There is justice.

[R.Perry]

A while back I was called about doing some panos of a property about thirty five miles from my home (up in the mountains). I gave the gentleman a price and he said it sounded good and could I do it on the 21st. I told him weather permitting, yes. He told me to call first. I called last night, and he said he found someone that would do it for $60.00, (does that sound familiar), I told him to go ahead and have the work done by the lowest bidder and my rate is still one hundred an hour on site plus travel and processing, with a one hour minimum on site.

I get home this afternoon and I get a message asking me to call him, so I did. His sixty dollar drone operator has his drone stuck about eighty feet up in a big cedar or pine tree, and could I come up and do the panos for him. I told him no, I was booked for the next few days. I suggested he get one of the lumberjacks in the area to retrieve the drone.

I have a message for you drone work brokers, it isn't a very nice one so I won't post it.

 

[Florida Drone Supply]

A while back I was called about doing some panos of a property about thirty five miles from my home (up in the mountains). I gave the gentleman a price and he said it sounded good and could I do it on the 21st. I told him weather permitting, yes. He told me to call first. I called last night, and he said he found someone that would do it for $60.00, (does that sound familiar), I told him to go ahead and have the work done by the lowest bidder and my rate is still one hundred an hour on site plus travel and processing, with a one hour minimum on site.

I get home this afternoon and I get a message asking me to call him, so I did. His sixty dollar drone operator has his drone stuck about eighty feet up in a big cedar or pine tree, and could I come up and do the panos for him. I told him no, I was booked for the next few days. I suggested he get one of the lumberjacks in the area to retrieve the drone.

I have a message for you drone work brokers, it isn't a very nice one so I won't post it.

Well said.

 

[WJK]

Hey, It is a commercial world out there. Sometimes it works out, sometimes it does not. I will bet the $60 guy won't be so cheap next time. I lost a big sale to Amazon today. My cost was more than their price. I have supplied the same customer for 25years. It is a dog eat dog world out there. Some times the work comes back. You have to offer the best price possible without giving it away.

 

[BigAl07]

Well played @R.Perry . I had a similar situation but I took it except my fees went UP

 

[R.Perry]

Hey, It is a commercial world out there. Sometimes it works out, sometimes it does not. I will bet the $60 guy won't be so cheap next time. I lost a big sale to Amazon today. My cost was more than their price. I have supplied the same customer for 25years. It is a dog eat dog world out there. Some times the work comes back. You have to offer the best price possible without giving it away.

Some of these people are hungry and fighting to get into the business, they haven't figured out that they are losing money, and every business person knows if you lose money long enough, you go broke. I actually feel sorry of the guy that got his drone caught in the trees, because it is probably going to cost him a lot more than 60 bucks to get it out of the trees. We have all heard various reasoning for working cheaply, and non of them make any sense.
I'm semi retired, so win or lose a bid means very little to me, but I truly feel for the people that are attempting to make a living at this. I know the construction company I'm working with right now is going to go in house as soon as our contract is up.

 

[DoomMeister]

I can have some sympathy for one trying to get started in the business provided they are 107 certified. Those that are not certified and are out undercutting a true professional are only getting their just rewards.

 

[Kristina Fowler]

A while back I was called about doing some panos of a property about thirty five miles from my home (up in the mountains). I gave the gentleman a price and he said it sounded good and could I do it on the 21st. I told him weather permitting, yes. He told me to call first. I called last night, and he said he found someone that would do it for $60.00, (does that sound familiar), I told him to go ahead and have the work done by the lowest bidder and my rate is still one hundred an hour on site plus travel and processing, with a one hour minimum on site.

I get home this afternoon and I get a message asking me to call him, so I did. His sixty dollar drone operator has his drone stuck about eighty feet up in a big cedar or pine tree, and could I come up and do the panos for him. I told him no, I was booked for the next few days. I suggested he get one of the lumberjacks in the area to retrieve the drone.

I have a message for you drone work brokers, it isn't a very nice one so I won't post it.

I have to confess I'm very glad to read this post. It's a great Karma story. I can see it now... lumberjacks scurrying up the tree. That's a great come-back line for sure. I once saw a gig request on Droners.io (they're the worst, IMHO) that called for multiple stills and a couple of 3-minute vids, along with very specific shot angles and times of day. His budget: $40. Insulting to say the least. I actually emailed Droners.io - no reply.

