Drone Business
How to Make Money With a Drone
Five routes from hobby flying to paid work, and what each one actually demands of you.
Drones are a lot of fun used recreationally. However, if you are passionate about the aircraft and everything around them, you may want to consider turning the hobby into a money-making venture, so that you get to do what you love all day, every day.
Naturally, you need to be properly certified before you fly for hire. Our guide to getting your Canada drone licence covers which certificate applies to the flying you have in mind. Once that is settled, the possibilities are limited mainly by your imagination. For a sense of scale, the global aerial imaging market was projected to reach US$4.6 billion by 2026.
1. Real Estate Video and Photography
Ground-level photography is increasingly passé when it comes to selling high-end properties, and it is no wonder: listings with aerial footage tend to sell faster than those without. Drone video allows sweeping views of a property’s exterior and landscaping that no ladder shot can match.
Network enough with agents and you will find yourself becoming the go-to pilot for their new listings.
2. Weddings
Take a slice of the wedding industry by becoming a photographer who specialises in aerial images and footage. Because drones show off the beauty of a location so well, you will find yourself working in stunning places more often than not.
Wondering where to start? Ask a wedding photographer you know to recommend you to couples, or advertise your services on freelance platforms.
3. Aerial Inspections
Helicopters have historically been used to inspect electrical lines, pumping stations and remote facilities. That is expensive, and depending on conditions it can be dangerous. Drones are fast becoming the preferred choice for inspection work, and their small size lets them examine the inside of structures such as a chimney, which no helicopter can do.
Be aware, though, that this line of work requires real investment in capable aircraft and in training, both in flying and in producing usable inspection data. Our industrial inspections course covers what clients in this sector expect.
4. Search and Rescue
If you want genuinely rewarding work, consider drone surveillance in search and rescue or disaster relief. Drones cover large areas far faster than ground teams and dogs. You might offer your services to an NGO. Freelance pilots in this space can be well paid depending on who they work for, and volunteering during a disaster carries its own reward.
5. Precision Agriculture
If you live in an agricultural community, you may be surprised how fast demand is growing there. Farmers use drones to survey their land and make decisions about planting, pruning and fertilising, and aircraft can deliver spot treatments to infected areas of a field.
This route needs drones carrying specialised equipment such as infrared cameras, but the demand can more than repay that initial investment. Our mapping and geomatics course covers the data side of this work.
Beyond these five: advertising and filmmaking, selling new and used aircraft, delivery work, and training other pilots are all viable. With drone work still something of a novelty in many markets, there is room to establish yourself over time, provided your flying is at or above industry standard.
Sharpening the Skills That Get You Hired
Whichever route appeals, the flying has to hold up. Work through our drone pilot courses to build the airmanship, then learn the commercial side with our essential guide to starting a drone-based business.
Ready to turn flying into income?
Explore the Coastal Drone Pro courses and build the skills clients pay for.
Need More Information?
Download our free e-book to learn what it takes to get a drone pilot certificate, plus a look at where the industry is heading.