Any advice on prices to charge for aerial drone sevices
- Thread starter AS apex
- Start date
Thanks I'm always a day late and a dollar short. And I type with 2 fingers so I am just a little slow. It is probably a good thing my Maine accent doesn't come through the keyboard.
FlushVision
Premium Pilot
I've done a couple of free jobs for non-profit organisations in anticipation that they would lead to an increase of paid jobs on the back of the exposure they generate, but as far as I could tell those freeby jobs didn't generate any more paid jobs than I get from normal marketing and recommendations from previous paying clients. Due to this I decided not to do any more freebies...all my work to be paid for. However, I've decided to give it another shot and I've just today accepted a free of charge operation doing a photographic survey of some moorland where the Manchester Forestry are planning a new tree plantation. Hopefully that job will convert into extra paid work.
PatR
Premium Pilot
Consider the potential for additional publicity when thinking of doing a free shoot. If the client is one that holds everything close there's little or nothing to be gained unless they promise additional revenue work. One freebie for the largest real estate broker in 20 counties? That might be a good call. A free shoot for the owner of a new machine shop being set up in an obscure industrial area? Think long and hard about agreeing to that as it would probably end up just another opportunity to give your work away. If shooting for the architect or a surveying company it might be a good idea. If the client is one that publishes the product in numerous public venues things change, providing more exposure opportunities. Who, what, where? Works for pretty much everything.
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FlushVision
Premium Pilot
I agree. But sometimes even though (on the face of it) a freebie job is done where a good exposure is to be expected, jobs resulting in that exposure don't always materialise.
As an example, I did a freebie job for the organisers of a protest rally at the beginning of this year. Yes, my images got plastered all over social media and the short video produced from the obtained footage was shown on a couple of newspaper web sites and properly credited to me. Pretty good exposure, overall. But, as far as I could tell, didn't generate any noticeable extra jobs over and above what I could have expected through my normal marketing. Indeed it was this experience that made me vow not to do any more freebies...until now.
PatR
Premium Pilot
I am in the same boat as AS Apex, I am taking a passion and honed skillset from 5 years as a Hobbyist and trying to turn it into a bonifide business. One thing I have used to push back some of the cheap, non licensed non insured competition has been to teach clients (General Contractors and Real Estate generally) that the liability, if there is an accident, will come back to bite them. Most of the "fly by night" drone photographers don't have insurance, they don't have insurance because as an unlicensed pilot, no one will insure them.
If said pilot goes out, loses control of their drone (we all know this happens surprisingly often) and it causes an accident, lets say on the freeway as an example, who are the victims of said accident going after? Think they are going to go after the little guy with his drone and no money, or are they going after the multi million dollar company that hired an unlicensed uninsured pilot to do work for them? Of course my services cost more, hiring the wrong drone service could cost you (the client) everything....
I have several clients waiting in the wings for me to get my show of the ground using this tactic. Now if I could just Get my pan and tilt to work
If said pilot goes out, loses control of their drone (we all know this happens surprisingly often) and it causes an accident, lets say on the freeway as an example, who are the victims of said accident going after? Think they are going to go after the little guy with his drone and no money, or are they going after the multi million dollar company that hired an unlicensed uninsured pilot to do work for them? Of course my services cost more, hiring the wrong drone service could cost you (the client) everything....
I have several clients waiting in the wings for me to get my show of the ground using this tactic. Now if I could just Get my pan and tilt to work
I won't take my drone out for less than $250.00. The cost of the drone, the cost of insuring the drone, and the cost of carrying liability insurance makes $250 a bargain. Most of my work is in conjunction with a full video production. Rarely do I use my drone only in a production. I do not do real estate, inspections, or any drone only work. Lots of others flooding that market. It's been a great addition to my production arsenal but I can't imagine anyone making a living just with a drone.
So how important is it to be commercially licensed to charge for services?
Regarding rates, the only one ive seen so far here semi locally is ridiculous. Look up Dryft PDX
Regarding rates, the only one ive seen so far here semi locally is ridiculous. Look up Dryft PDX
PatR
Premium Pilot
How important? How about $10,000.00 a photo's worth in fines? The person employing the amateur to provide professional services is also subject to federal fines.
I don't feel those rates are ridiculous at all. They are charging what they feel the market will bear, and that's just good business. If the production is excellent and the customer is happy I don't see a problem with them. Too many forget that everything that goes into an aerial production should be charged to the customer. if the outfit is using $50,000.00 aerial rigs it's the customer that should be paying for them. You don't give away you're equipment or your knowledge for free. We are not charities.
I don't feel those rates are ridiculous at all. They are charging what they feel the market will bear, and that's just good business. If the production is excellent and the customer is happy I don't see a problem with them. Too many forget that everything that goes into an aerial production should be charged to the customer. if the outfit is using $50,000.00 aerial rigs it's the customer that should be paying for them. You don't give away you're equipment or your knowledge for free. We are not charities.
