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Whenever some new machines come into the market they take away some jobs and create new ones, The same goes with drone technology, They came into the market and took many jobs from cinematic videographers, and pilots who were supporting aerial videographers.
But it also created new opportunities now individual videographers can shoot professional aerial views with ease, so it has provided them with a new mode of making money.
Do you love flying drones? How about turning your hobby into a profession and making money from flying drones? I found out there are different ways to make money while flying drones and these are not some part-time jobs.
You can also start them full-time career with them, I will also show some examples of how people are making fast money with drones. So, let’s start today’s topic how can I make money with a drone?
Basic Requirements to Fly Drones
- Make sure you are in a safe area where drones are not prohibited, many areas are market with no flying jones such as new airports and border security areas.
- Make sure you have a pilot flying license, you can check the certificates required to become a drone pilot.
- Make sure you are skilled with drones and can easily capture professional videos, and pictures.
How Can I Make Money With a Drone
There are many ways to make money with a drone we will discuss them in detail step by step.
1. Drone Surveillance Officer
Drone Surveillance officer is a post offered by the government or private companies directly to keep surveillance on people using drones, land surveys, and 3d models for industries set up.
Your job can vary from security to mapping construction areas, checking their progress, and more. Since this is a job your salary would be limited.
many e-commerce companies are already working on drone delivery services, they can also provide you with drone surveillance jobs.
2. Real Estate Photography/Videography
Real estate agents know very well how important is real estate videography for marketing purposes. Here is the simple task you have to do in Real Estate Photography/Videography, capture stunning pictures and videos of the project from different angles that can grab attention.
Real Estate agents that are selling high-end properties often use aerial shots for marketing their projects. You can just contact the agents directly and show them your work, they would be willing to work with you.
You can easily make $150-$500 per shoot according to the location and the requirements like interior shoots, and aerial shoots, just edit the video and send the final project to the agent.
3. Business Marketing Projects
This is almost the same as real estate videography, many businesses are looking to showcase their developing or developed projects for marketing purposes
The work will include shooting for construction sites, developed sites, or empty lands which is about to be put on sale.
You can easily find these kinds of gigs on popular platforms like Indeed, many people are looking for a drone pilot to shoot for their project. These projects also give you chances to make $350-$500 per project which is quite profitable.
4. Drone Trainer
Drone training is one of the best businesses you can start today, in developed countries you need a drone license from the government and institutions to fly drones, you can start your drone training institute to train drone pilots.
To become a drone trainer you need to register first with the government, secure a training area, officials will verify your institute and then you can start training pilots and give them certificates.
You can also make drone training videos as courses and sell them on platforms like Udemy and Skillshare.
Also, training would be short term so there would not be much investment on customers.
5. Cinematic Videographer
Shooting cinematic videos from drone cameras is the dream of many videographers, a drone makes this easy for even a simple person and shoot professional cinematic videos.
You can start your studio where you can take contracts for shooting cinematic videos for weddings, concerts, and parties. Today people are crazy about keeping a record of everything to preserve their beautiful memories.
To promote your small studio you can use social media, by sharing some beautiful shots that your clients can see. You can create your stock videography portfolio on websites like Unsplash, Pexels and, Shutterstock.
6. Content Creator
You can use your drones to create content for platforms like YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook and monetize them. People love watching cinematic videos from different locations like deep forests, mountains, oceans, and more.
You can upload them on Instagram reels, they go viral fast. Once your account has decent followers you can start offering services like drone videography and photoshoot.
7. Drone Manufacturing/assembling
The drone industry is still in the development phase and evolving, you can get into this industry and start manufacturing drones for yourself, it can be a drone startup, government also encourages these types of projects.
Investors are willing to pour money into technology ventures, So if you have a keen desire to get into the industry and crack the market this can be a game-changing moment for you.
You have two options here whether you can manufacture your drones which require intense research and a deep understanding of concepts. The second option is to assemble drone parts, you can import drone parts, assemble them, label your brand, and sell them in the market.
The government is investing heavily in the research and development of military drones, so if can make drones up to their standards you can also get the government tenders to manufacture drones for them.
8. Drone Reslling
Drone reselling is a simple business idea, you buy drones from a manufacturer or wholesaler and sell them to customers at retail price. Alibaba is the best place to buy drones at a cheap price.
You just need to import them and start selling on different websites like ebay, alibaba, and on your website. Drone reselling can generate a profit margin of 60-80%.
Learn more about starting a reselling business.
Conclusion
In the future drones are going to play some crucial roles in many areas such as logistics, surveillance, and mapping. You can build your skills in these fields and find a new career opportunity out of your hobby. The drone market is growing rapidly and with an increase in demand, there are many opportunities about to come. Be prepared with your sharp skills and grab the opportunity.
How Much Can I Really Make from Drone Flying?
You can easily make between $150-350 per hour flying drones depending upon the project’s difficulty.
How Can I Get Clients for the Drone Business?
There are two ways to get clients for the drone business, The first one is by contacting the potential clients directly as we discussed with the real estate agents and the second method is with the help of job listing platforms like Indeed and another platform, just google and you will find it.
How Can I showcase my work to convenience my clients?
The best way to convenience your client is by directly showing them your portfolio, you can share your work on different platforms like Instagram and Adobe which provide you the facility to showcase your projects.
Is there a demand for Drone Operators?
Yes, there is a huge demand for drone operators, and the demand for drone pilots is expected to grow by 50% in the upcoming years.
Is the Drone Business Profitable?
Yes, the Drone business can be profitable if you are working professionally and have a good portfolio. So sharpen your skills and build a good portfolio so you can get projects easily.