Hiring guide
How to hire a drone pilot
Free to post · Usually a reply the same day
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Free to post
Two minutes, no card, no commitment.
Pay the pilot directly
No commission or markup on their price.
FAA Part 107 pilots
The license all paid drone work requires.
Usually a reply the same day
From a pilot, or from our team if no pilot has answered.
Step by step
Hiring a drone pilot in five steps
The same five steps whether it’s one listing shoot or a monthly site survey.
Decide what you need back
Start from the deliverable, not the drone: how many edited photos, how long a video and in what format, a roof report, a map file. It is what a pilot prices, and it is the one thing you can't fix after the flight.
Check the site and the date
Note anything that limits the flight — an airport nearby, a stadium, a site that needs a permit, tenants who have to be told. If the date can't move (a wedding, an event), post at least two weeks ahead so the pilot can get airspace approval.
Post the brief — free
Say what you need, where and when. On SkyLog it takes about two minutes, it goes on the job board every pilot can see, and the pilots who cover your area are emailed straight away.
Check the pilot, not just the price
Look for an FAA Part 107 certificate, liability insurance, and past work like yours. Ask for the certificate number and check it on the FAA registry — SkyLog shows what pilots put on their profile but does not vet them.
Agree the scope, then book
Put in writing what you get, when you get it, who owns the footage and what happens if the weather turns. Then pay the pilot directly — SkyLog takes no commission and adds nothing to their price.
How to tell a good pilot from a confident one
SkyLog doesn’t vet pilots, so ask these of anyone you hire — here or anywhere else.
Your Part 107 certificate number? Every commercial flight in US airspace needs one, and it is checkable on the FAA's registry.
A certificate of insurance? $1M liability is the common floor. Ask to be named as additional insured if the job is on your property.
Work like mine? A good real estate portfolio says little about a roof inspection. Ask for a sample of the exact deliverable.
Who owns the footage? Agree the licence before the flight — full transfer, or use limited to one listing or campaign.
On SkyLog, certificates show with their expiry dates, and a star rating can only come from a client who hired that pilot here.
What to put in your brief
The price you get back is only as accurate as the brief. Four things do most of the work:
The site — what it is and roughly where.
The deliverable — stills, video, a report, a map file, and in which format.
The date — when you need it flown and when you need it back.
Anything that limits the flight — controlled airspace, a permit, people who need warning.
Cost
What hiring a drone pilot costs
Pilots price by the half or full day, on flight time, travel, editing and what you need back. On SkyLog, pilots who publish a day rate charge between $200 and $1,400, with a median of $600. Posting the job costs nothing, and SkyLog takes no commission — the price a pilot gives you is what you pay them.
- Typical day rate
- $200–$1,400
- Median day rate
- $600
- Typical hourly
- $45–$200
- To post a job
- Free
Pilots on SkyLog
Pilots ready to send you a price
Real published profiles. Open any one for credentials, kit, service area and sample work before you post.
chris aldridge
Texas, United States
I’m a commercial drone pilot providing aerial mapping, property line overlays, topographic mapping, construction site data, radiometric thermal inspections, 3D modeling, real estate listing photography and video, property marketing, and professional aerial imagery for businesses and landowners.
Real estateWeddingEventInspection20 work samplesView profile →
George Benes
Oregon, United States
I've been a Part 107 drone pilot since 2019, working with Pacific Northwest clients on Real estate, construction progress, mapping, telecom inspections, architectural photography and events. I am very flexible and can provide deliverables within 24 - 48 hours. I take great pride in my work and having a photography business, my delivered photos are edited and culled to the best of the best. I worked for 30+ years as a commercial construction Superintendent, managing multi-million dollar construction projects and this experience allows me to be very safety oriented and knowledgeable on construction sites, providing the construction companies with usable deliverables that they can share with all stakeholders involved in their building project.
Real estateEventInspectionMapping / survey13 work samplesView profile →
Clifford Cox
Texas, United States
My main focus is mapping and critical infrastructure surveying. I fly both a mavic 3 enterprise ( mapping and videography) and a matrice 4T thermal drone. I'm always looking to meet new people to get jobs done. And to make sure that the customer/client that I am working with gets exactly what they are looking for. I'm pretty easy going and I do not mind the travel. I have over 7 years of experience with real-estate, power line, mapping and construction site surveying and much more.