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FlushVision
Premium Pilot
I did that freebie job this Friday just gone. I sent the client 13 photographs (I took more pictures but just sent the best 13) and a video of just under 3 minutes length. I decided not to use my H480 for this job. I used my Phantom instead because with it being lighter than my H it was easier to take up onto the moors. If I had charged for this job it would have cost the client £320.
Guys, the information you have just posted is very valuable to yourself as well as all of us other Drone Operators that even consider trying to break into the business.
THANK YOU!!!
Can you also offer us advice on what type of volunteer work we may be able to do in order to get more experience! I will be blunt, I have only been flying since April due to my drone not working when I first tried it. I run a golf course and bought it to use in mapping out my course and possibly making a few videos for our website. I had given thought of getting into the business to make some money to offset my expenditures or even to make a good retirement job. I will be getting a license as soon as I can get the experience and expertise to warrant it. I would like to know if I can offer my services to help me get the needed hours and exposure.
I do not want to do freebee work that would take business away from others but rather maybe work that may help the community. What might you recommend or not recommend.
To be honest I do not think I have any pilots in my area other than smaller hobby drones.
THANK YOU!!!
Can you also offer us advice on what type of volunteer work we may be able to do in order to get more experience! I will be blunt, I have only been flying since April due to my drone not working when I first tried it. I run a golf course and bought it to use in mapping out my course and possibly making a few videos for our website. I had given thought of getting into the business to make some money to offset my expenditures or even to make a good retirement job. I will be getting a license as soon as I can get the experience and expertise to warrant it. I would like to know if I can offer my services to help me get the needed hours and exposure.
I do not want to do freebee work that would take business away from others but rather maybe work that may help the community. What might you recommend or not recommend.
To be honest I do not think I have any pilots in my area other than smaller hobby drones.
FlushVision
Premium Pilot
Well, that freebie job I did last Friday was for the secretary of a group that does conservation work on some historic moorland near to where I live. The job was to get some photographs or an area of the moor where it is planned to plant a lot of trees. The group doesn't have much of a budget and certainly would not have been able to pay for the services that I, or any other pilot, can offer. So doing a freebie for them would definitely not have taken work from anyone else.
As I've said previously, having done a couple of freebie jobs in the past that, as far as I could tell, didn't result in any extra work, I had decided not to do any more freebies. I decided to give it another shot last Friday since I happen to know that the pictures I took will be seen by Manchester Forestry who will be overseeing the tree planting, and the local authority among others, so should give some good exposure.
My advice to you, then, is that if you do decide to do a couple of freebies and not risk taking that work from others, then steer clear of the corporate sector and look at 'not for profit' organisations similar to the one I did that job for last Friday. Be sure, though, that any work you do for them will give you good exposure by having your credited work shown on their well visited web site and get them to share that work with other (preferably) not for profit organisations. That way, if you do it before you get a licence (in the U.K. we don't call it a licence. here it's called a permission), then you won't fall foul of any 'consideration' issues, while still getting some exposure. Remember, though, to retain copyright so that you have a say in where and how those images are used.
PatR
Premium Pilot
There's a couple ways to look at "freebie" work, and the size of your community along with your involvement in it may affect your considerations. The angle of providing free work to obtain free advertising or referrals is always present, with the scope of the project impacting what you may get out if it for what you put into it. You'll most always give more than you receive.
If you're already active in support of your community you might view some level of charitable "public service" as something you might like to do while accepting future referrals as an additional benefit. Smaller communities often are short on financial resources so what you may give in support may be reward enough by itself. Occasional pro bono work for a community service agency or local media can do much for the community, your business, and how the public perceives multirotors. Avoid giving away the house or arrive at a point you start to resent the calls for help. Don't develop a reputation as being the go to guy for free labor. Place a cap on project size based on the rates charged for your work. Avoid performing work that would be in obvious competition with other aerial firms to prevent under cutting the market.
If you're already active in support of your community you might view some level of charitable "public service" as something you might like to do while accepting future referrals as an additional benefit. Smaller communities often are short on financial resources so what you may give in support may be reward enough by itself. Occasional pro bono work for a community service agency or local media can do much for the community, your business, and how the public perceives multirotors. Avoid giving away the house or arrive at a point you start to resent the calls for help. Don't develop a reputation as being the go to guy for free labor. Place a cap on project size based on the rates charged for your work. Avoid performing work that would be in obvious competition with other aerial firms to prevent under cutting the market.
To seperate yourself from hobbyists you need to show you are professional. Have a portfolio, insurance not just FAA, flight logs, etc. Anybody can put a drone in the air and hit record, but can you assure safety, quality video, and variety of services. I just bought an H because I live in a very windy area and very happy. I do have to tweak my video in production, but with the proper settings, filters, lighting, and camera angles I have been able to produce video similar to my inspire 2 ver2.
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