40 Best Drone Business Ideas for 2024

21.  Aerial surveying

By using drones, land that has been inaccessible can be photographed and measured from the air. 

Because of these capabilities, they are ideal for surveying and mapping difficult terrain. Drones and unmanned aerial vehicles are replacing helicopters for surveying in many cases.

Professional organizations such as energy power plants, government land management departments, construction firms, and businesses require this type of aerial survey service. 

You may sell topography, digital mapping, and archaeology data as part of your services. Aerial photography and land surveying skills are required to succeed. In some cases, additional certifications will be required.

22. Security surveillance

There are many opportunities for drone businesses in the home and commercial security sectors.

Live video footage of a home invasion can be captured by a drone and sent to a smartphone, as well as notified to the police if necessary. 

In addition to detecting fires and water leaks, drones can send live video feeds to a home or business owner’s mobile device or to a central monitoring station.

To get started with private security, you can hire a security company or start your own. To use drones in law enforcement, you would need to join a police department.

23. Drone selecting business

You can start a business helping companies or individuals select drones if you know the drone will deliver high-quality footage that meets your business idea’s requirements. Take some time to evaluate your options and find out what your biggest strengths are.

Once you’ve gathered all of this information, you should be able to decide whether you want to start a drone-based business. After drafting a business plan and financial plan, you can then decide whether drone-based start-ups are a good option for making money.

24. Disaster relief agency

In areas affected by natural disasters such as flooding, hurricanes, tornadoes and earthquakes, where land travel is impossible and dangerous, drones can provide public safety officials with real-time video footage.

In Central America, disaster management and emergency response officials recently engaged freelance UAV pilots to provide video services in support of their relief and repair efforts following several very powerful earthquakes.

25. News media coverage

Drones can provide excellent video footage of large events without any distractions or interruptions. Sell your drone services to the news media to include on their website or social media.

It is much safer for journalists to send a drone into a dangerous area to obtain news footage than to use a helicopter to report traffic daily. Drones can even replace helicopters to provide daily traffic reports.

26. Solar Installation safety and effectiveness

For years, competitors have been gathered through aerial photo reconnaissance.

With the advent of small and very cheap UAVs, it is now possible to obtain information about the size and capacity of manufacturing facilities, employee numbers, business expansion, development of on-site infrastructure, and a wide range of other practical information, as opposed to the otherwise enormous costs of using piloted commercial aircraft such as helicopters and aeroplanes.

27. Inspection of construction company

The drone service can also be offered at construction sites. For large construction projects, drones can be extremely useful and effective in taking photographs and reports. You can easily get the elevation or view of the rooftop.

Additionally, it is useful for structures that are difficult to access. These include bridges, cell and TV towers, wind turbines, power lines, pipelines, and solar panels.

28. Drone sales, repair, training, and customization

Even though drone prices have declined significantly, most drones remain too expensive to simply throw away. Drones are fragile devices that are prone to failure and damage, especially when misused.

You could make money selling, repairing, and customizing drones if you are an expert with drones and have knowledge of electronics.

If you have the appropriate UAS (unmanned aircraft system) skills, experience, and FAA certifications, why not offer your services as a drone instructor?

29. Power line and cable inspections

A drone inspection service is another drone business opportunity. