Dronebase.com

[Texy]

I don't give any prices on my commercial web site. All I say, essentially, is that prices are dependent on the work involved and that I will quote a price for a job. Take a look at Pricing information

Good policy. I agree with it 100%. What I meant by menu pricing was that I intend to quote prices in a menu pricing style. My goal is to make $150/hr but the client need not know that. They should know that for me to show up and shoot some video or photos, hand them the data and leave, will be $150 (if I estimate that to take less than an hour) and if they want processing it will be another $100 (if I estimate it to be less than an hour of work). Most real estate jobs will be about $250 by my estimation, and I can put it that way to the client as if it were menu pricing in a quote that is specific to my estimates of their job. Then the quote itself becomes the menu for that gig and they can pick and choose services off of it. The prices could be different on every job but a lot of them will be similar because of the $150 standard I've set for myself. quote, Whew. Sorry for the mouthful.

 

[FlushVision]

Good policy. I agree with it 100%. What I meant by menu pricing was that I intend to quote prices in a menu pricing style. My goal is to make $150/hr but the client need not know that. They should know that for me to show up and shoot some video or photos, hand them the data and leave, will be $150 (if I estimate that to take less than an hour) and if they want processing it will be another $100 (if I estimate it to be less than an hour of work). Most real estate jobs will be about $250 by my estimation, and I can put it that way to the client as if it were menu pricing in a quote that is specific to my estimates of their job. Then the quote itself becomes the menu for that gig and they can pick and choose services off of it. The prices could be different on every job but a lot of them will be similar because of the $150 standard I've set for myself. quote, Whew. Sorry for the mouthful.

For me, most jobs can be done in just a hour on site so long as I've planned it well before hand using Google Earth and such like. Some jobs, though, can involve me being on site longer...particularly if I have to erect a cordon or the job is of a more complicated nature requiring more than two flight batteries (I've found that most well planned missions can be done with just two flight batteries...often with just one!). But still, my rates are job dependent rather than time dependent...but then, my rates will reflect the complexity of the mission so it follows that if I'm on site for more than a hour it is probably because the mission is more complex and my quoted price will reflect this.
As a side note, I don't always accept a job...not at any cost. All my flights are done within legal parameters and some briefs I see simply can't be done legally. For that reason I will do an office based flight feasibility assessment (using google earth and such like) free of charge. This is for my benefit so that I avoid the risk of the authorities knocking on my door.

Is it the norm where you are to charge by the hour?

 

[PatR]

Many customers like to hear an hourly rate simply because many of them also work by the hour. They're used to it. If they aren't "professionals" they run into problems dealing with complexity that way.

 

[FlushVision]

Many customers like to hear an hourly rate simply because many of them also work by the hour. They're used to it. If they aren't "professionals" they run into problems dealing with complexity that way.

Hmmm. Most folk in the U.K. would throw a Benny if I quoted by the hour £160.00 for a hour's work on site as they see it not realizing, of course, that you have most likely already done at least a couple of hours pre-site work, you need to cover maintenance costs (wear & tear replacements), insurance, marketing, licensing (in the U.K. you have to renew your PfCO every year), training etc. They would probably think: 'Bloody ****, I only get paid £10.00 per hour...I'm in the wrong job!). Much easier to charge by the gig than by the hour. Most folk in the U.K. would expect this.
A difference in cultures?

 

[PatR]

If they want to have a real conniption, have them obtain an hourly quote from one of the military's small sUAS service contracting outfits. They quote based upon "time on station", referring to when the camera gets on the target. Rates start about $3,000.00-$4,000.00/hour with the large birds going up to over $40,000/hour. Dispensing of "stores" is extra.

 

[Tuna]

There's a risk with jobs that have lots of different 'parts' that charging by the hour ends up with confusion or bill shock.

