My rates are largely based on the complexity of a job rather than the quantity or time spent on site. Here in the U.K. If you are going to fly within the commercial rules there is a lot of prep work to be undertaken before the actual flight. For example:
Fill out a 'Client Request Form' whilst Conducting a pre-site survey using Google Earth, Altitude Angel, etc. At this stage I will either except or decline the client's brief. If declining the brief at this stage then there is no charge to the client. If the pre-site survey indicates that the brief is viable, then I will inform the client and if he wishes me to proceed I will warn him that any further work I do will incur a cost. If agreed, then seek permissions for take off and landing sites if not owned by the client; Conduct an on-site assessment if necessary before the day of the flight (not always necessary); Seek to inform ATC if flying in class D airspace; this pre site stuff is not exhaustive, and if this pre-flight stuff indicates that a flight is not viable after all, for example, a land owner has refused permission for a take off or landing site and an alternative cannot be found, then inform the client of my refusal to continue with the brief and then seek a payment for my trouble (not always easy to get despite an agreement I may add).
On the morning of the flight: Get a TAF and METAR from the nearest airport that does them; Consult NOTAMS. This too is not exhaustive.
On site do a site & risk assessment (including on site weather observations) then deliver a pre-flight briefing to the client and other interested parties present to help clarify the brief and to let them know what I expect of them for a safe area of operations & emergency procedures. Erect a cordon if necessary to try and keep public away. Then if I deem all to be safe do the flight.
Note that all of the above is not always exhaustive. Depending on the job it can get even more involved!
After the flight do a post flight de-brief.
A typical job for me, then would be in the region of £160.00 (More if I encounter extraordinary difficulties) which would give the client at least 10 minutes of un-edited video footage (usually a lot more), or at least 10 raw photographs (usually a lot more), and will probably involve the use of two flight batteries. If the brief calls for more than two batteries, multiple take-off and landing sites, or more than one drone, then the extra cost will reflect this. I also charge £0.40 pence per mile if I have to travel more than 35 road miles to a job. Note, though, that I will not even contemplate a job for less than £85.00 and that would be for the very simplest of briefs that is relatively close to my home.
I don't normally do video editing for a client preferring to just supply the raw footage and let the client decide his own best edit. If, though, the client wants me to do the editing, then the cost will reflect this. Generally, I will keep the rights to any footage but I'm prepared to negotiate this depending on circumstances.
In the past I've done certain jobs for the likes of environmental/conservation groups, not profit organisations, and charities free of charge to enhance my reputation, and once when doing a job free of charge I found evidence of a previously un-known pre-historic round house...which really was a feather in my cap. Best free pro-job I've ever done.
In Sweden most of my customers love fixed prices not by the hour.
