What do you guys charge for aerial media?

[John Locke]

All these.....

• The FAA requires that you have at least two people participating in each drone flight, a pilot in command and a visual observer. This means you have to have two people on site anyway. You’re going to have to hire someone to participate in each flight no matter what. Just make that second person the pilot in command and make sure he has a pilots license or Airman certificate.
• Presumably, you want to obtain the a section 333 exemption from the FAA to fly your drone because you want to make money. This means your job as the business owner is to go out and get business, close sales and develop your business model. It would be highly inefficient for you to spend all your time flying the drone.
• It is typically easy to find a drone pilot to hire an independent contractor business who meets the FAA’s requirements for the pilot in command. Our droll law team can help you identify several local resources who will likely be able to refer multiple pilots to you to act as the pilot in command for an hourly rate between 10 and $20 per hour.
• Holding the section 333 granted by the FAA is where your real business value lies. Would you rather hold the section 333 exemption or be the pilot?
• Sure you still get to fly your drone as a recreational hobbyist whenever you want.

ARE ASININE. Ridiculous... i can't even begin to wrap my head around the bs.

I tend to agree, but this is an interesting webpage that Jussaguy provided us. This webpage he found is a lawyer selling his 333 application services. It's certainly not FAA approved information, it's clearly marketing spin with a clear motivation.

This webpage is a great example of a lawyer encouraging potential customers to spend $3500 with him to apply for a 333 exemption on your behalf so you can make big money. It's true you don't need a pilot license to obtain a 333 exemption, but explaining the details is a bit shady IMO. He's touting that possessing a 333 "is where your real business value lies". The wording in this webpage is quite motivating, clever, confusing and it's not all true.

Example:

The lawyer's webpage says:
Just make that second person the pilot in command and make sure he has a pilots license or Airman certificate.
This is false. The "or" should be "and", as explained below. Also, this same sentence says you have to hire a PIC, the second person. Bullet 3 goes on to say it's easy to find PICs with the required pilot license, driver license and drone experience for $20/hr to pilot your craft. Really?

All 333 exemptions (like this one) state on page 4:
13. Under this grant of exemption, a PIC must hold either an airline transport, commercial, private, recreational, or sport pilot certificate. The PIC must also hold a current FAA airman medical certificate or a valid U.S. driver’s license......

This says that in addition to the pilot license you ALSO need an Airman medical certificate, or drivers license. Since we all have a drivers license, who would want to pay for an airman's medical certificate which requires a medical exam if it's not needed? The point is, the PIC must have the pilot license and a driver license, or Airman medical cert.

In bullet one, I especially like the clever omission of the word "medical", between "Airman" and "Certificate", to call it what it is. I wonder about the lawyer's motivation for this. Accident? Intentional?

Most of the other wording in his webpage is correct, but the "OR" above should have been "AND". Again, accident or intentional?

Isn't it funny how a 3 letter word can change the whole meaning of an important issue, and be absolutely wrong. A 3 letter error. You gotta hand it to this lawyer, that's pretty clever.

I want to apologize to the OP for highjacking his thread. This thread morphed to a side related subject. Sorry about that.

 

[johnbowen]

All I got to say is that almost everyone I know that turned a hobby into a job said it often turns "fun' into 'work'. Working on cars, cooking, photography, videography, computer or tech support. Even sex. Just saying.

 

[Phantom-Four]

All I got to say is that almost everyone I know that turned a hobby into a job said it often turns "fun' into 'work'. Working on cars, cooking, photography, videography, computer or tech support. Even sex. Just saying.

As a photographer for 20+ years, I agree. It does take some of the fun out.

That said, my work is way more enjoyable (for me) than working in a factory or office.

 

[r62ewa]

Besides insurance you are required to have an SFOC from transport Canada, Not having one could get you a $25000 fine to start.

Thanks for that information. I am already in contact with Transport Canada and I'm beginning the SFOC process. I am also looking at attending ground school training to add experience and credibility. Does anyone know of an Insurance provider in Canada that covers UAVs for commercial purposes?

 

[ringolong]

Sorry to hear it took you a year to get your 333 exemption. That's pretty slow, you must have had some issues with your application.

I'd like to hear more about Jess's pilot license type. I've never heard of taking an exam only, that's interesting. The FAA says you need flight training and a minimum of a "Sport" pilot license. Please let me know what the pilot certificate is called. I'll want to look into that as my next step.

I have my 333, I submitted my application in Oct and got it back from the FAA last week, it took 6 months. I got it for $150 through AcesDeals.biz where I bought my first drone. That's the best deal anywhere, no lawyer is needed.

You do not need a lawyer. I did not pay anything for mine, and it took 5 months for me to get mine.

 

[With The Birds]

All I got to say is that almost everyone I know that turned a hobby into a job said it often turns "fun' into 'work'. Working on cars, cooking, photography, videography, computer or tech support. Even sex. Just saying.

