Passed my part 107 test last month, contacted a local construction company in California and am now making 1k a week taking videos and photos of one construction site 4 times a week. 👍👍 just reach out and make connections and you will do well in the drone buisness

I have started several businesses from scratch, some on a shoe string budget. What I have found is that what I started opened other opportunities that I had never even thought of. So start any business, start it small, keep an open mind and allow opportuniteis to reveal themselves to you.

I have been running a "drone mapping" business (mapping, GIS, LIDAR, Photogrammetry, consulting etc.) for 5 years and this might even be more true in 2021 than it was in 2017. Now it is to the point where so many firms are bringing drones completely in-house to their existing companies - so now instead of competing with other drone companies for inspecting X, you're now going against Company X that has inspected X for 20+ years and is using drones to expand their core service. You're never going to beat Company X at their core competency. So you need to bring a non-drone skill to the table to specialize and differentiate. I like to tell people - pick the thing you like and are the best at that doesn't involve drones. Now take that and see how you can add drones to it. That is the best place to start.

This video is 100% real talk for almost any entrepreneurial endeavor. Just replace drone with "insert business niche".

After 5 years in the business as well and having seen these things first hand...you are spot on.

The best way to get rich isn’t by buying products and seminars to do so, it’s by selling them to others.

This should be running on an endless loop next to the DJI display at every Best Buy. Great video.

Very solid advice Justin! I retired from the engineering world after 28 years. I did many presentations with major aerospace/defense companies and refining/petrochem companies (my 2 verticals). The Lord blessed my efforts with much business. I got my 107 recently and a Mavic Pro and am taking my time getting into the business, not wanting to bite off more than I can chew. I am very comfortable talking to the guy in bib overalls or the guy in the nice suit. So we'll see how it goes. Thank you again for taking the time to put out the video.

I’m 19 and have been doing this for the past 4 years. He explained it perfectly. It’s not your equipment it’s you.

The advice is decent but what else? Clearly you're still in the game...so instead of all negative considerations why not some strong pointers on how to make it work. What about 10 mins of that?

Great pointers and advice Justin! If I may add...... People, Be Honest With Yourself! I was planning a drone business servicing cattle ranches and farmers primarily. I had it all figured out and was ready to purchase the equipment to start it rolling. I stepped back and took a careful look at various key aspects of the plan. The reality hit me that, while I'd love to do it, I am not physically capable of venturing very far due to a disability. So, while my plan was a good one, I was the impeding impetus to the entire plan. Though very willing, I simply could not physically do the work required. Originally I thought I could, that I could show up, start the drone, find the problem, come back home. Alas, not that easy. The walking requirements would be long and, in places, trecherous. Realizing this saved me many thousands of dollars.

I've been self employed most of my life. This is good common sense that applies to almost any endeavor you might want to pursue.

Great info....you can apply that to any business!

“Enjoy the process”. Most important statement in the video. Great job. Thanks.

Positively without any doubt or reservation you are 100% correct. Starting any business is difficult and you must realize about 90% of businesses fail in the first two years

Great advice!! It is important to have realistic expectations. Talk to any videographer/photographer, 70% of the business is making the connections and promoting yourself. I am not quoting the day job but I will see what I can make and at least make enough to pay for the drone. Thanks for posting.

This is a speech I heard in business school; True for selling anything.

Great advice for anyone starting their own business, no matter if it’s drones or anything else.

Excellent advice. As a long time contract photojournalist...I can say wholeheartedly you speak the truth. Be sure you define what "success" is to you before even starting. For me, I have had my work published almost everywhere I could have dreamed. Does this mean I am financially successful shooting sports photography? Well...It certainly doesn't replace the day job. I consider myself commercially successful and fulfilled, but I don't consider it financially successful as it would not support my family adequately. Why do I do it? I love it...Albeit, not near as profitable as many think it can be... Good video Justin.

This video is absolutely accurate and true! It's also the people you know... the network you have.

necessity is an incredible motivator ... You are exactly right, it's all up to the person, I made a business out of nothing went into hock to do it, but because I couldn't fail, I didn't fail.