I've said this before: I think the market is in a "shake out" period, and these low ballers are a temporary fixture. My advice to serious Part 107 pilots: stick to your guns. DO NOT give your work away. Also, not sure if this $60 pilot was a Part 107, but keep raising awareness that Part 107 is **REQUIRED**. I still maintain that only a very small percentage of potential clients know that.

 

[R.Perry]

Truth is Kristina, most clients don't care. I know the superintendent at my job site doesn't care the least bit about FAA rules, and we have butted heads a few time because I wouldn't do what he wanted. The client just wants what they feel they need, they don't care about your license, and are clueless to FAA regs.

 

[Avocet]

A while back I was called about doing some panos of a property about thirty five miles from my home (up in the mountains). I gave the gentleman a price and he said it sounded good and could I do it on the 21st. I told him weather permitting, yes. He told me to call first. I called last night, and he said he found someone that would do it for $60.00, (does that sound familiar), I told him to go ahead and have the work done by the lowest bidder and my rate is still one hundred an hour on site plus travel and processing, with a one hour minimum on site.

I get home this afternoon and I get a message asking me to call him, so I did. His sixty dollar drone operator has his drone stuck about eighty feet up in a big cedar or pine tree, and could I come up and do the panos for him. I told him no, I was booked for the next few days. I suggested he get one of the lumberjacks in the area to retrieve the drone.

I have a message for you drone work brokers, it isn't a very nice one so I won't post it.

Ahem. Can I have this buyer's number? I want to offer my services at $500 an hour. I will tape the response.

 

[WJK]

Well as a beginner commercial pilot, it is very hard to know what the going rate is for these services. By being in business for 25 years, I sure know how to calculate my cost, but the going rate per hour of travel and flight time eludes me at the moment. That is one reason that I am here. I can understand the competitive nature of this business. I am not going to give it away.

BTW the Amazon customer, I mentioned above, is back, there were some strings there. I am getting another shot and I put pressure on my supplier. We will both take a bit less.

 

[R.Perry]

Well as a beginner commercial pilot, it is very hard to know what the going rate is for these services. By being in business for 25 years, I sure know how to calculate my cost, but the going rate per hour of travel and flight time eludes me at the moment. That is one reason that I am here. I can understand the competitive nature of this business. I am not going to give it away.

BTW the Amazon customer, I mentioned above, is back, there were some strings there. I am getting another shot and I put pressure on my supplier. We will both take a bit less.

I think it was BigA that mentioned this is the "wild West", and it is going to take some time to see where the industry goes. Since you are a business person you know that if you don't make a profit that you won't be around long. Since this isn't a business that you can say there will be a steady stream of work I would look at it from a monthly potential or average. Meaning if I can't pay all my bills, including supporting myself on a monthly basis then I'm in a no win situation. Yes there will be months you don't meet that number, but there should be months that you exceed it.

I'm not a good source for that because I'm semi retired with a very good retirement, however I won't work for peanuts just to have something to do, that will only hurt the industry and those attempting to make a living at it.

All I can suggest is hang your shingle out there and see what the market will bare in your area. I wish you the best of luck ans success.

 

[drone Pilot]

The price of living in a capitalistic society. Low bidder regardless of quality wins.

 

[Calijim]

Some of these people are hungry and fighting to get into the business, they haven't figured out that they are losing money, and every business person knows if you lose money long enough, you go broke. I actually feel sorry of the guy that got his drone caught in the trees, because it is probably going to cost him a lot more than 60 bucks to get it out of the trees. We have all heard various reasoning for working cheaply, and non of them make any sense.
I'm semi retired, so win or lose a bid means very little to me, but I truly feel for the people that are attempting to make a living at this. I know the construction company I'm working with right now is going to go in house as soon as our contract is up.

The truucking business has operated like that for over 30 years. Haul cheap,go broke then there’s another one to take his place rinse repeat.

 

[NMcDonald]

I have to confess I'm very glad to read this post. It's a great Karma story. I can see it now... lumberjacks scurrying up the tree. That's a great come-back line for sure. I once saw a gig request on Droners.io (they're the worst, IMHO) that called for multiple stills and a couple of 3-minute vids, along with very specific shot angles and times of day. His budget: $40. Insulting to say the least. I actually emailed Droners.io - no reply.

I've said this before: I think the market is in a "shake out" period, and these low ballers are a temporary fixture. My advice to serious Part 107 pilots: stick to your guns. DO NOT give your work away. Also, not sure if this $60 pilot was a Part 107, but keep raising awareness that Part 107 is **REQUIRED**. I still maintain that only a very small percentage of potential clients know that.

Well said! We have to educate prospects and clients, and sometimes that's the hardest part.