Guide · Part 107 pilots
Drone Services Pilots Get Paid For
Not every drone job is the same shape. Knowing which service line you're selling tells you what to charge, what gear you need, and how long the post-production will take.
Ready to put this into a quote? Rotor Rate does the math.
Real estate & architectural
Residential listings, commercial property marketing, and progress shots for builders. Short flights, fast turnarounds, repeatable deliverables — usually priced flat-rate per shoot.
Inspection
Roofs, towers, solar arrays, wind turbines, bridges, industrial facilities. Often hourly or per-asset, with a higher rate for confined spaces, controlled airspace, or detailed reporting.
Mapping & surveying
Orthomosaics, 3D models, volumetric measurements, topographic surveys. Priced per acre or per deliverable, with photogrammetry processing time built in.
Film, TV & events
Cinematic aerials, sports coverage, weddings, live events. Day rates plus crew, often coordinated with a ground production team.
Agriculture
Crop scouting, NDVI multispectral analysis, herd checks. Per-acre pricing with seasonal contracts and recurring routes.
Public safety & utility
Search and rescue, fire response, utility line inspection. Usually contract or retainer work with vetting requirements (insurance, training, sometimes BVLOS waivers).
Related guides
Pricing well means understanding the whole job — from what you offer to where you can fly.
How to Price Drone Services
The full pricing framework — factors, models, and the bid formula.
Hourly vs Flat-Rate Pricing
When to bill by the hour, when to quote a flat rate, and how to protect your margin either way.
LAANC & Airspace Authorization
How LAANC works, when you need it, and how airspace class should change your quote.
LAANC vs Part 107 Waiver
Which FAA approval pathway you need for each airspace scenario — and how long each one takes.
UAS Facility Map: Find Nearby Controlled Airspace
How to read the FAA's UASFM grid to know if LAANC applies, what altitude you can fly, and where Further Coordination is required.
How to Get LAANC Authorization (Step by Step)
A screenshot-by-screenshot walkthrough of submitting a LAANC request — plus a printable pre-flight checklist.
Weather & Flight Planning
Wind, visibility, temperature, and the planning checks that keep a paid job from getting scrubbed.