Looking for ideas to earn some money using my Air 3S. What are folks out there doing that works?
Sell it.
Real estate, events, solar panel inspections, and construction progress shots are solid gigs.
Mapping is where the serious money is, but I’m not sure how doable that is with the Air 3S.
Zion said:
Real estate, events, solar panel inspections, and construction progress shots are solid gigs.
Mapping is where the serious money is, but I’m not sure how doable that is with the Air 3S.
Mapping’s actually pretty straightforward—but the software will run you like $1k to get started.
@Wei
The problem is, the Air 3S doesn’t support third-party apps. DJI cut off SDK access after the Air 2S.
@Wei
Sorry if this sounds basic, but what exactly is mapping?
Deleted comment.
Bevan said:
Deleted comment.
Whatever it was, that pipeline sounded wild lol.
Bevan said:
Deleted comment.
Just a heads up—you need a license for paid drone work in the U.S.
Wait, didn’t you say in another post that you’re 16? Do you already have your Part 107? And are you set up with business licensing and insurance?
Nuri said:
Wait, didn’t you say in another post that you’re 16? Do you already have your Part 107? And are you set up with business licensing and insurance?
He asked for ideas to make money—not for someone to play FAA inspector. Either help or don’t.
@Finley
It’s a fair question though. You can’t legally charge for drone work without the right paperwork—could land you in serious trouble and it’s also not cool to undercut folks doing it legit.
If OP’s got that covered, then yeah—mapping, real estate shoots, and construction site updates are good ways to get started. But make sure you’re confident in your flying and editing skills first. Build a little portfolio, maybe make a simple site and print some cheap business cards.
@Vesper
I hear you, but it’s still a bit much for a casual thread. Let folks ask follow-ups if they want that info. No need to lead with the rules like a hall monitor.
Finley said:
@Vesper
I hear you, but it’s still a bit much for a casual thread. Let folks ask follow-ups if they want that info. No need to lead with the rules like a hall monitor.
I get that, but honestly, “Don’t get fined” is solid advice, especially if OP didn’t know.
Real estate drone work is a great idea though. Even just offering simple overhead shots to agents could be a good start. Then add cooler moves as you improve.
Nuri said:
Wait, didn’t you say in another post that you’re 16? Do you already have your Part 107? And are you set up with business licensing and insurance?
Yep. I’m fully legal and ready to go.
Watch when your neighbors go on vacation…
???
Sell the stuff you ‘find’
Profit
(just kidding)
If you’re in one of the cities Spexi operates in, you could look into that. They offer aerial mapping jobs that pay per mission.
Ira said:
If you’re in one of the cities Spexi operates in, you could look into that. They offer aerial mapping jobs that pay per mission.
https://www.spexi.com/
The Air 3S doesn’t support third-party waypoint missions though.
@Jody
Ah, true. Forgot it’s not even on Spexi’s supported list. They require a Mini 2/3/4 for that stuff.