How much should I charge in the UK

[Chapperz]

Hi all

OK so I've bought a mini 3 Pro and I'm going to cut my teeth.

If someone wants me to take some aerial shots or videos, given the kit I'm using and the fact I'm green, how much could I realistically ask for?

Thanks

Regards

 

[Dronecation]

Hi all

OK so I've bought a mini 3 Pro and I'm going to cut my teeth.

If someone wants me to take some aerial shots or videos, given the kit I'm using and the fact I'm green, how much could I realistically ask for?

Thanks

Regards

A pint of stout.

 

[Felix le Chat]

Hi all

OK so I've bought a mini 3 Pro and I'm going to cut my teeth.

If someone wants me to take some aerial shots or videos, given the kit I'm using and the fact I'm green, how much could I realistically ask for?

Thanks

Regards

That depends on what you do. It also depends on your experience as a photographer. A general snapper taking property shots for high street estate agents? Or a 'niche' area such as architectural photography.
Find a real estate snapper or local wedding photographer and ask them for a quote, when they give you a price, you have a rough idea as to the scale of charge for that particular 'niche' and can work out your own SOC from there. The more specialized the 'niche': the better the photographer: the more people pay.
As soon as you charge for a shoot, or accept any kind of gratuity in exchange: you become commercial and you have to have certification (A2CofC/GVC) equivalent to the CAA PfCO (Permission for Commercial Operation) and if you are operating commercially without these you are laying yourself wide open. Also, make sure that you have third party insurance that covers non-recreational flight.

 

[Meta4]

If someone wants me to take some aerial shots or videos, given the kit I'm using and the fact I'm green, how much could I realistically ask for?

A couple of things to consider before counting all those chickens:
Is there actually a demand for the services you anticipate offering?
Look at real estate agents windows or websites in your area.
Are they using many aerial shots?
Aerials are really only needed for certain properties, those with aspects that aren't able to be appreciated from the ground.
They probably aren't being used to sell many average houses.

Are you going to find agents that need your services?
By now drones are cheap and easy to fly.
From my experience, a lot of agents already shoot any aerials themselves.
Or the people who do the much more important interior photography include that as part of their service.
And agents would prefer to deal with one operator who can provide the total package.

You'd have to compete with operators who are already fulfilling the need for aerial imagery.
Can you offer a competitive product?

Real estate agents are notoriously cheap.

 

[Chapperz]

That depends on what you do. It also depends on your experience as a photographer. A general snapper taking property shots for high street estate agents? Or a 'niche' area such as architectural photography.
Find a real estate snapper or local wedding photographer and ask them for a quote, when they give you a price, you have a rough idea as to the scale of charge for that particular 'niche' and can work out your own SOC from there. The more specialized the 'niche': the better the photographer: the more people pay.
As soon as you charge for a shoot, or accept any kind of gratuity in exchange: you become commercial and you have to have certification (A2CofC/GVC) equivalent to the CAA PfCO (Permission for Commercial Operation) and if you are operating commercially without these you are laying yourself wide open. Also, make sure that you have third party insurance that covers non-recreational flight.

Hi thanks for your help.

 

[Chapperz]

A couple of things to consider before counting all those chickens:
Is there actually a demand for the services you anticipate offering?
Look at real estate agents windows or websites in your area.
Are they using many aerial shots?
Aerials are really only needed for certain properties, those with aspects that aren't able to be appreciated from the ground.
They probably aren't being used to sell many average houses.

Are you going to find agents that need your services?
By now drones are cheap and easy to fly.
From my experience, a lot of agents already shoot any aerials themselves.
Or the people who do the much more important interior photography include that as part of their service.
And agents would prefer to deal with one operator who can provide the total package.

You'd have to compete with operators who are already fulfilling the need for aerial imagery.
Can you offer a competitive product?

Real estate agents are notoriously cheap.

Yeah after some research after making this post I've decided to stay away from estate agents.

Thanks for the advice

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

Maybe a way to start, and a good way to build a 'portfolio' of your work.
Put together a few social media channels on various platforms, get your stuff out there, if it's good enough you might get a name locally for aerial photos / video.
I don't do this, no interest, but have seen one pilot in particular start taking quite excellent local region aerials, put them on various platforms, and local media have picked up on them, local travel shows, etc.

