How much do you pay your VOs?
- Thread starter verticalflyer
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quinn karter
Well-Known Member
Good luck getting an answer. Most people just use their friends. i definitely wouldn't pay them much though. Minimum wage or the amount those sign flippers get. But, i don't now, It depends on how long you need them. Maybe 20 bucks for the 1st hour and 10 per hour after that. Just depends on how much they are willing to be paid. Get some homeless people, that'll be cheep. Your just standing their yelling to the pilot or another spotter where the drone is. I use how powered lights in excess of 2000 lumens. They can be seen 3 miles away easily in daylight. I keep the light pointed at me until I need to take a shot, then I turn it back. I have flown out 13,000 feet and could still easily see the 2000 lumen light. It's funny, it looks like a UFO or orb of light. You only see the light, then when you turn, it and the drone simply disappear. People on the ground must wonder what they just saw. The light reduces my flight time by 5 minutes, but its worth it. I'm just a hobbyist anyway, I fly for fun, so I can keep the light pointed at me . I just fly home backwards, to keep it pointed at me.
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MNT DRONE SOLUTIONS
Well-Known Member
I use my wife as a VO and the price is astronomical!!! I am on the payment plan for life! ?
One of the things I've noticed is that people wanting work done, especially in areas where VOs are really needed, ask entirely way too little.
If you fire that VO you may end up paying them for life as well! That's great though that she helps you out with it.
For most operations I also utilize my "accountant" (aka wife) but for complex operations we utilize multiple VO's especially for high profile NIGHT ops. When it's more than just my "accountant" we pay them $40/hr on top of a $100 trip fee. Our VO's are trained and experienced UAS operators and bring a lot of value to the team other than just a "heartbeat".
We are potentially flying this week on a High Profile Day/Night operation and will have 3 VO's on site (including my accountant). We factor the price of the job on the additional VO's etc we will need so it's built into the price up front.
We are potentially flying this week on a High Profile Day/Night operation and will have 3 VO's on site (including my accountant). We factor the price of the job on the additional VO's etc we will need so it's built into the price up front.
Much appreciated with chiming in with your experience. I've been quoting $50/hr for each VO for any job that is high profile. I've never been someone, nor ever will, that will screw over anyone to make a buck. To me it makes sense that if a project needs to be done, and done well, then it will be. Yet, there seems to be many people that will roll over and take a job no matter how "under the radar" it is and that some are willing to undercut people and the industry at large to do so. Heck, I once had someone tell me that I did not need VOs to film a spot less than 1/2 mile from a major airport because "They filmed within X amount of miles from X big airport so doing so so close to this airport is fine."
Sure is interesting
Sure is interesting
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MNT DRONE SOLUTIONS
Well-Known Member
She has gone through many of the module lectures from the 107 course that I purchased from Drone Pilot Ground School, and understands enough to probably pass the test so she is not just type of VO that simply says "I see the drone" She understands the big picture. I agree that if it is a high profile project, then I would get other pilots to VO. I have never really had the need for a VO except for a few times. I mainly do real estate and survey work for land brokers with mostly undeveloped properties. It is a shame how many pilots will cut each others throat to get the job. Hurts the industry when that happens and smears the pilots that are serious about the profession.
Have her finish up the course and take the test. It won't hurt anything to have another fully licenced pilot.
It's really insane on seeing jobs being taken by pilots in areas that either just can't be flown in or have major restrictions on. Yeah, it hurts the industry and gives everyone a bad rep.
Welcome to trying to run a business that includes drone projects. When drones first came out I was one of the first in my area that offered the service and business was good. These days its less than 10% of my business due to unscrupulous pilots taking illegal jobs, the retirees who charge pennies for jobs but have no insurance, usually no license, and no VOs, and the college kids who think $50 to fly around their new toy for a few hrs is making a profit.
I also get the bigger customers all the time who want x footage in y location and it must be legal because they saw a drone picture on their competition's website in the same area. I politely send them a screenshot of the FAA LAANC map for their requested location and remind them that both they and the drone company they hire could be facing steep penalties for using drones in that area. I lose a lot of aerial photography / videography business due to that but that's the realities of working in the drone industry; they are almost too easy to fly so everyone thinks they can make money doing it.
I will admit I never use a VO except when I need to fly BVLOS for the PIC and in those cases I use a VO in a boat, on a jetski, in a car, or placed somewhere along the path to extend the VLOS. My area is saturated with drone companies; it would be impossible to be competitive after paying a VO for most projects. If the client is onsite with me I do use them as the VO especially if traffic is nearby or I have to stand in the middle of a road for example and they are usually happy to be a part of the process.
