Need help with Drone fees please - I am an experienced pilot now going into Drone Buisness

[James in the Desert]

Well, I have been flying since 2016 as I eased into semi-retirement from the Hotel industry; I have accumulated 2000 + Hours and now have my Part 107. However, this has been a side gig since COVID, and I find my passion has excelled for flying Drones for work, and I will be heading back home to the Palm Springs area. Can you members please share what are reasonable fees for all segments of our industry? I am also proficient with DroneDeploy, and I will take all suggestions on board Kind regards. James

www.DroneWork.International

 

[GFields]

Pricing varies from state to state even city to city. Google local drone pilots and see what they're charging. Please know that it is not my intention for this information to disappoint you but with the saturation of drone ownership, it is tough to make a full-time business exclusively with drones. I am an established photographer who introduced drones in my business in 2014. Fortunately for me, I have a pretty large clientele. But, I'm seeing more and more youngsters offering their services for practically nothing.

Also, what services you plan to offer will also make a big difference. The residential real estate market is heavily saturated with drone photographers, followed by commercial real estate.

 

[James in the Desert]

Pricing varies from state to state even city to city. Google local drone pilots and see what they're charging. Please know that it is not my intention for this information to disappoint you but with the saturation of drone ownership, it is tough to make a full-time business exclusively with drones. I am an established photographer who introduced drones in my business in 2014. Fortunately for me, I have a pretty large clientele. But, I'm seeing more and more youngsters offering their services for practically nothing.

Also, what services you plan to offer will also make a big difference. The residential real estate market is heavily saturated with drone photographers, followed by commercial real estate.

Thank you for your feedback, I totally have taken this onboard

 

[BigAl07]

You might find more detailed information over at our sister forum:

Commercial Drone Pilots Forum

Commercial Drone, UAV, UAS Industry Discussions

commercialdronepilots.com

Just a tid bit of advice....

It's rare for a Drone Only Service Provider to make it in today's market. With the cost of entry at the "Beer $$" level anyone can afford to be a Drone Service Provider. You need to create/dive into a NICHE market to make yourself stand out from the masses (and I do mean masses).

I started flying UAS Commercially in 2011, went "legal" in 2013 by getting Tax ID etc with the state, and hustled it as a Side Gig for 10 years. During that time I went from Drone Only to becoming a Full Service Photography Business serving Real Estate, Construction, Agriculture, Events, and I have a long-standing association with Emergency Services. I went from "Side Gig" to Full Time last November and it was one of the best moves I've ever made but it wasn't easy and it wasn't Drone Only!! I stress that "Drone Only" could be a tough gig depending on the Drone Saturation you see in your immediate service area.

 

[James in the Desert]

You might find more detailed information over at our sister forum:

Commercial Drone Pilots Forum

Commercial Drone, UAV, UAS Industry Discussions

commercialdronepilots.com

Just a tid bit of advice....

It's rare for a Drone Only Service Provider to make it in today's market. With the cost of entry at the "Beer $$" level anyone can afford to be a Drone Service Provider. You need to create/dive into a NICHE market to make yourself stand out from the masses (and I do mean masses).

I started flying UAS Commercially in 2011, went "legal" in 2013 by getting Tax ID etc with the state, and hustled it as a Side Gig for 10 years. During that time I went from Drone Only to becoming a Full Service Photography Business serving Real Estate, Construction, Agriculture, Events, and I have a long-standing association with Emergency Services. I went from "Side Gig" to Full Time last November and it was one of the best moves I've ever made but it wasn't easy and it wasn't Drone Only!! I stress that "Drone Only" could be a tough gig depending on the Drone Saturation you see in your immediate service area.

thank you so much for your advice and your wisdom I fully take it on board. I have been side giving for awhile and I am completely set up with my company name and everything. Thank you for the drone only advice I have been using the DJI products as far as the Osmo pocket 2 and Action 3 for some time, so I feel comfortable, I can blend them both together once again, thank you

 

[millbah]

Hi James, I agree with above comments. In my part of the world going drone only doesn't work. I combine drone mapping & video with land surveying. Drone mapping is used as underlay to autocad drawing. I provide the drone map as part of the service. As for fees, I estimate the basic cost (transport, time on site, processing time etc) with margin and build that into total price as a package. So to me, the niche is combining drone with something else.

 

[James in the Desert]

Hi James, I agree with above comments. In my part of the world going drone only doesn't work. I combine drone mapping & video with land surveying. Drone mapping is used as underlay to autocad drawing. I provide the drone map as part of the service. As for fees, I estimate the basic cost (transport, time on site, processing time etc) with margin and build that into total price as a package. So to me, the niche is combining drone with something else.

Thank you.

