Good ways to make money after passing 107.

[microraptor]

I'm gonna run some ads around my local town and try to do some areial pics of farms and of the local dam. Maybe venture into postcards. Any suggestions? ?

 

[planedr]

Maybe car dealers if they have a large lot. Check with real estate agents also.

 

[NHIngy]

How about weddings, Arial views of the ceremony.


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[Colorado68]

Insurance companies - roof inspections
general contrctors - building inspections

 

[MassDrone]

If you live near the water where fishing charters are run, contact the captains and ask if they would be willing to offer drone videos of clients. The argument could be made that one passenger (you) with a drone won't take up much space, and providing paying customers with exciting aerial videos of their trophy catches should up their business. Of course you'll need to learn how to retrieve the video from a moving boat...

 

[Joe Ernster]

I am an aviation insurance broker and see different uses all of the time. Here is a list of some of the commercial uses I have seen commercial real estate, residential real estate, roof inspections, agriculture analysis, insurance adjusting, search and rescue, industrial inspection, cell tower inspection, marketing (city parks, pool companies, landscaping companies, corporate events), construction progress, surveying, action sports, UAV instruction, and events. It seems that I see new uses every week. Very exciting.

Joe Ernster
[email protected]

 

[Rothgarr]

How about weddings, Arial views of the ceremony.


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People have asked me to film their wedding and I always say no.
- The bride and the groom should be the focus. Guests shouldn't be watching a drone.
- Drones make noise. A lot of noise. You'd have to be high up enough for it to not be a distraction, and then what's the point?
- You can't fly over people.

 

[Rothgarr]

Regarding using it for real estate, I've found that any monkey with two thumbs can fly a drone up and take a picture of a house. That's why you are finding that some realtors do it themselves already as well as photographers that they already have working relationships with. (Some don't care if they don't have the proper authorizations, they're just happy they can do it themselves).

To get into real estate you really need to be able to offer a whole package. You need to learn how to do professional exterior video tours using a drone. You need to learn how to do interior photography (and do it really well). You also need to be really good at video post production as well as photoshop/lightroom. Now I'm finding I have to also learn how to do interior video walkthroughs using (like with an Osmo).

Not trying to rain on anybody's parade, just trying to be realistic.

 

[gosports1]

I suggest you contact your State Division of Tax Office to apply for your State License.Then you go to your City/County Business License Department and fill out your County license. Some may apply a Fee. Then fill out your monthly income from Sales of your Prints and pay the TAX..Real easy to fill out the forms. Then at the end of the year give your bookeeper you additional income informartion. I have N.C-SC-Ga-Texas-Ohio license if needed.

 

[BigAl07]

As a side note... Search & Rescue (SAR) is not a good business model. SAR is done with ZERO expectation for compensation or reimbursement. While some companies are making a killing selling SAR related products the actual SEARCH and RESCUE aspects are volunteer wholly.

The exception to this would be public entities etc where they do get reimbursed but that's a whole other ball of wax.

We do SAR because we care and we put ourselves, our equipment, and our jobs at risk to selflessly help those who need it the most.

 

[kevinm]

To get into real estate you really need to be able to offer a whole package.

I think this is great advice for any vertical you enter into - not just real estate. It's a common mistake to think that the drone is the whole product but it's often times just a better way of executing an already-existing product/service. It follows that you'll need to know the existing market well in order to seriously compete with the competition.

 

[Rjeffw]

I am a real estate appraiser, and I went to the realty offices in my area, an offered house measurements, video in/out and photos in/out. for one set price. I just got started and have done one vacant land and a house. I have interest from other realtors as well. It is has helped me that the NC Realty Board has laid the law down on realtors. Basically they said if you are caught flying with no 107 cert, you will be fined. Most realtors are happy farming this out. I have also went to a few insurance companies as mentioned above. I also advertised for commercial/promotions, and I also have put my info in at my local Chamber of Commerce.

 

[BigAl07]

I am a real estate appraiser, and I went to the realty offices in my area, an offered house measurements, video in/out and photos in/out. for one set price. I just got started and have done one vacant land and a house. I have interest from other realtors as well. It is has helped me that the NC Realty Board has laid the law down on realtors. Basically they said if you are caught flying with no 107 cert, you will be fined. Most realtors are happy farming this out. I have also went to a few insurance companies as mentioned above. I also advertised for commercial/promotions, and I also have put my info in at my local Chamber of Commerce.

Great info!!

Did you join your local CoC or just leave information? Some of the larger ones are VERY expensive to join annually.

 

[Rjeffw]

Local CoC?

 

[RJ_Make]

CoC = Chamber of Commerce

 

[Rjeffw]

Ha. RJ, I should have figured that out. I have not joined yet, but I plan to, since they are letting me advertise there. It will cost me 100 bucks.

 

[kevinm]

@microraptor We just ran a Q&A with one of our drone advisors who's a drone attorney. He gives suggestions for starting up your drone business from a legal as well as business standpoint. I'm going to create a new thread for this but I thought you might find it of use so I thought I'd post it here.

Link to Q&A