Using Drone For Commercial Use

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I've had a Phantom 2 for a while now and just sold it and ordered a Phantom 3 pro.

I've had this idea about using it for commercial use like estate agent photos etc. is there anyone else doing this and how do you go about it legally.

As I understand it you need CAA approval for any commercial use.

To get approval you need to do a flight course to say your a safe pilot etc and I'm guessing you need insurance.

If I'm right anyone know how much it costs and what's involved and where you can get trained, approved etc?

I'm in the Midlands.
 
A coworker was asking me about this, and I had no idea either. I've done some searching and found that it looks to be incredibly difficult to get FAA approval. So, in for any information others may have. :)
 
Well, I know you asked about legally . . . I have just begun work with a friend who is a realtor. He will be paying me for the video editing of course. I know there are those on here who say that angle won't work, but I'm doing it. When the FAA comes out with an exception clause that doesn't require you to be a manned airplane pilot, then I will consider getting their exemption. Until then, I'm not going to play their game if they aren't going to be somewhat reasonable. I know I'll probably get blasted by some on here for saying that, but I fly safe and don't do crazy things with high altitude or flying over crowds of people, etc.

Just have fun and be careful how you promote yourself. The FAA isn't really after the small guys who aren't making big waves.

Edit: I see now you're in the UK, so all bets are off. They'll probably arrest you just for asking about it here on the forum . . . just kidding. Good luck . . . hope you find a way to make some money there too!
 
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You not only need CAA approval and qualification to work with drones commercially - you also need public liability insurance to the tune of at least £2m. A flyaway drone is capable of causing significant damage or injury. The CAA •does• prosecute - both the operator and the 'sponsor'.
A course in the UK will cost you £1,600 plus a whole heap of safety gear and other equipment to cordon off landing areas. It will take you 2-3 months to do the whole course, including an online element, 4 days of ground school plus written exam and then a flight test.
A company called The Resource Group are generally seen as the best and I can personally attest to that.
 
Well, I know you asked about legally . . . I have just begun work with a friend who is a realtor. He will be paying me for the video editing of course. I know there are those on here who say that angle won't work, but I'm doing it. When the FAA comes out with an exception clause that doesn't require you to be a manned airplane pilot, then I will consider getting their exemption. Until then, I'm not going to play their game if they aren't going to be somewhat reasonable. I know I'll probably get blasted by some on here for saying that, but I fly safe and don't do crazy things with high altitude or flying over crowds of people, etc.

Just have fun and be careful how you promote yourself. The FAA isn't really after the small guys who aren't making big waves.

Edit: I see now you're in the UK, so all bets are off. They'll probably arrest you just for asking about it here on the forum . . . just kidding. Good luck . . . hope you find a way to make some money there too!


Curious how your work with a realtor has been going?
 
Still working with the same realtor friend from time to time, but hoping that things might expand more this spring. We'll see.
If you were in Australia you would be in jail by now flying with no license. Anyone filming for real estate is at risk if they post their work online without a license and CASA approval before each flight. if you are licensed we have to have 20 mill insurance and it will be a crime for the actual agents to hire an operator without a license.
Having a license doesn't make anyone a better pilot but it means they know the rules and have to obey them. I use a sign with my license number on it to inform the public that I am operating as a licensed person in the area. It helps stop people from asking me what I am doing. Its my job. I really respect the safety issue and know full well how an accident can happen.
 
If you were in Australia you would be in jail by now flying with no license. Anyone filming for real estate is at risk if they post their work online without a license and CASA approval before each flight. if you are licensed we have to have 20 mill insurance and it will be a crime for the actual agents to hire an operator without a license.
Having a license doesn't make anyone a better pilot but it means they know the rules and have to obey them. I use a sign with my license number on it to inform the public that I am operating as a licensed person in the area. It helps stop people from asking me what I am doing. Its my job. I really respect the safety issue and know full well how an accident can happen.
Do you have to be a licensed pilot (of an manned aircraft) to get a license to fly drones in Australia?? If not, then I can respect their requirement. But there is absolutely no sense in requiring one to be a licensed pilot of a manned aircraft in order to fly a drone commercially.
 
Do you have to be a licensed pilot (of an manned aircraft) to get a license to fly drones in Australia?? If not, then I can respect their requirement. But there is absolutely no sense in requiring one to be a licensed pilot of a manned aircraft in order to fly a drone commercially.
You don't have to be a licensed manned pilot to fly a drone commercially, but you do need to be able to pass the theory part of the license. That part of the license is around $4400 in Australia. That will give you a remote controllers license only. You still need to spend $6000 for the license to fly commercially unless you operate under someone elses UOC.
 
You don't have to be a licensed manned pilot to fly a drone commercially, but you do need to be able to pass the theory part of the license. That part of the license is around $4400 in Australia. That will give you a remote controllers license only. You still need to spend $6000 for the license to fly commercially unless you operate under someone elses UOC.
Dang! Forget what I said about respecting their requirement. There is no reasonable justification for why it should cost you $10,000 to use your drone when making a few videos for realtors. It's absolutely absurd and shows how corrupt both of our governments are.
 