Agreed. There are some similarities here also it seems. You want to work on cars for monetary reward you need to be, or to the extent you aren't, employ or otherwise engage the services of a qualified mechanic. Computer related services that extend to the installation of fixed cabling will require, in some circumstances, relavent licences and the work to be performed or overseen by appropriately qualified personnel. From the discussion to date in this thread it seems the 333 alone, without a licensed,PIC, affords no greater level of compliance with the regulations than any other roughe pirate operator. Hopefully things will relax in future.

 

[xgaul]

So... Not sure where this took the piss but can we get back on topic?


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[brianmcg]

If there are any commercial operators here from Canada, I'd love to hear how you've priced your services, too. Thanks in advance!

 

[N017RW]

Have you figured your fixed costs and other operating expenses?

You need this info. to develop a business plan.

 

[xgaul]

Have you figured your fixed costs and other operating expenses?

You need this info. to develop a business plan.

Fixed costs are low. Other operating expenses would simply be time to edit and fuel costs.


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[N017RW]

Well then there is your start.

Now you can break that down to an hourly operating cost and add your hourly 'wage' to determine your fees.

Your customers will tell you if you're charging too much then you can adjust your wage to be competitive.

 

[r62ewa]

Excellent discussion guys. I'm in Canada going through this same process and I'm taking notes.

 

[Jussaguy]

All these.....

• The FAA requires that you have at least two people participating in each drone flight, a pilot in command and a visual observer. This means you have to have two people on site anyway. You’re going to have to hire someone to participate in each flight no matter what. Just make that second person the pilot in command and make sure he has pilots license or Airman certificate.
• Presumably, you want to obtain the a section 333 exemption from the FAA to fly your drone because you want to make money. This means your job as the business owner is to go out and get business, close sales and develop your business model. It would be highly inefficient for you to spend all your time flying the drone.
• It is typically easy to find a drone pilot to hire an independent contractor business who meets the FAA’s requirements for the pilot in command. Our droll law team can help you identify several local resources who will likely be able to refer multiple pilots to you to act as the pilot in command for an hourly rate between 10 and $20 per hour.
• Holding the section 333 granted by the FAA is where your real business value lies. Would you rather hold the section 333 exemption or be the pilot?
• Sure you still get to fly your drone as a recreational hobbyist whenever you want.

ARE ASININE. Ridiculous... i can't even begin to wrap my head around the bs.

What exactly can't you wrap your brain around?

These are the rules per the FAA and they are in plain English and easy to understand.

It also has all the answers to JL so I posted it.

You can't wrap your brain around this?? Don't understand.

 

[maseman88]

What exactly can't you wrap your brain around?

These are the rules per the FAA and they are in plain English and easy to understand.

It also has all the answers to JL so I posted it.

You can't wrap your brain around this?? Don't understand.

I think it's asinine and government regulation is ridiculous these days. If someone wants to pay me to take a pic with my toy, I should be able to. That's all.

 

[Jussaguy]

I think it's asinine and government regulation is ridiculous these days. If someone wants to pay me to take a pic with my toy, I should be able to. That's all.

I appreciate your view but not having the FAA set rules is a kin to not having the government make roads.

 

[BigAl07]

I think it's asinine and government regulation is ridiculous these days. If someone wants to pay me to take a pic with my toy, I should be able to. That's all.

This is exactly why we are in so much scrutiny. If you're going to play with the big boys you need to learn the big boy rules.

Do you know how to read a sectional? Do you know what airspace you're flying in when you go to your favorite flying location? Do you know who to contact or HOW to contact your local tower or facility to get permission to fly near an airport?

There needs to be SOME regulations and requirements. I'm not saying the current ones are perfect but they are a good starting point. Remember we are dealing with the National Airspace System and as such you have to know how to SAFELY integrate into the "system" or you become an instant hazard.

 

[BigAl07]

So looking to jump into this as a side gig, I'm curios what you guys charge for this service. It's hard to do it on an "hourly" type rate. Because of battery limitations but no worries I do have 5. I plan to offer both photo and video services and just want to gather estimates so I know what to base off of.

...and I don't want to hear any mess about exemption 333 please stick to topic. Thanks


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If you've not done so I'd highly suggest taking the time to sit down and research and write a solid business plan. I can assure you that it's a very EYE OPENING experience to do one right. When you're done and assuming your facts/figures are accurate you'll have your business road map laid out in front of you for the next 2 or 3 years.

For anyone thinking this is a way to "quit your day job doing Real Estate shoots" I wish you the BEST of luck. I'm not saying it can't be done but it's going to take a LOT of work and time to get the business up and running. Also keep in mind that as the technology improves and regulations slacken (assuming they will) your amount of competition is going to skyrocket exponentially. Don't put all of your eggs into a single basket with this business as you might end up empty handed in a short time.

 

[xgaul]

I have a career, this is just a side gig.


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[Justgregg]

So has the FAA busted anybody lately for not complying to 333. Right now I know 3 photographers that have beautiful web sites advertising photo and video services using drones and have been running for 3 yrs. Seems like it would be like fishing in a barrel with the FAA searching the web for companies not complying. Maybe the FAA are busting companies, but I really have not heard of any.

 

[maseman88]

I know of 2 that are making money with their phantoms and neither has a 333.


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