Best to tell them what you're going to deliver, what it'll cost and a break down of the work that goes into the job. It's a chance to get their expectations aligned, have exactly what you're going to do down in writing and to show them just how complicated a 'simple job' can be. It's also a chance to make it clear that re-work or adjustments are extras. Not that you'll always want to charge them, but for those cases when you have clients who come up with an endless loop of "Can you just...", you can point to the letter of engagement and make it clear that your time is not free.

As far as panos are concerned, I've had plenty of success, for instance: Crucible Woods

Personally, I'd steer well clear of Dronebase or any site like that - they're reducing professional work to a cheap commodity. Not only are they reducing the perceived hourly rate 'value' of your work, but they're also promoting drones as being lowest-common denominator tools. The impression they leave customers with is that a drone is no different from a camera on a stick.

 

[Texy]

Tuna,

You have described the "menu" philosophy that I attempted to describe, only much better. Programmer == creative writer.
The pano that you showed is different than the one that my H does when set to automate it. Mine pitches up to V horizon and goes in a single full circle, nothing else.

 

[Shadowolf]

Tuna,

You have described the "menu" philosophy that I attempted to describe, only much better. Programmer == creative writer.
The pano that you showed is different than the one that my H does when set to automate it. Mine pitches up to V horizon and goes in a single full circle, nothing else.

Look under the options menu lower right of screen camera shutter icon.
Choose 2 row pano.

 

[carl snyder]

I get permission to fly an area at no cost and then show them the photos or videos. If they want the material then I talk price. Out of many, many flight I have been turned down once and I still got to fly my ACP [Aerial Camera Platform].

 

[Air One]

Tuna was so very correct in saying that he is (Personally, I'd steer well clear of Dronebase or any site like that - they're reducing professional work to a cheap commodity. Not only are they reducing the perceived hourly rate 'value' of your work, but they're also promoting drones as being lowest-common denominator tools. The impression they leave customers with is that a drone is no different from a camera on a stick.)

And I also agree with that, and with that do you think the 25 to 40 dollars that they are paying out is fair, NO WAY, You can bet they are charging their clients a great deal more than that.

But of course its business if they can get a bunch of people doing all the work for little payout it means BIG payouts to them.

 

[thomashall1993]

Fly real estate jobs on spec, and hopefully $25 comes in the future. If you fly some good jobs that work out well you become eligible for the client requests. These assignments pay in advance and supposedly decent money.

I flew a few of the spec missions today. One shows promise. The others, ehhh. I don't know.

There's a vacant lot that might work out. A bunch of warehouses and stuff. The photos they want are minimal and you upload them for the company do stitch them and try to sell them.

There are houses too, but this is spec work. The homeowners don't know you're coming, and the realtor has never heard of Drone Base, so be careful not to get shot if you're in Texas like me. There is also pretty much anything that says the word "lease" in its ad. I think so because all the apartment complexes are listed as gigs, but you know they're not. Strip malls too. So it's worth the time to plan the outings with Google Satellite views first.

One place I went to was a duplex, so I called the agent to talk about aerial photos and whether they would even be effective on a duplex. We decided together not to do it. She is interested in sending me out to take care of some acreage properties for her, but she hasn't landed the gig yet. I'll stand by to hear back from her. She made me want to drive around and cold call agents. That might actually work, ****. Maybe roll up on some open houses ready to go and strike a deal right then and there.

I'm just starting out but my income needs are above $25/job so I am keeping my day job for now. I think I could live comfortably on $75 net per job though. In these lean times I can't pass up anything, though. So here I go.

I won't show up to a job for less than $150.

 

[Air One]

Think about it, you are willing to to a 25 dollar job for someone you know is charging their client a great deal more. And if dronebase thinks you are good you MAY become eligible for the client requests as they say. A thought for someone just starting out, once the word is out that you do 25 dollar jobs and the word will get out , as you grow you might be stuck in the price structure. If you are wanting to deal with realtors, find one or two and meet with them show them what you have done and offer a deal on the first couple they have you do to show them the benefit of the aerials, then work out a price structure that works for you both. We do not have set fees as no two jobs have ever been the same, we do however have our base prices and work from there.