Thanks Justin for saying what all of us self employed people already know. I'll be using aerial photography as a marketing tool to obtain additional marketing materials to sell additional survey and civil services.

Thanks for keeping it 107 real. I just started this fall, Michiana Drone Services LLC. Lots of logistics just on the business side, but boy are people so impressed on the quality videos my Mavic Pro gets.

Thanks! Your advice is sound man, very wise and helpful. Been in business in racing drones myself for over 4 years and now commercial drones for 6 months... the one consistent factor is YOU.. you can not rely on anyone else to succeed. Great advice here people!! #dronecamps

Thanks for sharing your experience as a remote pilot! I hope to get my licence in the near future. It was an investment, but flight itself is a joy! Even though I don't plan on making bank, I'll enjoy the flight... and not quit my job.

I can't wait until I quit my day job (running a different small business), but in the meantime it's been a great way to pay my bills and fund my drone business. Excellent advice! Don't quit your day job!

Sooooo, true. I often tell people there are more sellers than buyer right now. It's NOT easy to run any business let alone a drone business.

Appreaciate the real talk! Tough love and realistic expectations coming from a drone youtube channel was a breath of fresh air. Earned yourself a sub with that one and I'm looking forward to seeing more content from you Justin!

Very thoughtful commentary. What looks good on the surface, may not be as easy as it looks. Value added to other services may be better for many entrepreneurs. The opportunities are moving targets. A niche can grow into a huge business. Or it may not pan out. Another aspect of this problem is the technology is changing rapidly, and an investment can be obsoleted before you have a chance to recoup. But communication, marketing, good focus, recognition of the risks, need for resiliency, organization, Justin pointed out many of the problems. Great job Justin! Opportunities do exist. But it is rarely as easy as it looks, or advertised. Also we need to learn from mistakes, either ours or others, quickly.

Excellent video. Starting a drone business involves a lot more than getting your part 107 and a drone.

During the gold rush the only people who got rich were the ones selling shovels. DJI is getting rich selling shovels and we are trying to work our asses off trying to mine gold. 😂

I have been seriously thinking about a drone Side business. Small time , weddings and local real-estate videos . I got the blessing from my spouse for the equipment. Thanks for keeping it Real .

draganfly is undoubtedly the best drone company! It is providing support in ukraine by supplying ukrainian people with medicines, insulin and much more. with this it is increasing its visibility and brand awareness. has an experienced team and unique technology, currently very underestimated based on its potential!

This video made me a subscriber. Thanks for an awesome honest take on the business. It's actually just what I planned; start off slow on the side. Thanks for the advise and video.

I founded my drone business in 2005 (years before low cost/GPS-stabilized multirotors) with chainsaw engine-powered helicopters. I now find myself with a huge client base mostly consisting of military and large industrial projects. I can tell you that 1:21 of this video is spot on.

It's like dreaming of being a rockstar. Gotta work hard to get to that level. And it applies to all businesses. I will be honest, I thought that way and invested in some nice drones but, I realized that it's going to take a lot of work, just like what I have accomplished being a musician and guitar builder or VFX artist. So I took a step back and kept doing my previous job which is special effects and if I get a call or anything in the photography or drone aerials, I will take the job. Gotta have that ”fall back on job” mindset and have fun flying. Thank you for the video!

Thank you Justin, you' ve made things very clear : one step at a time, very carefully and not get into big debts ...just in case. Great presentation ! Your friend from Puerto Rico, Edwin Oliveras

Great Advice, thank you. I already decided to wait on my purchase of a drone and I am going to pay to fix my uncles controller or buy a new one. (hasn't been used in a while and won't hold the charge) Since I have one at my disposal I will work with this pro model and see what I can do before investing into my own drone. Hopefully the DJI AirSense will be available by the time I am ready to buy my own. Being in Phx, AZ there are A LOT of low flying aircraft so it would be great to know who else is around even after informing Air traffic control and getting FAA approval in those areas via the LAANC.