Real estateInspectionMapping / surveyConstruction12 work samplesView profile →
Andy Jones
California, United States
FAA Part 107 Certified Remote Pilot based in Southern California, specializing in construction documentation, infrastructure inspections, mapping, orthomosaics, and aerial imagery. With more than two decades of experience managing complex federal construction projects, I understand the importance of accuracy, safety, and delivering actionable data—not just photos. I operate professional DJI Enterprise aircraft, including the DJI Matrice 4E, DJI Matrice 4T, as well as the DJI Air 3S for high-resolution imaging and the DJI Neo 2 for specialized close-range operations. My services include construction progress documentation, roof and property inspections, land development, infrastructure photography, photogrammetry, mapping, and custom aerial imaging. I also conduct search operations for lost pets using aerial search techniques and thermal imaging. Every mission is conducted in compliance with FAA regulations, with careful mission planning, clear communication, and a commitment to delivering high-quality results on schedule. Whether you need a single inspection or recurring project documentation, my goal is to provide reliable aerial data you can confidently use to make decisions. For ground work, I use a Cannon EOS R50 for photography and video.
Real estateEventInspectionMapping / survey12 work samplesView profile →
George Colonna
Maryland, United States
Started flying drones for General Dynamics Robotics Systems in 2009 as the subject matter expert and lead test engineer for RCTA and a program called the Soldier Machine Interface. We developed leader/follower code for up-armored autonomous assets a full decade before Google fielded their driverless car "train" and a UI that let soldiers/marines plan missions on the ground and in the air. My job was to ensure the software worked, more importantly, met customer requirements. Working in the field afforded me a wealth of experience regarding process and implementation, but also how to think critically and resolve issues on the fly. If interested in learning more about my credentials, please see my website. My current fleet is primarily DJI and Autel. I have RTK capability and a complete field kit to sustain remote operations for several days.
InspectionMapping / surveyConstructionOther12 work samplesView profile →
Tanner Scholten
Washington, United States
I am a professional photographer and commercial remote pilot (FAA Part 107) based in Kirkland, serving Western Washington and beyond (including most of Washington, and Oregon as needed). By pairing my skills as a photographer with the unique data types and perspectives of aerial capture, I bridge the gap between technical data collection and polished visuals. My flight experience centers on technical aerial data—including multi-site agricultural monitoring and extensive, high-resolution orthomosaic mapping—alongside clean, publication-grade commercial real estate and event media.
Mapping / surveyReal estateEventWedding10 work samplesView profile →
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FAQ
Hiring a drone pilot: what people ask
How much does it cost to hire a drone pilot?
Pilots publishing rates on SkyLog charge between $200 and $1,400 a day, with a median of $600. A short real estate shoot sits at the bottom of that range; mapping, survey and film work at the top. Posting your job is free and SkyLog takes no commission.
Does a drone pilot need a licence?
Yes. Any drone flight for business in the US needs an FAA Part 107 remote pilot certificate, and flights in controlled airspace need an authorisation (LAANC). Pilots list their certificates on their SkyLog profile; ask for the number and check it on the FAA registry.
How do I know a pilot is any good?
Look at work they have delivered that matches yours, not a highlight reel. Profiles show certificates with their expiry dates, service area, kit, day rate and sample work, and star ratings can only be left by a client who hired that pilot through SkyLog.
When do I get the pilot's contact details?
As soon as a pilot sends you a price, their contact details are shared with you so you can talk directly.
Do I have to hire anyone?
No. Posting is free and there's no commitment. If no price suits you, you don't book.
Can I leave a review after the job?
Yes. Once you accept a pilot's price you can rate them from one to five stars, and it shows on their public profile. Pilots can rate you back on the same job.
Tell pilots what you need. It’s free.
Two minutes to post, no commitment, and no commission on what you pay. Pilots who cover your area are emailed the moment you post.
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