drone photographer

How much should I charge for drone photography?

It would be very “punny” to advertise drone photography with the ad glib, take your videography to new heights; it would also be true though. A drone photographer captures angles and perspectives, normal photographers wouldn’t be able to, even if they scaled walls.

The Higher Perspective in Drone Photography Services

Even amateurs, whether photographers, videographers, or filmmakers can capture high-quality airborne shots by simply using a drone with a good-quality, high-definition camera. It wasn’t very long ago when aerial photography was only possible for large movie studios that could afford to use cranes, or manned aircraft such as helicopters, and airplanes.

Can you imagine the cost of a single day of using a helicopter for a shoot? Tens of thousands of dollars. If an aspiring drone photographer decides to invest, a basic filming drone will cost a few thousand dollars. Even if you are a mega filmmaker, this option sounds great, because renting high-end professional drones can easily cross $5,000 per day.

So yes if you are a drone aspirant, the cost will be your topmost motivator. There’s much more though; drones are extremely useful due to their versatility. Since the UAV is usually relatively small in size, it will be very handy if you need to shoot an image or video in a relatively inaccessible spot or location. Also, their size makes them nimble. Imagine the vows being captured from the vaults of a cathedral as well as nearer to the bridal couple: you have versatility in your hands when you use a drone.

So what makes drone photography services better?

Drone photographer have the following advantages:

1.      Quality Aerial Imaging.

Drones are the perfect implement for taking premium aerial photographs and videos. Plus drones provide the added advantage of collecting vast amounts of imaging data.

2.      Versatile

Due to their size, and unlike a manned aircraft – drones are small, lightweight, and can easily be maneuvered into difficult to navigate places too. You can use them to capture images from a few centimeters from the ground to hundreds of feet in the air. You can create a single, long continuous shot, panning and framing your subject, or use multiple shorter clips.

3.      Complete control

Drone photographers have complete operational control, over not just the vehicle but also the type of shots she or he wants to create. If they choose to move from one side to the next, create a revolving image, or rotate on the same spot the perfect shot is always in their hands.

4.      Precision

Drones are unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Hence they utilize GPS (the Global Positioning System), and can be programmed and maneuvered perfectly to precise locations. This precision can help you get perfect spots for all kinds of events, such as wedding photography, real estate videos, children’s birthday parties, and so on. Your UAV precision saves you time if you have already scoped the place for the kind of shots you’d want, gets you great-looking images in different lighting and settings, and saves time which is our next point.

5.      Time

You don’t need many assistants and an entire team when employing drone photography in Toronto or anywhere in the world. Your team can actually be very small, consisting of just the drone pilot, and a camera operator. With that in mind, once you reach your photography appointment, you can actually set up in mere minutes and start clicking.

6.      Weather

A drone can be used more effectively in inclement weather than traditional photography. If the weather is adverse, the drone can be landed and used as soon as the elements let up, even if it is for a few minutes. Compare this to traditional equipment and the time taken to set up a shot. Also, video projects can be crafted on the landscape using Time-Lapse Cameras, 360-degree Rotation, and Aerial Views.

How much should I charge for Drone Photography in Toronto, Canada?

Before we discuss actual monetary values, here are the factors that will affect the cost of your services.

What changes the price of Drone photography?

The cost of hiring a drone varies depending on several factors, including:

·         Job type

Basic job pays anywhere between $250 and $1,600 and May only take a couple of hours of work. Such gigs usually only require 1 pilot. Projects that require a specialist can be charged at anywhere between $2,600 and $6,800 and is mostly for TV work or similar larger projects.

·         Drone model

Purchasing a drone costs from $2,000 for a DJI Mavic model, up to $250,000 for a Hybrid VTOL fixed-wing aircraft. Therefore, depending on what equipment you will use for your customers, the price differs depending on the model(s) you use.

·         Permission level

All drones must register with Transport Canada before the UAV can fly. Users are charged a fee depending on the purpose of their drone activity to gain permission. Therefore, the relevant fees will also affect the price of hiring drone photography services.

·         Personnel required

If your drone photography services are being employed for a basic task that requires 1 person, you will obviously charge less. Some jobs require more pilots, runners, monitor operators, etc., in such cases, the complexity of your job, changes its cost.

·         Image quality

The level of technology you use impacts the quality of any image or video captured.  Drone captured image quality can vary between SD and 8K+. The higher the image quality agreed upon, the higher the cost.

·         Post-processing

Post-processing services include color grading, voiceovers, video stitching, and/or adding music or special effects. If you are including video editing services, you may charge anywhere from $160 to $400 per minute of finished footage. Note that image editing costs less than editing videos.

·         Time

You can charge by the hour, half-day, or full-day, for drone photography in Toronto. If you are charging according to time, factor in travel time for drone operators, if you are hiring contractors from outside of your local area.

·         Experience

Anyone can operate a drone, even kids use them. But specialists charge for their expertise and that will affect the cost…

·         Location

Metropolitan locations generally tend to be more expensive, not due to increased living costs, but because of the permissions required from the government to fly in such areas.

What Can Customers Expect to Pay for Drone Photography, Toronto

Average Cost of Drone Photography Services, Toronto

On average the cost for aerial or drone photography in Canada is $250–$350. Please do note that this cost is based on serval factors. Some points to consider when opting for a drone photographer are the length of the photography shoot, resolution, and kind of services agreed upon between you any company you have hired for Drone Photography Services. All of the above will alter the total cost of aerial photography and videography services. A shoot longer than 90 minutes may add $50 – $70 per additional hour.

Cost of Renting a Drone in Canada

If you chose to rent the equipment out, rent is affected by area. Yellowknife averaging at $550 per project is one of the cheapest places to hire a drone, whilst the most expensive area in Toronto at $800.

Cost of Real Estate Drone Photography in Canada

Listed below are general estimates for real estate drone photography services in Canada. Your final prices depend on the kind of logistics involved, location, the type of real estate, and any add-on services the photographer provides.

10 or less still images without editing

$150-$300

1-5 minute drone video

$300-$1,000

Editing services for images or videos

$500-$1,000

If you want to engage with your target audience faster, contact Valet Marketing, Toronto, we will offer you great advice, excellent service, and the best prices. It is a digital world, a drone photographer can help define new outlooks that keep your customers riveted, so don’t think twice. Contact us for your best solutions.