For all other situations I just perform a comprehensive site survey if its a complex location prior to beginning operations; in over 10yrs of flying never had an issue. I also use tricks like flying right up to power lines, trees, sometimes buildings, and light poles and measuring their height AGL with the drone prior to the start of the actual filming so that I know the obstacles and their heights before I start focusing on the actual filming portion of the project.
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Just a point of emphasis... the VO does NOT extend the RPIC's VLOS. At any point of the flight the RPIC must be able to instantly look up and see the aircraft and determine orientation, altitude, direction of travel, and determine if there are any conflicts in the area. Until the Regulations change a remote VO does not extend VLOS for the RPIC.
This is my understanding as well. VOs are just there to observe the sky to help keep the flight area safe. Hence my question. There are places where a VO really is not needed with a competent pilot but are needed three-fold (and the cost of the job dictates) due to the situation.
@BigAl07 is correct the FAA apparently released an AC since I last checked the regs stating a VO cannot extend your VLOS. The original verbiage was about as clear as mud.
Unfortunately most of the time these days customers only care about the price, quality is second. The drone real estate photography market really fell through the floor now as well; plenty of RE photographers offering free drone photography with the purchase of int/ext real estate photography.
The "how to fly" divide isn't really apparent in drone photography; drone video is where the divide begins since it is much less forgiving.
Our company offers drone photography for REA as an add-on option for a very minimal upcharge. We are already there shooting the home Int/Ext/Tours so the drone is just an added bonus. Ironically, it is the DRONE shot that becomes the main image on the listing and the ones that get put on the magazine covers.
What so many people in our industry have yet to learn/understand/absorb is, the drone is just a "High Level Camera" and being able to utilize this particular camera to get the best image is more important than "just having a drone". There is so much more to being a really good Drone Photographer than just getting the aircraft in the air. Those who understand "Photography" and have a drone can usually out perform those who "just" have a drone and do so very easily.
On a side note.... in today's HOT market photographer services in the Real Estate market are not nearly as needed as they were just a couple years ago. Due to critically low inventory of homes many listings get significant offers the same day they go on the market. Making our services not only not needed, but many times the hand shake happens before the fly-by-night Drone Photographer can get to the listing, get the pictures taken, get home and processed let alone delivered. It's a FAST market and unless you are sitting on G waiting on O you'll miss the opportunity before you can blink.
I agree 100%, I have told many people; a drone is just an elevated camera and replaces the days of standing on ladders for RE photography and helicopters for construction progression photography. It is just like any other camera, if you don't understand photography/videography concepts while you are holding a camera in your hand, lifting it into the air won't change the situation; although a drone camera is much more forgiving since you can't change the lens, you aren't dealing with mixed lighting, you can't use flashes, and the camera angle is so wide that you can get away with just about anything even when left in full auto.
My problem with RE in my area is spending 4hrs in traffic, 2hrs onsite filming the property, paying insurance, buying batteries for the drone, risking the drone with every flight, etc. shooting the int/ext of the property then getting back to the office to edit the footage for another 2hrs all for less than $200. So basically an 8hr day for less than $25/hr. Nowhere in that budget would a VO fit.
This is also why I very rarely still do residential RE photography; residential RE video is still worth it, and commercial RE photography and video are still worth it, but not residential for me.
Yes a drone is just an elevated camera but it's an elevated camera that requires; licencing, knowledge, dedication and awareness that a ground camera does not. I understand the aspect of it as an added value on already provided services but in doing so, without explaining and stressing the level of, does a disservice to the industry in whole. Not just RE photography.
I think you have totally missed the point of my original message you so eloquently quoted. I was trying to say there is more to being a good Drone Photographer than JUST buying the drone.
Yes we have regulations and other aspects of UAS to consider but even with all of those conditions met my point still stands... you can be the best RPIC, most knowledgeable Part 107 operator in the world, and still give mediocre images unless you understand fundamentals of photography and processing of images. There is more to photography than just a credit card and a Quick Start Manual.
I'm one of the last people you need to preach licensing, knowledge, dedication and awareness to. I have more flight hours than most people in here do breathing (started in 1974). I eat, sleep, breathe UAS in every aspect and I'm an FAA Safety Team Rep and FAA Safety Team Drone Pro. I don't just "dabble" in this industry I do it and teach it on a daily basis.
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