The UAV craze has brought out every and anyone with a drone to sell their photos and videos CHEAP, I just saw a video from a family member in Florida who owns a beautiful resort and they went the low cost route , Holly crap I said, so you paid someone a low dollar amount to fly and provide you with jerky video , flying over a crowded beach full of people then down the main road over the cars and to top it off flew at night again over the crowded beach and traffic to show all the lights. I told them you got exactly what you paid for. And by the way your pilot broke so many FAA rules and is not aware or concerned about safety. I need to check to see if they used a referral program.

So pilots don't sell yourself or service cheap, you may need the money starting out, I understand, but remember you want to be called a professional. Be creative in your marketing and if need me do some Pro Bono work, we have done several shoots for free that have lead to some huge benefits, are free shoots are what we called our advertisement

 

[Rubik]

Tuna,

You have described the "menu" philosophy that I attempted to describe, only much better. Programmer == creative writer.
The pano that you showed is different than the one that my H does when set to automate it. Mine pitches up to V horizon and goes in a single full circle, nothing else.

The CGO3+ has been shipped with at least 2 different lenses. From what I've heard, some early models had the 115-deg FOV lens which produces a curved horizon when tilted up or down. Most now have the 98-deg FOV lens which always produces a straight horizon. Since the pano option was added recently, it's possible that it just doesn't work well with the early 115 lens.

 

[Shadowolf]

Realestate agents here are paying 130$ for a full photo shoot of the house, Inside, outside and all. So you better have more than a drone to get into that market.

 

[PatR]

Or associate with a "grounded" photographer with a good camera and sliders. That's what I did. Saved a lot in equipment costs and increased lead generation.

 

[Shadowolf]

But still if he his only getting 130$ how much do you think he would pay for the drone shots? Not $150 or $100 maybe $50.?

 

[FlushVision]

The CGO3+ has been shipped with at least 2 different lenses. From what I've heard, some early models had the 115-deg FOV lens which produces a curved horizon when tilted up or down. Most now have the 98-deg FOV lens which always produces a straight horizon. Since the pano option was added recently, it's possible that it just doesn't work well with the early 115 lens.

I have an early model (received by me on 1st June 2016) and I don't get curves in my horizon. I'm in the U.K. so I don't know if that is significant.

 

[FlushVision]

...<snip>...Be creative in your marketing and if need me do some Pro Bono work, we have done several shoots for free that have lead to some huge benefits, are free shoots are what we called our advertisement

I've done a couple of 'freebies' for clients hoping that they would generate future paid work but, as far as I can tell, they didn't lead to any paid for jobs. One in particular was quite a difficult one for the organisers of a protest rally against the building on Green Belt land around Manchester (U.K.) I knew that the video I produced from it would be seen by many on social media and local news since the proposed building on green belt was a hot potato at the time, and my aerial footage was the only footage available and was the only flight allowed by the organisers. (I used a few seconds of that footage in one of my showreels if anyone is interested)

But that job didn't lead to any paid for jobs as far as I can tell. I ask all my clients how or where they have heard about me and not one has referenced that flight. If I'd have charged for that flight it would have probably come in around the £400.00 mark since it involved some challenging video editing and a pre-flight site visit to risk assess the operating area.

I won't be doing another freebie again in a hurry...not unless there is a greater certainty of it generating some paid for work.

 

[Dr Delta]

Realestate agents here are paying 130$ for a full photo shoot of the house, Inside, outside and all. So you better have more than a drone to get into that market.

I have the handheld LiPo charged 'action cam' thingie for that. Just make some grounded HiRes video and do frame grabbing.

 

[Texy]

I have the handheld LiPo charged 'action cam' thingie for that. Just make some grounded HiRes video and do frame grabbing.

Does that $130 come with post processing and video editing?