Introduction

Ever finished a drone job, done the maths, and realised you basically worked for free?

Maybe worse… You sit down at the end of a busy month, and discover you’d have actually made more per hour stacking shelves or sitting behind a desk in your 9–5.

If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone. It’s the single biggest frustration I hear from new pilots who are getting regular work. They’re busy flying, editing, and delivering jobs… But their bank balance doesn’t reflect how hard they’re working.

Here’s the truth: It’s not your drone holding you back… It’s your pricing strategy.

And don’t worry, you don’t need a fancy spreadsheet or a degree in finance to fix it. What you need is a clear framework that helps you understand why your pricing isn’t working, and how to position your services in a way that makes clients happy to pay more, without you feeling awkward or “salesy.”

In this post, I’ll walk you through a simple 3-step system that helps you charge more for your drone work, without losing clients or feeling guilty about it.

But before we dive in…

👉 If you haven’t landed your first paying client yet, go read this article first:

From Hobby to Hustle: 5 Steps to Launch Your Dream Drone Business in Just 30 Days.

Then come back here when you’re ready to start pricing like a pro! 🙂

So, let’s get into it.

Table of Contents

Introduction

Table of Contents

Why Drone Pilots Struggle With Pricing

Step 1: Positioning - Sell the Outcome, Not the Drone

Step 2: Packaging - Create Offers Clients Actually Understand

Step 3: Pricing - From Starter Packages to Profit Packages

BONUS: Communicating Value (Without Sounding Salesy)

Conclusion

FAQs

Why Drone Pilots Struggle With Pricing

When most drone pilots start out, they have no idea what to charge.

So they look around, jump into a Facebook group or an internet forum and ask:

“Hey, how much do you guys think I should charge for real estate photos?”

And then they get a dozen answers ranging from $50 to $500.

How does that even help?

You see, here’s the BIG problem. Most drone pilots just copy other pilots’ prices, and most of those pilots are undercharging.

It’s a vicious cycle. 

Everyone’s looking sideways instead of forward, and it’s a classic case of ‘the blind leading the blind’. 

In the same way I wouldn’t personally trust a ‘wealth advisor’ who wasn’t wealthy, or a business mentor who hadn’t already achieved the goals I’m trying to reach… WHY are drone pilots asking advice from other pilots who are also scrabbling around for scraps and battling with people on price?

The deeper issue here is mindset. Many drone pilots believe that keeping their prices low will make them more appealing to clients, especially when they’re just starting out. But that’s not how most clients think. In fact, when you price too low, you often make clients nervous. They assume you’re inexperienced or cutting corners. The result? They either go with a more “trustworthy” competitor, or they might hire you once and never return because they assume cheap = low quality.

This is how we end up in a race to the bottom; where the cheapest wins the job, but nobody wins the business.

Here’s the thing… Two pilots can shoot similar houses, in the same town, on the same day, and one earns $100 while the other earns $500.

The difference isn’t skill.

It’s positioning.

The first pilot sells “10 aerial photos.”

The second sells “a marketing package that helps estate agents sell homes faster, and realise a higher price for their sellers.”

One is a commodity.

The other is a solution.

So how do you move from one to the other?

Here’s the simple 3-step system I teach drone pilots to charge more and actually make a living doing what they love.

Step 1: Positioning - Sell the Outcome, Not the Drone

Most drone pilots lead with tech talk.

“I shoot 4K video.”

“I can deliver 20MP stills.”

“I’ve got a 1 ½” sensor and can shoot in RAW”

But clients don’t care about your specs.

They care about results.

You’re NOT selling a drone flight… You’re selling what that flight achieves, and the solution you deliver.

When you shift your focus from what you do to what your client gets, everything changes. It reframes your value. Instead of sounding like a service provider who “does drone stuff,” you sound like a business partner who helps them achieve something meaningful. You solve a pain point, and you deliver a solution to a problem.

👉 Estate agents don’t want “10 drone photos.” They want faster sales and better listings.

👉 Roofing companies don’t want “aerial images.” They want proof that their work meets safety standards.

👉 Farmers don’t want “drone mapping.” They want data that saves them money.

That’s what you need to sell… The outcome.

Here’s a simple formula you can steal to help you get started with this quickly and easily:

“I help [TYPE OF CLIENT] [ACHIEVE A SPECIFIC RESULT] using aerial imagery and data.”

For example:

✅ “I help estate agents sell homes faster with stunning showcase videos.”

✅ “I help homeowners save money by spotting problems with their roof BEFORE they get irreparable damage.”

When you talk about outcomes, you instantly sound more valuable.

When you talk about drones, you sound like everyone else.

And when you sound like everyone else, you get paid like everyone else.

Step 2: Packaging - Create Offers Clients Actually Understand

Once your positioning is clear, the next step is packaging your services into something clients can instantly “get.”

Because let’s be honest, most clients don’t understand what they’re buying. They don’t know what goes into a ‘drone job’, what’s involved in post-production, or how much work it takes to deliver something usable. All they know is what they see, and that means you need to make it easy for them to picture what they’ll get and what it’ll do for them.

If your website lists “1-hour flight - $150” or “60-second edited video -  $200,” they have to do the maths to figure out what they’ll get. 

And most won’t bother.

So you need to bundle your services into packages that make sense in their world.

Here’s the difference:

❌ Weak Offer:

“Drone photography - $150/hour.”

✅ Strong Offer:

“ ‘Quick Sale’ Platinum Showcase Package; 10 aerial photos + 60-second edited promo video to help your listing stand out. Usually $997 - Limited time offer: $399 until the end of the week. Enquire NOW!”

