Questions.

The ones operators ask on the first call.

Do I need my own domain and mailbox?

For outreach, yes. Cold email lives or dies on the reputation of the domain and mailbox it comes from, so SortieBase sends from a Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 mailbox you own, on a secondary domain you own. Setup walks you through both; today we hand you the exact DNS records to add, and the one-click version is coming. The portal and quote pages work on a SortieBase subdomain from day one; your own domain follows in the founders' release.

What does the metro setup actually involve?

We wire the public data sources for your area: the building permit feeds for your counties, the state stormwater permits, the storm report radius, and the map queries for your trades and cities. Most metros take an afternoon. Some counties publish nothing usable, and we tell you that before you pay.

How do payments work?

Payments ship with the founders' release. You connect your own Stripe account once. Clients pay by card or bank transfer against a quote or invoice, the money settles in your account, and SortieBase never holds it or takes a cut. You pay Stripe's normal processing fee and nothing to us per transaction.

Is this legal? Cold email, permit data, storm data.

Permit filings, stormwater permits, and storm reports are public records published by governments for exactly this kind of use. Outreach follows CAN-SPAM: a real postal address in every footer, a one-click unsubscribe that is honoured immediately and permanently, and a hard daily cap you cannot exceed. Replies asking to stop are treated as unsubscribes automatically.

Will my clients see SortieBase anywhere?

No. The portal, the quote page, emails, and invoices carry your name only. A small "runs on SortieBase" line in the portal footer is the only mention, and a switch to remove it comes with the founders' release.

What happens to my data if I leave?

It is yours. You can export your data as CSV from the desk, mileage today and every table with the founders' release, and on request we hand you the full nightly backup and delete our copy. Your clients, your quotes, your files.

Who owns the photos, and can I show them in my portfolio?

You do. The terms every client accepts at booking carry a media license: they get a perpetual license to use the deliverables for their marketing, you keep the copyright. Portfolio use is a separate consent the client gives or withholds at acceptance, recorded on the quote, so you never have to ask afterwards.

How do clients get their files?

Through their portal. You upload from the desk or from the field, the client gets a "your files are ready" email from your mailbox, and they sign in to download. Links are signed and expire in minutes, so a forwarded email cannot leak the set; the files themselves stay available for twelve months. No Dropbox, no transfer service, nothing to resend.

Does it work if I fly part time?

Yes. You set your flight days and the hours you cannot fly. Quotes tell clients when you fly, the job form blocks the rest, and the calendar keeps drive time around every job so nothing collides.

Can other pilots on my team use it?

Yes. Invite them by email. Each sees only the jobs assigned to them, can mark a job flown, and can upload files from the field. They never see your pipeline or your money.

What about mapping and photogrammetry?

Not yet. SortieBase covers stills, video, roof reports, and construction progress. Mapping deliverables are on the list once the operators asking for them can tell us what the client actually buys.