 

[Chapperz]

Maybe a way to start, and a good way to build a 'portfolio' of your work.
Put together a few social media channels on various platforms, get your stuff out there, if it's good enough you might get a name locally for aerial photos / video.
I don't do this, no interest, but have seen one pilot in particular start taking quite excellent local region aerials, put them on various platforms, and local media have picked up on them, local travel shows, etc.

That's pretty much exactly what I was thinking... I have been watching a fella on YouTube who started out the same way and they have a very successful production company now.

He started out with a dji mini... So it's doable for sure.

 

[Chapperz]

That depends on what you do. It also depends on your experience as a photographer. A general snapper taking property shots for high street estate agents? Or a 'niche' area such as architectural photography.
Find a real estate snapper or local wedding photographer and ask them for a quote, when they give you a price, you have a rough idea as to the scale of charge for that particular 'niche' and can work out your own SOC from there. The more specialized the 'niche': the better the photographer: the more people pay.
As soon as you charge for a shoot, or accept any kind of gratuity in exchange: you become commercial and you have to have certification (A2CofC/GVC) equivalent to the CAA PfCO (Permission for Commercial Operation) and if you are operating commercially without these you are laying yourself wide open. Also, make sure that you have third party insurance that covers non-recreational flight.

Yeah I think I have my niche... I'm just looking for a few jobs here and there to try to fund it and upgrade my hardware and software.

I have been watching somebody on YouTube who started out with a dji mini so it's definitely doable.

 

[Bog Down]

Do you need an A2CofC etc for commercial use of a mini? I thought that only applied for craft above 250g.

You definitely do need commercial insurance, but that isn't particularly expensive.

 

[SDSAR]

Do you need an A2CofC etc for commercial use of a mini? I thought that only applied for craft above 250g.

You definitely do need commercial insurance, but that isn't particularly expensive.

No, it's a sub 250g drone so no A2 needed. You will still need to be registered with the CAA though & have commercial insurance. Personally I would take the A1/A2 just for peace of mind & have proven competency levels. I fly for various SAR agencies & have had to go through countless exams & forms, operational authority tasks etc. In your boots, I would still take the A1/2 course & cover myself. It might cheapen your insurance also? It's a bit like delivering pizzas. Taking a stack of them in your personal car to a pals house is fine. Delivering them as a form of employment & using your personal vehicle, you need commercial insurance.

 

[SDSAR]

No, it's a sub 250g drone so no A2 needed. You will still need to be registered with the CAA though & have commercial insurance. Personally I would take the A1/A2 just for peace of mind & have proven competency levels. I fly for various SAR agencies & have had to go through countless exams & forms, operational authority tasks etc. In your boots, I would still take the A1/2 course & cover myself. It might cheapen your insurance also? It's a bit like delivering pizzas. Taking a stack of them in your personal car to a pals house is fine. Delivering them as a form of employment & using your personal vehicle, you need commercial insurance.

Footnote, if you are running the Mini 3 Battery+, it will take you over 250g. Just watch for that.

 

[Felix le Chat]

Do you need an A2CofC etc for commercial use of a mini? I thought that only applied for craft above 250g.

You definitely do need commercial insurance, but that isn't particularly expensive.

If you want to be taken seriously by the people who pay your bill: certification is a good idea, on top of that it also gives the impression that you know what you're doing before you put a bird in the air. Quite a few 'clients' also tend to be drone 'experts' who expect to see a BIG bird taken out of a BIG case, they look at a Mav 2 or especially a sub-250 and immediately think you're an amateur then proceed to treat you like one. Letting them see your certs beforehand dispels this idea.

 

[Meta4]

Quite a few 'clients' ... expect to see a BIG bird taken out of a BIG case,

Having a portfolio of quality work to show is 10X more important than the size of your drone.

 

[Chapperz]

If you want to be taken seriously by the people who pay your bill: certification is a good idea, on top of that it also gives the impression that you know what you're doing before you put a bird in the air. Quite a few 'clients' also tend to be drone 'experts' who expect to see a BIG bird taken out of a BIG case, they look at a Mav 2 or especially a sub-250 and immediately think you're an amateur then proceed to treat you like one. Letting them see your certs beforehand dispels this idea.

That's exactly what I was worried about re the mini... But now you've said that about the certs I'm going to get one. Thanks for the advice