How Much Does Drone Video Cost?

The use of drone video is especially popular in marketing real estate services and other local options, but if you’ve never incorporated the use of drone footage into your marketing campaigns before you’re probably wondering, “How much does drone video cost?” We’re nailing down the anticipated rates for drone video footage and what you should expect if you’re thinking about using drone video in your marketing campaigns.

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 Drone Videography Rates

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Locally, drone video rates can vary a lot based on factors such as the drone that is used, the camera that is used, the technical skills of the drone operator, and the technical skills of the camera crew. As a general rule of thumb we budgeting, drone video will cost between $250 and $350 per hour. Additional drone footage is possible beyond one hour, but the rate will typically increase by about $50 to $75 per 30 minutes for each additional half-hour of footage. With this in mind, it is important to also consider that a drone batter will generally only last a set period of time and additional battery resources may result in additional costs for the drone video.

Factors Influencing Drone Video Cost

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Several factors influence the total cost of drone footage. The size of the area that is being captured and the technical needs or skillsets required of the drone operator will also play into the total cost. A scene that is difficult to capture, attempts to shoot in high wind or other technical situations, or expecting extremely high-quality drone footage will typically set you back a bit more in total cost than the standard drone footage rate of say $250 for an hour.

If the drone is expected to fly at complex angles or between buildings or in nestled areas, you can expect to pay more for the footage. Costs increase based on the skillsets required of the drone operator and the advanced abilities required to capture footage under less than perfect or less than ideal conditions for the drone.

Drone Setup

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Costs associated with the initial drone setup will also figure into answering your question, “how much does drone video cost?” If you’re considering drone video as a realtor or on an ongoing basis, you may invest in your own drone which will have an upfront cost of at least $500 and up to several thousand dollars. If you intend to capture the drone footage yourself, there will likely also be costs associated with training to use the drone and/or acquiring a license to operate the drone in airspace within your area. 

Location

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Finally, the location that the drone footage is to be shot in will directly influence the price of drone video. Shooting in a busy city or complex area will almost certainly attract a higher per-hour rate than shooting in the countryside. Market rates for drone videographers in busy cities are typically higher than they are in smaller, suburban towns. 

Video Editing

Finally, drone video alone is not of great value until it has been edited by a professional. Aerial drone footage will almost certainly require advanced editing to bring it to a finished product that you are excited to share on your website or in your video advertisements. Video editing can add significant costs to your overall drone video budget. For example, while it may only cost $250 to capture 1 hour of drone footage, producing a 2-minute clip of edited drone video out of that 1 hour of footage may cost you $1500 or more in addition to the original $250 to capture. Editing costs are figured at $60 to $175 per hour.

Need more help answering your question, “how much does drone video cost?” Give Beverly Boy Productions a call today, we’ll quote you a price. 

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