been flying for about 3 years now, got my part 107 last year and trying to figure out if this could actually turn into something more than just a hobby. see all these websites talking about drone pilots making 50-100k but honestly not sure if thats realistic or just marketing bs. what kind of work are you guys actually getting and is it worth the hustle? thinking about maybe doing real estate stuff or inspections but dont want to invest a bunch more money if the works not really there

depends where you are honestly. im in the midwest and do mostly ag work during growing season, some construction inspections year round. not getting rich but its decent side income - maybe 15-20k extra per year if i really hustle. real estate is pretty saturated around here though, everyone and their brother thinks they can shoot houses with a mini 2

I've been full time commercial for about 2 years now and yeah you can make decent money but you really need to diversify. I do insurance inspections, some film work, roof inspections, and recently got into powerline surveying. The key is building relationships with clients who need regular work, not just one-off gigs. Also having good insurance and the right equipment for different jobs - my setup is probably worth 15k now but it pays for itself