so ive been flying for about 2 years now mostly just for fun and doing some stuff for friends and family, like shooting video at a cousins wedding and some real estate photos for a neighbor who asked. people keep telling me I should just charge for this and honestly the thought has been in my head for a while now.

problem is I have no idea how the business side works. like do I need an LLC right away or can I just do sole proprietor to start, and what about insurance because I've heard horror stories about people getting sued after something minor. also the pricing thing is killing me ? I honestly have no idea what to charge. I've been doing stuff for free or like $50 here and there which I know is probably way too low but I dont want to scare people off.

anyone been through this whole process? would love to hear how you actually got it off the ground (pun intended I guess). im in the US if that matters for the legal stuff.

went through almost exactly this about three years ago so happy to share what worked for me. first thing ? get your Part 107 if you dont have it already, thats non-negotiable if you're charging money. flying commercially without it is a whole legal headache you dont want.

for the business structure honestly sole proprietor is fine to start, it's simpler and cheaper. you can always convert to LLC later once you're actually making consistent money. the LLC does give you some liability protection which matters more once you're doing bigger jobs but dont stress about it day one.

insurance wise I use Skywatch, they have a pay-per-flight option which is great when you're starting out and dont fly commercially every week. once you're busier a monthly or annual policy through someone like Global Aerospace or a broker that specializes in aviation makes more sense. most clients especially real estate agencies and any kind of event venue will ask for proof of insurance before they even talk to you so get that sorted early.

pricing ? I was way undercharging too at first. real estate stills in my area go for $150-200 for a small property, video packages start around $350. look at what others in your city are charging, not national averages, just google drone photography services in your town and see what comes up. you'll get a feel for the range pretty quick.

the insurance thing tripped me up for way longer than it should have. I kept putting it off because I didn't think I needed it yet and then a potential client asked for a certificate of insurance and I had nothing to send them and lost the job. dont be me lol

also on the pricing ? charging too low actually makes you look less professional, learned that the hard way too. people assume cheap means inexperienced. bumped my rates and somehow started getting more responses not fewer which still feels weird but here we are.