 

[BetterBizWorks]

Well, I have been flying since 2016 as I eased into semi-retirement from the Hotel industry; I have accumulated 2000 + Hours and now have my Part 107. However, this has been a side gig since COVID, and I find my passion has excelled for flying Drones for work, and I will be heading back home to the Palm Springs area. Can you members please share what are reasonable fees for all segments of our industry? I am also proficient with DroneDeploy, and I will take all suggestions on board Kind regards. James

www.DroneWork.International

James, I am assuming that you will go after the hospitality industry since that is your background. The resort industry is in dire need of new pics and video by drone. $200 per hour including planning, transportation time and editing would be considered reasonable in my humble opinion.

 

[BigAl07]

James, I am assuming that you will go after the hospitality industry since that is your background. The resort industry is in dire need of new pics and video by drone. $200 per hour including planning, transportation time and editing would be considered reasonable in my humble opinion.

That's a good starting # but it's a bit on the LOW side unless you're in the lower end of the industry. I'll suffice to say our rates are significantly higher than that but it depends on your clientele, their marketing budget, your level of quality in the finished product, and your services offered.

The only aspect for us that is outside of your suggestion is travel expenses etc are paid by the client 100%. We travel all across the US and will be doing International starting at the end of this year. They provide a Travel Credit Card (it's a Corp card of theirs) and all travel is paid by them via the card. We don't get some of the perks of travel $ but we have zero accounting and hassles with billing etc.

 

[James in the Desert]

James, I am assuming that you will go after the hospitality industry since that is your background. The resort industry is in dire need of new pics and video by drone. $200 per hour including planning, transportation time and editing would be considered reasonable in my humble opinion.

Thank you, That is definitely the plan and I have already started my marketing in that direction. I appreciate your response and foresight. Once again thank you

 

[RBrotzman]

Pricing varies from state to state even city to city. Google local drone pilots and see what they're charging. Please know that it is not my intention for this information to disappoint you but with the saturation of drone ownership, it is tough to make a full-time business exclusively with drones. I am an established photographer who introduced drones in my business in 2014. Fortunately for me, I have a pretty large clientele. But, I'm seeing more and more youngsters offering their services for practically nothing.

Also, what services you plan to offer will also make a big difference. The residential real estate market is heavily saturated with drone photographers, followed by commercial real estate.

You're not kidding about the residential real estate market being heavily saturated with drone photographers. As a commercial real estate appraiser, I bought my drone and got my Part 107 license to be able to put aerials into my own appraisal reports, and haven't made any effort to market my drone services to others in the real estate field outside my own appraisal office.

I'm seeing so many aerials now in MLS listings (both residential and commercial) that I can't help wondering how many of the people putting those aerial photos in their listings are using legitimately licensed drone photographers, and how many of them just went out and bought a drone, and are using it completely unaware that you're supposed to have a license if you use the drone for any commercial purpose. I know at least one Realtor who was using her unlicensed adult son to take drone photos for her listings, and neither one of them had a clue that he needed a license to do that. It would be nice if the local Board of Realtors would require agents to provide proof of a Part 107 license on any drone photos before allowing them to be posted in an MLS listing, but I don't see that happening.

 

[BigAl07]

You're not kidding about the residential real estate market being heavily saturated with drone photographers. As a commercial real estate appraiser, I bought my drone and got my Part 107 license to be able to put aerials into my own appraisal reports, and haven't made any effort to market my drone services to others in the real estate field outside my own appraisal office.

I'm seeing so many aerials now in MLS listings (both residential and commercial) that I can't help wondering how many of the people putting those aerial photos in their listings are using legitimately licensed drone photographers, and how many of them just went out and bought a drone, and are using it completely unaware that you're supposed to have a license if you use the drone for any commercial purpose. I know at least one Realtor who was using her unlicensed adult son to take drone photos for her listings, and neither one of them had a clue that he needed a license to do that. It would be nice if the local Board of Realtors would require agents to provide proof of a Part 107 license on any drone photos before allowing them to be posted in an MLS listing, but I don't see that happening.

While there are less "illegal" REA Drone operators than before they are still very prevalent. So many still think/preach that they don't need Part 107 and I do my best to educate the Assoc every chance I get. If the BOR were to be held liable for rogue Drone pics that would definitely help our cause but that's not going to happen.

In regards to the BOR requiring Part 107, I started that adventure back in 2016 with the NAR and they had ZERO interest in "policing" their members. Our local MLS does require a CURRENT Part 107 to be on file with them to accept any Drone images so that helps some but I know of one that is using his Part 107 friend as his "Loop Hole".

Yes the Real Estate market is super saturated. Even "traditional" photographers are now on the Drone bandwagon and doing it themselves as an add-on. I don't blame them as I would do the same thing.