Which one would you buy?

Packages make it easy for clients to see the value, and they make you look more professional. But they also do something even more powerful… They shift your client’s decision-making process from “Should I hire them?” to “Which package should I choose?”

That’s a huge difference!

And here’s a ‘pro tip’ to consider… Name your packages after the outcome that your ideal customer wants, not the deliverable they’ll be getting.

“Business Showcase Package” sounds WAAAAY more appealing than “Photo & Video Combo.”

And when you package your services properly, you also open the door to tiered pricing… Which brings us to step three.

Step 3: Pricing - From Starter Packages to Profit Packages

Here’s the biggest mindset shift most drone pilots need to make:

You don’t get paid more because you work harder.

You get paid more because you present your value better.

Pricing isn’t about being the cheapest.

It’s about being the clearest.

And clarity builds confidence… Both for you and your client.

The easiest way to do this is to offer two or three simple packages:

Most clients will choose the middle option, so make sure it’s your best value, AND delivers the margins you need to make a profit.

Once you’ve built trust and delivered results, and your diary is full, raise your prices. 

Rinse and repeat.

It’s that simple.

Clients will pay more when they’ve seen the value you deliver.

We’ll be diving into how to calculate and structure your exact pricing in a future post (and yes, I’ll even give you a calculator to make it easy 😉… So make sure you subscribe to our newsletter ‘The Briefing’ HERE to stay up to date).

BONUS: Communicating Value (Without Sounding Salesy)

Here’s something most drone pilots never learn:

Your pricing doesn’t scare people away… Your delivery of the pricing does.

When you sound nervous or apologetic about your prices, clients pick up on it instantly. But when you explain your prices clearly, confidently, and with a focus on value, they actually respect you more.

Here are three quick lines you can use to sound confident and credible:

💬 “Our clients typically invest around $___ for projects like this because it helps them [insert outcome].”

💬 “The real benefit isn’t just the footage; it’s how it helps you [insert solution].”

💬 “We’ve built packages that fit different needs, so you can choose what works best for you. The one we see most clients in your position choose is [insert package], because it [insert solution/reason]”

The key?

Speak like a professional who solves problems, not like someone asking for a favour.

You’re not begging for work. You’re running a business that helps other businesses achieve results.

And, if you’re not comfortable doing this at first, don’t worry - nobody is! The best way to get better at it is to practise… And the best way to practise is to try your different pitches on family/friends. Explain to them what you’re trying to do, and ask if they’d be willing to help. Then, get them to ‘role-play’ with you and run through different scenarios as many times as you can, so you can get everything ‘dialled in’ BEFORE you hit the phones, or go and visit potential customers!

Sounds weird, but again - it’s those who put in this extra time and effort who totally stand out from ‘Dave with his drone from down the road’, who charges $50 for all his ‘drone jobs’.  

Conclusion

Charging more isn’t about greed; it’s about fairness.

It’s about being fairly compensated for the time, skill, and professionalism you bring to every project. And it’s about helping clients get better results by working with someone who actually knows what they’re doing.

When you position yourself properly, package your services clearly, and price confidently, you stop competing with the ‘Daves’ of the world and start building a real business.

And the best part? You’ll finally be earning what your time and expertise are actually worth.

Because let’s be honest, if you started your drone business to escape your 9–5, but you’re still making less money and working twice the hours… What’s the point?

So go back through this system as many times as it takes until it all sinks in:

✅ Positioning → Packaging → Pricing.

Refine your offers. Raise your rates.

And start building a business that pays you properly for the work you do.

Once you’re charging properly, the next challenge is keeping that work consistent, and that’s exactly what we cover in this article HERE:

How to Get Consistent Drone Jobs Every Month (Without Relying on Luck)

Until next time, fly safe, charge what you’re worth, and blue skies,

Matt

FAQs

How much should I charge for drone photography or video work?

There’s no single “right” price because every job, client, and location is different. But as a starting point, most beginner pilots charge between $150–$300 for a basic aerial photo set and $300–$600 for property videos. As you gain experience and build trust, those rates should increase. The key is to price based on the value your footage creates, not just the hours you fly or edit.

Why do so many drone pilots undercharge for their services?

Most pilots base their prices on what they think clients will pay, rather than what their work is actually worth. Others copy prices from Facebook groups where hobbyists are giving their time away for peanuts. The truth is, undercharging doesn’t make you more competitive; it makes clients question your professionalism. Once you learn to position yourself and package your offers properly, you’ll find clients are happy to pay more for a clear, valuable service.

What’s the best way to price drone services when I’m just starting out?

Start by creating simple, outcome-based packages rather than hourly rates. For example: “10 edited aerial photos for one property – $199” or “Property Marketing Package - 10 photos + 60-second video - $349.” This helps clients understand what they’ll get and why it matters. As your confidence and results grow, increase your prices and move towards tiered pricing models (starter, standard, and premium etc).

How do I explain my drone pricing to clients without sounding pushy?

Keep it clear and focused on the outcome. Instead of just listing features, talk about how your work helps them. For example: “Our clients usually invest around $300-$500 for projects like this because it helps their listings sell faster and look more professional.” When you explain the benefit, clients stop comparing you on price and start seeing your value.

Should I offer discounts or free drone shoots to attract clients?

Offering free or discounted work can help you build a portfolio, BUT you should never present it as “free.” Instead, frame it as a ‘complimentary trial’ or ‘introductory project’ to demonstrate your results. Always treat it like a real job: include deliverables, contracts, and professional communication. Once you’ve proven your value, charge full price going forward.