What to look for when hiring a
commercial drone operator

The drone services industry has grown fast. There are thousands of Part 107 certified operators across the country, dozens in any metro area, and pricing that varies wildly. For a roofing company, real estate agent, or project manager trying to hire a drone operator, it's genuinely hard to tell the difference between a hobbyist with a certificate and a professional operation worth trusting with your project.

This guide covers the questions worth asking and the things worth verifying before you hire anyone.

Start with legal compliance

Any drone operator flying commercially in the United States is legally required to hold an FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate. This isn't optional, and it isn't the same as a hobbyist registration. Part 107 requires passing a written aeronautical knowledge test, understanding airspace classifications, weather, regulations, and radio procedures.

Ask to see the certificate. It's a card — they should have it. If they can't produce it or seem unfamiliar with what it is, stop there.

Verify insurance — and understand what it covers

Commercial liability insurance for drone operations isn't required by federal law, but it's required by most professional clients — and it should be a hard requirement for you regardless. If something goes wrong on your property, you want the operator to have coverage.

Ask for a Certificate of Insurance (COI). Legitimate operators carry it and can produce it quickly. Pay attention to:

• Coverage limits — $1M general liability is standard for most commercial work; higher limits may be needed for construction sites or sensitive facilities
• Named insured — the LLC or business name on the policy should match who you're contracting with
• Hull coverage — covers the drone itself if it crashes; less relevant to you as a client but indicates a professional operation

Ask about airspace authorization

Depending on where your project is located, the operator may need FAA airspace authorization before flying. Sites within five miles of an airport, near hospitals, stadiums, or certain government facilities often require approval through the FAA's LAANC system or a manual waiver.

A professional operator knows this and handles it without being asked. An unprepared operator will show up, realize they can't fly, and delay your project. Ask upfront: "Is this site in controlled airspace, and do you handle the authorization?" The right answer is "yes, we check and handle it for every job."

Look at actual deliverables, not just specs

Most drone operators will tell you they shoot 4K video. What matters is what the footage actually looks like — color graded, properly exposed, stabilized, and edited to be useful rather than raw and unwatchable.

Ask to see examples from similar projects. A real estate operator should have listing photos and videos from actual listings — not just cinematic demo reels. A roofing inspector should have documentation photos with clear annotations. A mapping operator should have orthomosaic outputs and reports, not just aerial screenshots.

Ask who actually flies the job

Some drone service companies are brokers — they take your booking and subcontract the work to whoever is available. This isn't always disclosed upfront, and it means the person who shows up may have never seen your site, doesn't know your requirements, and isn't accountable to the company you thought you hired.

Ask directly: "Will you personally fly this job, or do you subcontract?" If they subcontract, ask to know who the operator is and verify their credentials separately.

Understand turnaround time and delivery format

48 hours is a reasonable standard turnaround for most aerial photography and video. Mapping and 3D modeling projects may take longer depending on processing complexity. Same-day delivery is available from some operators for an additional fee — useful for insurance documentation and urgent real estate listings.

Ask specifically what format deliverables are provided in. Photos should be high-resolution JPEGs at minimum, with RAW files available if you need them. Video should be edited MP4 files, not raw footage that requires post-processing. Mapping outputs should include GeoTIFF orthomosaics and — if you're using the data for construction — point clouds or volumetric reports.

Pricing: what's reasonable

Drone services pricing in the Central Ohio market generally runs:

• Real estate photography packages: $249–$500 depending on scope, twilight, and video
• Roof inspections: $199–$349 residential, $499–$999 commercial
• Construction mapping: $500–$1,500+ depending on acreage and deliverables
• Insurance documentation: $199–$299 per property, same-day premium may apply

Be cautious of prices significantly below market — they often reflect operators who are cutting corners on insurance, skipping airspace authorization, or delivering unedited footage. The cheapest quote rarely produces the best result.

The short checklist

• ✓ Part 107 certificate — ask to see it or verify through FAA lookup
• ✓ Commercial liability insurance — ask for a COI
• ✓ Airspace authorization — ask how they handle controlled airspace
• ✓ Portfolio from similar projects — not just demo reels
• ✓ No subcontracting — confirm who actually flies the job
• ✓ Clear turnaround and file format commitments
• ✓ Transparent pricing with itemized quotes

AER Operations checks every box on this list. We're FAA Part 107 certified, fully insured with COI on request, handle all airspace authorization in-house, fly every job ourselves with no subcontractors, and deliver within 48 hours with transparent pricing. If you're comparing operators for a project in Central Ohio, we'd be glad to compete on those terms.