Dang! Forget what I said about respecting their requirement. There is no reasonable justification for why it should cost you $10,000 to use your drone when making a few videos for realtors. It's absolutely absurd and shows how corrupt both of our governments are.
I dont understand your point. To shoot a house, you need to be around other houses for a start. There are power lines and there are people to worry about. its a built up area. You need to have insurance and protection for the public if something goes wrong which it will one day. Do you think anyone off the street should be able to fly around houses all day filming for $550 an hour? Would you want someone to fly around your house illegally without any insurance to your family and house?
 
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I dont understand your point. To shoot a house, you need to be around other houses for a start. There are power lines and there are people to worry about. its a built up area. You need to have insurance and protection for the public if something goes wrong which it will one day. Do you think anyone off the street should be able to fly around houses all day filming for $550 an hour? Would you want someone to fly around your house illegally without any insurance to your family and house?
On another note, $10,000 is nothing to be able to earn money. My drones earn me 100k a year.
 
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@DRR Well, if I ever get to the point where I can make the kind of money you do, that'd be great, but for the little guy just doing this kind of thing on the side, we can't afford the barriers to entry like "getting a full blown pilot's license" or spending $10 grand for a license that shows you know something that an easy $10 to administrate test ought to be able to show. But that doesn't mean we can't do it safely or that we can't do an outstanding job of video filming and editing. I just don't buy into nor condone the kind of political corruption there must be in place to require that kind of outlay of cash to be licensed. I can fly safely around trees, power lines, and houses without needing to spend thousands or tens of thousands of dollars to learn it or prove it. That's just freaking absurd.

And your point of should just anyone be able to earn $550 an hour for filming houses is downright laughable. I don't know what it's like where you live, but I assure you that nobody could or is making that kind of money per hour filming houses where I live. That'd be great if it were possible, but that's downright pie in the sky kind of thinking. No realtors are gonna be willing to pay that kind of money, even for high end properties.
 
@DRR Well, if I ever get to the point where I can make the kind of money you do, that'd be great, but for the little guy just doing this kind of thing on the side, we can't afford the barriers to entry like "getting a full blown pilot's license" or spending $10 grand for a license that shows you know something that an easy $10 to administrate test ought to be able to show. But that doesn't mean we can't do it safely or that we can't do an outstanding job of video filming and editing. I just don't buy into nor condone the kind of political corruption there must be in place to require that kind of outlay of cash to be licensed. I can fly safely around trees, power lines, and houses without needing to spend thousands or tens of thousands of dollars to learn it or prove it. That's just freaking absurd.

And your point of should just anyone be able to earn $550 an hour for filming houses is downright laughable. I don't know what it's like where you live, but I assure you that nobody could or is making that kind of money per hour filming houses where I live. That'd be great if it were possible, but that's downright pie in the sky kind of thinking. No realtors are gonna be willing to pay that kind of money, even for high end properties.
i understand what you are saying but to operate a video business is not a hobby you do for the local people that want you to risk your drone and time and take a few pics. Without a license you have no insurance and no one is knocking your ability to fly. you will of course have to be insured and no insurance company will cover you without a license. I think it is much different in your country. If anyone here posts images taken from a drone commercially you can bet your life they will get dobbed in.
If you go online in Australia you will find $550 an hour is the normal rate. One could probably shoot 3 homes in that time. If an agent cant afford that then they should find another business, They get commissions of 15k upwards and its the images that will attract the buyers. I produce videos for display homes and charge a set rate of $2450 each. Last week I did 3. Its good money but I do a good job. I dont even use a drone for display homes.
If you want to do cheap video editing, let me know. As long as you are skilled enough I have enough work to give you a full time job. I am shooting and editing 4 videos at the moment. I have no idea what you charge there but I charge 5k each for these and I will do them all in10 days.
Im serious about my business. I charge $250 an hour to edit and many here in the larger studios charge $750. You think its expensive but I make money for people. Thats my job.
You talk about 10k as if its absurd? Really? How much would you have to pay to set yourself up a normal business? 500k? more? and I promise you won't earn the money one can make in this business. I get paid for what I know... not for what I do. Sure, you can fly safely around trees etc but one day you will crash and it will be on someones house or property. You need to be sure those people have insurance.
When we fly, we have to have the same responsibility as a pilot in a normal plane. The license ensures the powers that be that we know and understand the rules.
Its easy to say that accidents don't happen. We know they do.
 
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@DRR Well, if I ever get to the point where I can make the kind of money you do, that'd be great, but for the little guy just doing this kind of thing on the side, we can't afford the barriers to entry like "getting a full blown pilot's license" or spending $10 grand for a license that shows you know something that an easy $10 to administrate test ought to be able to show. But that doesn't mean we can't do it safely or that we can't do an outstanding job of video filming and editing. I just don't buy into nor condone the kind of political corruption there must be in place to require that kind of outlay of cash to be licensed. I can fly safely around trees, power lines, and houses without needing to spend thousands or tens of thousands of dollars to learn it or prove it. That's just freaking absurd.

And your point of should just anyone be able to earn $550 an hour for filming houses is downright laughable. I don't know what it's like where you live, but I assure you that nobody could or is making that kind of money per hour filming houses where I live. That'd be great if it were possible, but that's downright pie in the sky kind of thinking. No realtors are gonna be willing to pay that kind of money, even for high end properties.
Ryan,
I would be keen to see the kind of work you do. Can you send me something you have done?
 
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