Good advice, joining up for a drone business with a friend as a side business. Not giving up my first business though (manufacturing conveying/product handling equipment). Having the secure warehouse space and high end industrial machine shop at your disposal is always a plus ;-)

Word! Bro, everything you said is on point. Absolutely true. Great video

Great advice, this is what we tell people, its the blood and bones of the business that will make it work, not just buying the newest drones and be expecting the work to fall in your lap. Good vid keep up the good work.

Such truth Justin, luckily I didn’t incure huge financial debt when I started but I wanted to get into the indie film biz and do aerials. Eventually I did get to do a couple of Hallmark movies and some indie films but it wasn’t enough to go full time. The demand just wasn’t there to actually make a living with that in my surrounding area, so I still do it in the side and as a result I’ve gotten into doing video ground work and am doing that on the side too. My motto is start small with what you have and if it happens for you then grow your gear modestly as you grow in jobs.

Smart advice that can be generalized to just about any business.

Good advice. We've operated our video production business for almost 25 years and added UAVs in 2016, in order to offer clients the option of aerial video. The reality is revenue of Broadcast HD/UAV is maybe 90%/10%. Not complaining though; having the aerial video option helps us get jobs for the PDW 800s.

Go and "hustle" all you want, because it isn't hustling that gets you rich, the drone industry is done.

Great advice. Seems to me that most people fail to realize they are going to have to spend 50% of their time marketing, 30% of their time running the daily tasks, and 20% of their time actually shooting and editing video. I think there is a future for those who remember these facts. In time, those dabbling or not following this advice, will be out of business. I suspect the market will stabilize eventually and I think the key to success will be repeat or contract work.

Thanks, Justin. I am lucky to be a two-time retiree have a Spark, passed the 107 and a Mavic Platinum on the way. Have been successful all my life but I am not looking to make a bundle here. Learn as I go and enjoy the outcome either way. I am a former Beaverton grade, retired military vet and retired police officer living on the Hood Canal. Thanks for all you do and I joined the club.

Well Justin, you can't be more honest than that, personally I'm not interested in starting a business with a drone, my passion for drone flying is totally as a hobbyist just to add my thoughts on the subject, but I have friends who think a hobby should earn you some money because hobbies can be expensive.

Great advice. Thank you. My wife purchased a SkyViper2900 pro. I learned to fly and loved it. Soon after purchased a Yuneec TyphoonH Pro, it shoots great video/pictures, handles very well and if one of the props fail it will still fly safely to land. I have done videos at some events, a few real estate shots and land marks all without compensation thus far mostly because I like to fly but I hope it will start to pay off sooner than later.

I watch you for your FPV content. ☺ My family has been doing Geographic Information Systems since the late 90s. We're kind of late in the drone for a mapping information company until they saw my interest in drones and fpv. A lot of this info helped. Thank you for content like this, now to put this old Phantom 4 to use! ☺

I thought about it one time. This is great information Justin. Thanks for putting this out there.

After doing aerial photography from airplanes for several years, I can attest that aerial photography is the greatest "part time" job in the world., but don't give up your day job. Have fun and make some cash with this on the side. If you have trouble selling, just take a lot of shots of local interest and set up a booth in a local craft show . In addition to selling some aerial prints, advertise and talk to folks about shooting their property. It works and they come to you. Great fun and good money. You are offering them a unique perspective that they can't get themselves, and they love it.

Good advice. I've been at it for 4 years doing real estate photography. I started with just a phantom 2 and it took me expanding my offered options (inside video and photography with other non-drone camera equipment) to begin starting to build a profit this year. It's hard work...and random at times. It also depends on your area of influence too. I'm in a smaller town and so jobs arent big payers at times...but I'm above any competitors around me. I've gained the trust of 5 real estate companies and so I do most of the photography in town on upscale properties. But it didnt start that way. Be prepared to not make a profit...even lose a profit for the first year or 2.

sobering, honest, applies to all business.....should be a loop video at drone dealerships

Great advice! Like the gold rush , the smart folks sold products to help others fulfill dreams !

