so ive been doing drone stuff on the side for about two years now, mostly real estate and some construction progress shots for a local contractor who found me on facebook of all places. between that and a few random event gigs i pulled in maybe 8k last year which honestly isnt bad for something i started as a hobby but its nowhere near enough to quit my day job obviously.

the thing is im getting more inquiries lately and i keep wondering if theres actually a path here or if im just in that sweet spot where its fun because theres no pressure. my buddy who does wedding photography said the same thing happened to him and now he hates it lol. but drone work feels different? like the industries using it seem to keep expanding, agriculture, inspections, cell towers, film stuff.

anyone actually made the jump to full time? what did your first year look like, was there a point where it clicked or did it just slowly build up. genuinely curious what the realistic picture is because most stuff i read online is either super negative or sounds like an ad for some course

made the jump about three years ago and the honest answer is it depends massively on what niche you go after. real estate kept me afloat but the rates are terrible in most markets now because theres so many people doing it. what actually changed things for me was getting into insurance inspections ? roof claims stuff mostly. the pay per job is way better, the clients dont haggle over price, and once you get into a workflow with one adjuster or company they just keep sending work. its not glamorous at all but its consistent which is what actually matters when rent is due.

first year was rough though, id be lying if i said otherwise. i had savings to cover about 8 months which in hindsight was barely enough. if youre thinking about it id say start building those industry contacts now while you still have income coming in, that way you arent scrambling on day one

not full time yet but curious about this thread too. the course thing you mentioned is so real, every time i search for actual info i end up in some funnel for a $497 program that promises six figures. like maybe thats possible but id love to hear from people who actually did it without the guru stuff