been flying for about 3 years, got my 107 two years ago, and ive slowly built up a little client base doing real estate, some event coverage, one construction site that does regular progress shots. its decent money on the side but im at this crossroads where i keep thinking about whether this could actually replace my day job or if thats just a fantasy i need to let go of.

the inconsistency is the thing that scares me most. like some months im turning down work and other months its totally dry. winter here (midwest) is brutal for outdoor stuff and i find myself just waiting. i know some guys diversify into inspections and mapping but that feels like a whole other skillset and equipment cost to take on.

not really sure what im asking exactly. i guess just wondering if anyone here made the leap and whether they regret it or not. or if you tried and it didnt work, that would be useful to know too honestly

made the leap about 18 months ago and i wont sugarcoat it — the first six months were genuinely stressful. i had savings set aside which helped but there were weeks where i was refreshing my email every hour waiting for someone to respond to a quote. what actually saved me was landing one steady commercial client, a property management company that wanted monthly aerials on about a dozen sites. that anchor contract basically paid my bills and everything else was gravy.

the inspection route is worth looking into even if it feels intimidating. i started by just tagging along with a buddy who does roof work and learned what contractors actually need to see. didnt need fancy thermal gear right away, just regular RGB footage shot systematically. that opened up a whole different market than the creative stuff. midwest winters are rough but inspections dont really slow down the same way weddings and real estate do.

i think the diversification thing is kind of key from what i've read and seen. guys who only do one type of work seem to struggle more with the feast/famine cycle. also have you thought about teaching? like local workshops or even youtube? few people I follow online built up enough passive stuff that it takes pressure off the slow months. not saying go full influencer mode but even a small local class for people who just bought a drone could bring in a couple hundred bucks and leads for actual paid work down the road