Hey Justin, I've been following you for some time now. Love your videos, and advice. Thanks for your work. Best, TD

Great video - I stared my drone business while working full-time. Over the last three years, I have acquired 5 repeat customers, and therefore have been able to pare down my full-time job to 3 days:-) I’m aiming on having 25 repeat customers within three years, to facilitate leaving my day job. BTW, I purchased my drones and equipment by saving for them and paying cash. They have paid for themselves many times over. I mainly do real estate, construction progress, ortho mosaics, 3-D models. Thanks so much for your insights!

Off topic, but I really like your workbench, can you share the dimensions? I like the shelf above the tabletop specifically.

Not even thinking of starting a business but this gave me some very important life lessons! Great Video!

Thanks for the reality check, i just got a ProMark P-70, and was already looking at buying a new Phantom 5 when it comes out, but, I think I will practice with this one for a while and see if I can do something in this field.

RESPECT!!!.... FOR EVERY WORD AND THOUGHT OF YOURS. GOD BLESS KEEP GROWING.

Thanks for that dose of reality...

Great advise and this applies to all business - it's not easy and that's why most of us work for someone else.

Well said and great advice. I think identifying the niche is where I will begin.

Everything you said is spot on. I have invested all my savings and about 3 years of self learning. No turning back now.

The most honest biz video I've seen in a long time. Thank you.

You are on target. Starting any business takes more effort and time than people ever imagine. Your advice to work into it along side your current business or while employed is so sound. “Don’t quit your day job” may sound negative, but unless you have more clients than you can possibly handle, you will be underwater financially very quickly.

Great informative video! A solid reality check for anyone thinking about starting their own drone business.

I see these drones as tools for diversification rather than a total business package 😉

Great cautionary vid. The risk with this, as with any business, is that if the cost/difficulty of entry is low the competition is going to be fierce. In 2023 you can get a very nice aerial camera for under a thousand bucks. They are a breeze to fly. You need to bring something to the table that most people can't, or won't do.

We paid 10K for a second hand fixed wing drone and made that back plus some in a weekend! We're buying an Asctec Falcon 8 next week. We concentrate on large area mapping and inspection work, as we're engineers, but there's plenty of work out there if you go after it

What I got from this was 1.) Do it as a hobby 2.) make some side cash and 3.) slowlyyyy grow from there. 4.) Risk management is key.

I'm licenced by CASA here in Australia $3k run my own automotive repair business and have done a few jobs with my inspire 2 but not out to make it full time, it's just pleasing to know I get appreciated for something I enjoy. The last job was for a shire council, they wanted a promotional video about a famous picnic area "Hanging Rock" even some one about to build a 2 story house and wanted to now what the view was 10mtr's up in different directions so they could work out which angle/position to build the house.

Great advice, I'm looking to start a second career in the drone industry but will definitely start out by work for another company in order to build up experience before taking the plunge and trying to compete as a sole trader.

I can definitely appreciate your advice and I see where you're coming from. One thing that I did not hear you say is don't put all your eggs in one basket. Basically if you're going to start the business don't make that your sole income. If you have an opportunity to make income on the side and start your business with the Drone it will still give you the opportunity to grow slowly over time. Right now the market is saturated but whenever the new FAA rules are completely in effect that is going to limits about 50% of the hobby flyers and the people who will be making money will be the money that is generated from the part 107 license carriers.

What a great video. Props to you Justin.

Great video, great info. Everything you said is so true.

I'm looking to get into drones for a hobby, but might do photography, Standard DSLR and Drone, for a couple Realtor friends. It's something that I can do on weekends for a few hours for a few extra bucks. Not really a business model, but a good little side hustle after I get my 107 done.

Good Video! Thanks! I´m a designer and video editor. Thinking in open a company on the side to start my venture. Your video will help me in getting start.

That was the most accurate video ever. I have a day job flying helicopters, and side job teaching flying airplanes. When I first noticed drones I thought wow this is the future, I've get to in on the ground floor. I took some of my capital from airplane instruction business, and bought a Phantom 4, started a web site, and done some sample jobs. I Thought I was going to be flooded with business. How wrong was I lol. Don't get me wrong, I made $3400 last year with the drone on my spare time with little effort. But there doesn't seem to be enough out there to quit the day job. And then factor in that I destroyed a drone because a after market screw on blade came off (still pissed at the guy for pushing it on me). Got another one and kept going, but there are a lot of things to consider in this market. Glad I didn't go full force into this. But I'm still in on the ground floor in case this erupts some day, and they start wanting experienced people in the future.

