Prices are estimates. How we get them
Book any of these anywhere in the US. In Eastern Iowa, Darin Chamberlin personally shoots drone photos and video and airplane aerial photography. Thermal, mapping and survey, multispectral, search and rescue support, and every request outside Eastern Iowa are fulfilled by qualified local pilots we connect you with. Every paid drone flight is flown under Part 107.
Every pilot we connect you with holds an FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate.
Check a Pilot's Certificate Look up any pilot's FAA certificate by name on the FAA's official Airmen Inquiry site.
Field scouting views, drainage and wet-spot mapping, storm damage records and farmstead photos.
Listing aerials, lot and acreage overviews, golden-hour and twilight exteriors.
Dated roof, tree and building photos after hail, wind and flooding, without a ladder.
Overhead photos of roads, intersections and sites for attorneys, insurers and families, after the scene is cleared.
Scheduled flights from the same positions every visit, for builders, owners, lenders and data-center sites.
Measured aerial maps for planning, drainage, landscape design and stockpiles; not a substitute for a licensed survey.
Qualified local pilots, including thermal, for agencies and SAR teams, flying only at the agency's request. In an emergency, call 911.
Resort and rental marketing, vacation memories and wedding aerials, planned around venue rules.
Close, detailed roof and solar array photos without climbing, plus thermal inspections by qualified local pilots.
Fairs, festivals, races and community events, planned around TFRs and the rules on flying over people.
Photos from a small plane flown by a licensed pilot, for huge sites, higher altitudes and busy airspace near airports.
Drone, helicopter or airplane? Drones fit most jobs, but not all. See Drone vs. Airplane vs. Helicopter for costs, altitude limits and when manned aircraft are the better tool.
These are typical prices pilots and customers report in the US as of October 2026. Real prices vary with location, airspace, travel, editing and pilot experience. They are estimates, not quotes.
| Service | Typical US price | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Aerial photo/video, hourly (marketplace data) | $102–$367/hr; most people pay about $125/hr | Thumbtack |
| Aerial photo/video, hourly (pro rates) | $150–$400/hr | DroneList, The Drone U |
| Hourly by pilot experience | Beginner $100–$200; intermediate $200–$350 | Drone Pilot Ground School |
| Real estate, drone photos only (5–10 edited) | $100–$400 (mid-market $150–$250) | RotatePilot |
| Real estate, drone photos + 30–60 sec video | $200–$650 (mid-market $300–$450) | RotatePilot |
| Real estate, residential shoot | $150–$400; luxury or commercial $400–$1,200 | RotorRate |
| Drone add-on to listing photos | About $95–$150 (example rate card) | Lucrative Dynamics |
| Wedding: drone added to videography | $400–$1,200 | Plana |
| Wedding: standalone drone operator (2–4 hrs) | $500–$1,500 | Plana |
| Wedding videographer (national average) | About $2,300 (The Knot) | Paperlust |
| Events | $500–$1,500 per project | DroneList |
| Commercial / brand video | $200–$500/hr; $1,000–$5,000+ per project | Drone Launch Academy |
| Construction: single progress visit | $250–$600 | RotorRate |
| Construction: monthly retainer | $1,500–$3,500 (2 visits); $3,000–$5,000 (4 visits) | RotorRate |
| Roof inspection (residential) | $150–$600; most pay about $375 | HomeGuide |
| Roof inspection by area | $75–$120 per 1,000 sq ft | Angi |
| Mapping (basic orthomosaic) | $10–$30/acre, plus a $500–$3,000 project minimum | Northern Drone |
| Mapping (engineering topo with ground control) | $50–$150/acre | Northern Drone |
| Small airplane (Cessna 172/182) + pilot, aerial photography | $190/hr (172 + pilot) to $500/hr (182), plus a photographer | Sky Chiefs, Yosemite Flights |
| Helicopter (Robinson R44) + pilot, aerial photography | $665–$900/hr, 1-hour minimum is standard | Specialized Aviation, Quantum, Lite Flight |
| LiDAR survey | About $50–$300/acre; $1,500–$15,000+ per project | Northern Drone, JOUAV |
Prices are estimates. How we get them
Hold a current FAA Part 107 certificate? Join our network and get local flight requests.
Please allow 48 hrs for email replies.
Photos and video of homes, land, job sites and events by a Part 107 certified pilot near you.
Please allow 48 hrs for email replies.
