Drone photography costs between $70 and $250 per hour. Or it can range from $250 to $350 per project.
The final result will include up to 15 high-resolution professional aerial photos. If you want to add a fully edited drone video in addition to the photos, prices can rise to $500 or more.
| Average Hourly Rate: | $160 |
| Minimum Hourly Rate: | $70 |
| Maximum Hourly Rate: | $250 |
What is the Cost of Drone and Aerial Photography Services?
On average, a 60-90 minute drone photography session will cost around $250-$350 (source: Thumbtack). The price also includes photo editing. If the photo session is longer, there may be an additional fee of $50-$70 per hour.
Remember that drone photography prices depend on several factors. There are two main things to consider when hiring a drone photographer:
- Experience in photography. The best decision is to check your portfolio to get an idea of your style and skills. It is also helpful to read reviews and get information from previous clients.
- Ability to pilot the drone professionally. Make sure they understand how to use the aerial device properly. Not only how to use it, but also that they know all the local flying laws, because there are many areas where flying a drone is prohibited.
By combining both experiences, you guarantee that you will get the best possible result. Expect to pay more for higher quality photos as you can see the difference in the final result.
Drone Photography Hourly Rates
Hourly rates for drone photographers typically range from $70 to $250, depending on their experience level. On average, hiring a drone photographer costs around $160 per hour. For real estate projects, 30 to 90 minutes is usually sufficient.
Here’s how pricing can vary based on the duration of the photography sessions:
| 1 hour | $70 to $250 |
| 4 hours | $280 to $1000 |
| 8 hours | $560 to $2000 |
However, it’s important to note that 62 percent of drone photography providers don’t charge by the hour. Instead, each has individual pricing. Most charge per session.
For more details on pricing structures, check out Dronesourced’s in-depth drone photography pricing guide. It provides insight into the various factors that influence how drone photographers price their sessions, providing clarity for both clients and new photographers in the industry.
Real Estate Drone Photography Pricing
The average cost for real estate drone photography can range from $100 to $400 per project. Typically, the output should consist of 5 to 15 high-resolution images (sometimes including video).
Note:
This is the average cost (based on freelance sites and some drone service providers). Rates may be higher and vary depending on your needs, the drone pilot’s experience, and the number of photos and aerial videos.
If hiring a drone pilot for a real estate project, choose one with specialization and previous experience. Request their portfolio of past work.
Freelance real estate drone photographers typically offer fixed pricing packages. For shoots extending beyond the expected time, pilots may charge hourly rates of $50-$100 for additional hours.
Higher-priced packages often include aerial video clips.
What is the Cost of Drone Videography?
A 1-2 minute video created with a drone can cost anywhere from $150 to $900. The service includes a fully edited and rendered video.
Let’s take a closer look at typical drone video service prices.
Project Prices
Video projects tend to require more time than photography projects. They may require more knowledge and experience, making them more expensive.
These services are most needed at events such as weddings, private parties, public events, or commercial videos. Therefore, prices can range from several hundred to several thousand dollars.
For example, wedding videographers often offer fixed-price packages for drone video services.
| Project Type | Price |
|---|---|
| Wedding video package | $600 – $3,150 |
| Aerial footage in wedding videography on request | From $200 |
| 60 to 90 second video clip (mostly ordered for real estate) | $400 – $450 |
| 30-minute 4K video | $5,000 – $7,000 |
Rates Per Minute of Finished Product
Fully edited high-quality drone videos can cost around $150 to $450 per minute of finished footage.
| Finished Video Length | Price |
|---|---|
| 1 minute | $150 – $450 |
| 2 minutes | $300 – $900 |
| 3 minutes | $450 – $1,250 |
| 10 minutes | $1,500 – $4,500 |
The above prices include video editing. The longer it takes to complete the final video product, the higher the total price will be.
How Much Should You Charge for Drone Photography?
When pricing drone photography, you should consider 3 main aspects:
- Skills
- Experience
- Type of drone used
On average, as a drone photographer you should charge between $40-$60 per hour. Professionals who work with commercials, advertisements, and other large-scale jobs charge around $150 per hour or even more.
When creating drone videos, you should also consider the time spent on post-production. Everything from color grading to voiceovers, to adding sounds and music or special effects can affect the final price.
A quick tip for drone service providers:
Consider raising your service prices if you have a lot of orders or clients. Sometimes it is advantageous to have fewer clients for a higher price. And conversely, those who are just starting out in their drone photography career should consider lowering their prices until they have a solid portfolio and land more clients.
Factors Influencing Drone Photography Costs
Drone Type
A professional quadcopter operator needs high-quality equipment to get the best image and video resolution possible.
There is a big difference between a $500 drone and a $5000 drone. This means that drone pilots who use professional equipment tend to charge more.
Additional costs may include obtaining a special license required by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
Location
Location and type of project are very important factors to consider when negotiating price. If the photographer is unfamiliar with the location they plan to shoot, they will need to do some on-site research. Or you can add an hour or two to the final price.
There are rules for operating drones that vary from city to state and country.
One tip would be to find someone local. Remember: if you ask your photographer to travel to the shooting location, travel costs may add to your costs.
Experience
You don’t expect good results when you hire someone who is operating a drone for the first time.
That being said:
You’re not just paying for the final images or videos. You’re paying for their knowledge and the time they spend learning how to fly the drone. Also for their photo and video editing skills and for their creativity in finding the most striking angles.
For example, if someone is shooting footage of real estate sales, they should have knowledge and experience in finding the most compelling vantage points.
Other factors
There are a few other factors to consider when pricing drone photography:
- Professional training and costs for CAA approval.
- External camera and lenses (optional)
- Insurance
- Security and additional equipment.
- Computers and software for image editing.
However, due to the variety of factors, it is quite difficult to determine the final cost of each aerial photographer. Real estate photography experts, for example, often earn more than those who fly drones at events, for example.
There may be situations where some revisions are required or there is a short timeframe for the project.
Final Words
It’s important to understand how much you’re worth as a drone pilot. Low prices can make you seem inexperienced and undertrained.
On the contrary, pricing too high can also turn off your potential customers. They may simply think you’re charging too much and look for a cheaper option.
You can always create your own pricing table or template based on these main factors:
- Experience
- Drone type
- Location
- Deadline
- Time required
- Taxes
- Other complexities
Before drones, aerial images were captured by a helicopter or other expensive aerial device at a very high cost and lower quality than drones can offer today.
So why not take advantage and use this compact, inexpensive and high-quality imaging device?