Hi there. Was going to start my own drone business here north of Montréal, Canada and I paid someone for a business study in order to know my competition. I don’t see myself investing any money for drones when the competition advertise their services for 75-129$/job. So I stick to my IT business which drives in in the 6 figures revenue and working more than 50% from my home office.

Thank you man! I'm considering to get the new A2 licence here in Germany and start with a used Phantom. Thats about 1000€ and if I bust it, at least I got a nice drone to film the next family trip :D

So many truths to this. Land Surveyor here and just purchased a new DJI drone for work. Another thing that is easily overlooked is third party support you will probably need to create large ortho-photos. Beside insurance, FAA registration, part 107, buying the equipment, and taking the time to properly train several crew; still need to pay a monthly fee to stitch our photos together to have a presentable product to the client. The drone service is definitely not our bread and butter, but rather an additional tool to help us if we see fit.

Awesome that you're upfront about the reality of the business. Nice one!

The ONE percent who ACT on decisions and formulate a PLAN of action get the RESULTS the other 99 percent NEVER WILL.

Thanks justin, i have been watching your channel now since i started 2 yrs ago, i am still working in dental and my dream of getting out to do flying has been strong however as time has gone by i too have seen obstacles not to mention the massive costs so i echo your comments as its not just your country its the UK too, i may do something when i retire in 5 years, but not yet, ps i hate my job hence the reason to do something different, keep the vids coming tho, thanks

Got my 107 a few days ago, my sister in law is a commercial real estate broker and is going to hire me to do interior photos but also drone photos and video. Looking forward to it!

I've been listening to this man speak about getting into a drone business.....not for me at all. I am into the concepts of the great potential the importance of this product and I promote the great visions of the science Fiction of this marvelous invention the drone. NOw that I flown one I can swear by it the excilleration I get by flying it. It is a dream come true.

Very intresting! Valuable information. Nice of you trying to keep people from doing this impulsiveley.

As a professional self-employed videographer, drones are a great add-on to my business. I did get my 107 license and I'm glad to have it. I would never just rely on drones for a business though. The barrier for entry is so low, you're not just competing against every kid with a drone, you're also competing with the real estate agent, construction company, farmer, and homeowner who went out and bought their own drone and don't need a contractor. 2-3 flights and the drone is paid for already over calling a contractor.

Great video. Some harsh points, but reality. I have a Drone, but I use it to complement my DSLR when I do shoots.

Places to hit up that are very profitable are oil companies, electric companies, and wind companies. Anything to check on large scale repairs that normally require several people, those are the jobs that are more likely to get landed.

As a business admin student I’m honestly just trying this to get some practical experience in starting a business without remortgaging a house.

Spot on! Great advice

Wow, thanks. Can't say enough, ill watch it again. Greetings from Puerto Rico! - ADP

Solid advice, my wife and I have a pair of Mavic Air 2 drones to get started, for now it's a side business, I know it'll take years to grow, we really enjoy the process so far, we're starting at wedding photography with drones as an add on and doing various other drone photography jobs to start, and we're gonna see where that goes, so far we have a fair number of jobs lined up, doesn't seem like we have much competition in the area, hopefully we can continue doing what we love for many years to come and eventually pursue this passion full time!

I work for a sheriff’s office and was sent to get my part 107. I usually fly to look for missing persons or people who run from the police. Really want to start looking for drone work on the side merely as a supplement and see if I could manage it. Thank you for the advice. Will definitely give it a go as simply a side hustle

Great advice thanks very much. I’m brand new to this industry so fingers crossed I can build a social media following and things will take off 😉✌️

more of a question. ONLY footage from my Mavic Pro bogs down in editing, Even 4k footage from sony camera runs great. Is there some setting that you may be familiar with, and I'm not. Please Help...

Awesome video. Starting a business has been the most difficult and time consuming endeavor i have experienced.