Business model question

[xarbour]

Hi everyone,

I am looking at starting a drone services business (mapping, ag, inspection, etc.) and am wondering which business model are folks already up and running have successfully applied.

Do you solicit your clients directly or offer your services through a coop/ag consultant/surveying firm?

Do you charge by the hour or the job?

Are your customers satisfied with the data generated by high-end consumer drones (i.e. P4P) or do you need professional ones like eBee or Albris?

It seems that, where it used to be that clients would outsource services when the only tool available was a manned aircraft, customers are now buying their own UAS and running the services internally.

I would like to assess whether there is a real market potential for a dedicated business or if drone services are best run as a sideline.

Thanks!

 

[rockydog]

Don't forget that before you start doing any business operations, you need to get your Part 107.

 

[Les Davidson]

You are asking professionals to give up their business secrets FOC. You say P4P as a drone for business. That is not a professional drone. You need to spend over $5000 for a good setup. ie Inspire 2 with two or three cameras plus lenses. You need training and years of cinematic experience. Please walk before running.


Sent from my iPad using PhantomPilots

 

[xarbour]

You are asking professionals to give up their business secrets FOC. You say P4P as a drone for business. That is not a professional drone. You need to spend over $5000 for a good setup. ie Inspire 2 with two or three cameras plus lenses. You need training and years of cinematic experience. Please walk before running.


Sent from my iPad using PhantomPilots

I would like to thank the OP for the precious advice...

I am interested in obtaining more info on business of a technical nature (i.e. mapping) not aerial photography/cinematography.

What I am not interested in is zero value-add comments Please read carefully before commenting...

 

[Les Davidson]

I understand what you say but this is all professional expertise. I offered you advice on equipment needed for selling your services. I have a Phantom 4. And it is a very good camera quadcopter but realistically is not a professional machine. Why don't you take a course on Mapping.


Sent from my iPad using PhantomPilots

 

[Jerrold Sutton]

I would agree that the term pro on phantom series drones is misleading. These are not drones capable of turning out professional results. I interact with professional videographers on my job. They tell me you would want minimum of an inspire two if you want to make a living off of this hobby.


Sent from my iPad using PhantomPilots

 

[Richard Walker]

Don't let them scare you away. The unit you have coupled with good editing software will suffice for lots of small scale commercial production.


Sent from my iPad using PhantomPilots

 

[Les Davidson]

I am retired but was in the RAF Reconnaissance. The cameras we used were not as good as the Phantom 4 today. Things advance. If you want to build a good company buy the best. Inspire 2 plus cameras and lenses. If you cannot accept honest advice don't post.


Sent from my iPad using PhantomPilots

 

[Isma]

Hi everybody some of you are talking about inspire 2. Remember that Inspire 1 is a professional drone too. But if you compare inspire 1 and the marvelous P4P, the P4P is bas better image quality. For sure, if you want have professional activity for cinéma or television you need something else like inspire 2, inspire 1 or typhoon of Yuneec. But for vidéos or pictures for real estate, construction sites, topography.... P4P is a very good material. DON'T FORGET : A GOOD PHOTOHRAPHER CAN MAKE GREAT PICTURES WITH A BAD CAMERA

Good luck.


Sent from my iPad using PhantomPilots

 

[Meta4]

You are asking professionals to give up their business secrets FOC. You say P4P as a drone for business. That is not a professional drone. You need to spend over $5000 for a good setup. ie Inspire 2 with two or three cameras plus lenses. You need training and years of cinematic experience. Please walk before running.

The P4p is an ideal camera for mapping and will produce excellent results.
It's also very good for a lot of other commercial work.
I doubt all that cinematic experience would be properly used doing mapping.

Not all professional camera work is creating Hollywood epics.
Keeping expenses down is a good way to help make a profit rather than overspending on unnecessary high-end equipment.

 

[Theo450]

My company has 2 p4 aircrafts. Perfect for running topography and orthophotography. Adequate for videography for inspection purposes, not for cinematography. We have 2 for hardware redundancy. If we loose one, we have a backup.

 

[Jerrold Sutton]

I stand corrected on my previous statement. I live in nc. My town hired a drone company from charleston sc to video the courthouse roof to examine hurricane damage. They used a p3p. I was also amazed to learn they were paid three hundred per hour


Sent from my iPad using PhantomPilots