Drones, the unmanned aerial systems was initially limited only to military use, but in recent years drones have become a staple for civilian agencies and private entities operations. Drones are built for recreational purposes, professional aerial photography and videography, to carry cargo, to inspect bridges and industrial towers, to track wildlife, and in number of other potential areas. Here in this article we will help you understand how drones are being deployed in different areas and the factors to be considered to understand know how much does the a drone cost.
How Much Does a Drone Cost
Before getting to know the cost of drones, let’s first understand how and where all the drones are being deployed today.
How much does a drone cost – Drones Deployed
Inspections
Aerial drones are deployed to provide an overview of power lines, oil/gas pipelines, wind turbines etc. Their deployment annuls the need of having personnel on the ground to perform these tasks and the cost implication cannot be ignored.
Security and Surveillance
Drones are deployed by various police agencies across the world to co-ordinate security operations, manage crowds, and to ease drop on illegal activities.
Aerial Photography
Drones are deployed to take breathtaking photos on diverse topography. The implication of this is that one need not hire a helicopter or charter a plane.
The above are but a few of the illustration that highlight how drones have changed entire industries. The list is by no means exhaustive for drones are used in areas such as science and research, sports, fleet management etc.
How much does a drone cost – Cost Factors Considered
Let us now dive into the factors that go into the pricing of drones or to know how much does a drone cost. The factors involved for this price range is listed below.
Level of Technology
The specs that go into factoring the price of a drone include the battery life of a given manufacturer, the quality of sensors incorporated into the system,and the complexity of image or data storage features availed by the drone platform. It goes without saying that the more sophisticated these systems are the more pricey the drone.
Engineering Reviews
The more thumbs up a given drone manufacturer can garner from peers, the steeper the price of the product. Or put in another way, brand value also applies in the world of drone technology. Reviews on the quality of a product are definitely important but they sometimes play into the smart hand of marketers who mark up prices.
Operating Costs
This is a factor that may escape the mind of an individual looking to purchase a drone. Yes, drones do have a running cost, these costs include the cost of complying with government aviation agencies, the cost of hiring a pilot in the event that one’s jurisdiction requires a licensed pilot to operate a drone, and lastly the cost of hardware such as replacing batteries after every 20 hours of use. Operating costs being incorporated at this juncture of your equation might appear like an accounting trick but it is an inescapable reality that will factor into the equation of how much does a drone cost.
Finally, How much are drones? The long and short answer to that is that it depends on the depth of your pocket. If you want to get started with this amazing innovation, you can get very simple ones starting at just $100 to highly advanced drones which go all the way up to $40,000. where for the drones with 100$ cost, the market, the range of features available to the buyer is limited. The flight time will typically be under 10 minutes and the camera resolution could possibly be very low. In the same vein, such a drone does not require an aviation’s agency’s approval to operate. At the opposite end of the spectrum are higher end most expensive drones that offer different flight modes, a longer battery life, and will definitely require that the user gets approval from an aviation agency. Such drones could set you back thousands of dollars in purchase price.
Advancements in drone technology have made owning a Drones unit more approachable and cost-effective than ever before. If you are in the market for drones check out websites such as Amazon, Best Buys, and B&H videos.
