I’m curious about how much other drone pilots are earning.
Right now, I make $21 an hour doing roof inspections part-time with my own equipment. Honestly, it’s starting to feel like a waste when the local Panda Express pays the same and offers more hours.
Is this normal for the industry? Or am I just getting ripped off?
It really depends on what kind of work you’re doing and the quality of it. Having a strong portfolio makes a huge difference.
For example:
For larger projects, I negotiate rates. I do golf course flyovers, and I charge $125-$175 per hole. It usually takes 15 minutes per hole, so I can knock out a good portion of a course in half a day and then come back for any reshoots.
I make $30 an hour working for a state entity. I’ve met private drone pilots earning the equivalent of $90 an hour, though.
Depends on the job. For surveying and mapping, I earn $140 an hour. Roof inspections usually break down to $30-$40 an hour. The issue is that drone work has turned into a race to the bottom, with too many pilots offering their services cheap to undercut others.
@AirborneAce
This is exactly why I got out of film and photogrammetry work. People willing to do the same jobs I used to charge $500 for at just $50.
I usually charge 90€ an hour as a base rate. Beyond that, it depends on the project and how much I can negotiate.
Supply and demand play a huge role in pricing.
Will said:
Supply and demand play a huge role in pricing.
That’s why I’m asking. I want to know if it’s worth sticking with this or if I should cut my losses since it seems like supply outweighs demand.
@Reese
Exactly, and based on what you’ve shared, you might already have your answer.
To be honest? I make $42 an hour, plus 10 hours of overtime each week. It’s full-time, with company equipment, a company vehicle, a gas card, and $86 per diem for meals every day of the week. Lodging is fully covered too.
For context, I do high-risk wildfire mitigation in California. As you can imagine, it’s pretty critical work right now.
I earn $27 an hour doing thermal deer recovery and spraying. I expect my rate to go up eventually once our work becomes self-sustaining, but for now, it’s subsidized by other parts of the business.
A company I work with sends me addresses and shot lists—mainly for gas stations and restaurants. I get about two jobs a month, and they pay $150-$200 an hour for unedited work. If they wanted edits, I’d charge more.
I know someone who combines drone shots with traditional photo and video work for residential real estate. The drone is just one part of their overall skill set.
I get $17 an hour working on a major international TV show. Yeah, it sucks.
In my opinion, this field isn’t worth it. I use drones and small aircraft to complement my main profession, but too many people are just looking to make enough money to buy their next drone.
I charge $450 per location. This includes 15-20 edited and branded photos and a 1-3 minute edited video. I deliver everything via Dropbox and host it for a year. This is mostly for construction site progress updates.
If I need airspace waivers, I include the cost in my pricing but then give a 100% discount for them. I also charge $50 for composite photos (like stitching together 100 photos for a high-res image), but clients don’t request that often. I use a Mavic 3 Pro and Adobe software.
The drone is just a tool. What skills or expertise do you bring to the table? That’s what determines your value. Flying a drone isn’t special—what makes you stand out?
$150/hour in Texas and $225/hour in California for basic RGB work. LiDAR adds another 30% to those rates.
The drone industry has changed a lot. Your pay depends on things like location and skills.
For example, in places like Texas, Florida, or California, drone jobs with companies pay $25-$50/hour. Running your own business can get you $100-$250/hour depending on the project—like videography, photography, or real estate. Advanced skills, like being an FPV pilot or editing videos, also make you more marketable.
@Ira
I’m in a big city and know how to do mapping, but I don’t have GIS or similar certifications. My question is whether it’s worth investing in growing as a drone pilot, or if that’s no longer a good long-term skill.