AUS: Making money licensed with ReOC

[DroningOnAndOn]

I'm considering getting licensed so I can work by myself which involves obtaining the full ReOC license.

How is work for a Phantom 4 Pro owner? Licensed I can get insurance and actively canvass for work with businesses though my wife is concerned that there may not be much work or it may be difficult to find.

I imagine the usual suspects are in real estate but I imagine there is a multitude of jobs in industry as well...though finding it may be tricky.

I am in Melbourne so it would be city and outer suburb work.

Could anyone that uses their Phantom for making money chime in?

The CASA license is let's be honest, not exactly inexpensive and it'll take time to recoup the costs of the license, insurance and naturally Phantoms (future ones and as they crash or fail etc and need replacing).

I'm not interested in anything fancy as I have no desire to purchase an Inspire 2 and camera and have $10K worth of flying stress.

I'd be very interested in website work, real estate, industry work etc (taking photos/vid of structures and roofs and equipment).

How much do guys charge as well? I've got some figures in my mind that I'd need to charge to make a decent buck and not be crushed in the market but you need the work first.

Do you as part of the deal supply edited video or raw files with extra costs for edited video?

Thanks for any feedback!

 

[Meta4]

I'm considering getting licensed so I can work by myself which involves obtaining the full ReOC license.
...
I imagine the usual suspects are in real estate but I imagine there is a multitude of jobs in industry as well...though finding it may be tricky.

Finding the work is the key point. I was making (some) money but it's slowed down to a trickle this year.
The CASA website shows 1147 licensed operators out there: UAS certificate holders | Civil Aviation Safety Authority
But it's not necessary to be licensed to use your Phantom commercially: Commercial unmanned flight - remotely piloted aircraft under 2kg | Civil Aviation Safety Authority
So there are thousands of unlicensed hopefuls as well.
There's no shortage of people out there hoping to make a dollar with their Phantom and some are offering to almost give away their product.

Rather than investing heavily and then finding out what your prospects are, it would make sense to "try before you buy" and see how you go.

 

[DroningOnAndOn]

Yeah I definitely was thinking about trying out via the under 2kg regs. I've got my CASA code so I can work commercially but without the ability to get insurance and the 30m limitations I wasn't sure how businesses would treat me (i.e. they'd shy away for people with public liability etc)

 

[tevek]

Finding the work is the key point. I was making (some) money but it's slowed down to a trickle this year.
The CASA website shows 1147 licensed operators out there: UAS certificate holders | Civil Aviation Safety Authority
But it's not necessary to be licensed to use your Phantom commercially: Commercial unmanned flight - remotely piloted aircraft under 2kg | Civil Aviation Safety Authority
So there are thousands of unlicensed hopefuls as well.
There's no shortage of people out there hoping to make a dollar with their Phantom and some are offering to almost give away their product.

Rather than investing heavily and then finding out what your prospects are, it would make sense to "try before you buy" and see how you go.

Coincidentally, I was asked this week to provide some aerial footage of the local golf course after the VP learned that I had a drone and rather than bring someone down from Perth, would I be interested in doing it. I planned on a couple of panos and some footage using way points which is no big deal. Belonging to a couple of other forums over here had me confused with regards to the legalities of doing so and I suspect this was being clouded by some contributors trying to push the hobbyists like me out of the game to shore up their own interests. I read your second link to confirm that the only hassle relates to insurance and given the location of the golf course, no airstrips according to CASA and that it is rarely used during the week, I'm pretty much good to go. There will be no payment of any kind (I have no interest or confidence in doing so as a business proposition), I'll abide by the SOC and have a crack at it this week when the skies clear.
Did you solve your 'no signal' dilemma?

 

[Meta4]

Yeah I definitely was thinking about trying out via the under 2kg regs. I've got my CASA code so I can work commercially but without the ability to get insurance and the 30m limitations I wasn't sure how businesses would treat me (i.e. they'd shy away for people with public liability etc)

If you can find real estate agents that are interested, they probably won't care at all.
The catch is finding agents that are interested.
They've already had 30 people come through their door offering (some very cheap) and they are now either using some cheapster or have bought their own drone.
None of the agents that used to give me work have called me since early this year.
Attempting to drum up business with others, I get a very positive response in their office followed up by never hearing from them again.

It may be different where you are and you might be better at business development too.

 

[Meta4]

I read your second link to confirm

CASA are very pragmatic about it.
It's quite legal to take photos from your drone.
As long as you are flying safely, they don't want to police who can and who can't sell photos.

Did you solve your 'no signal' dilemma?

Still grounded.
Possibly an issue with the controller - jumped through hoops yesterday with online help and now waiting for Support to answer my email and get things happening.

 

[DroningOnAndOn]

That's definitely a bit depressing TBBH! I've wondered about this myself.

I wonder what the point of becoming fully licensed is if you don't do film/tv or agriculture (large drones)?

If you can find real estate agents that are interested, they probably won't care at all.
The catch is finding agents that are interested.
They've already had 30 people come through their door offering (some very cheap) and they are now either using some cheapster or have bought their own drone.
None of the agents that used to give me work have called me since early this year.
Attempting to drum up business with others, I get a very positive response in their office followed up by never hearing from them again.

It may be different where you are and you might be better at business development too.

 

[Phill2]

Yeah I definitely was thinking about trying out via the under 2kg regs. I've got my CASA code so I can work commercially but without the ability to get insurance and the 30m limitations I wasn't sure how businesses would treat me (i.e. they'd shy away for people with public liability etc)

That's what I've done.
Why pay for a licence you don't need.
I don't know the situation in Melbourne but just about every photographer up this way now has a drone making it extremely hard to find work.

 

[Blinky]

I’m not licenced and make money, not much but good beer money......my son is in media and most of the companies he deals with have their own drones, same as the majority of Real Estate people.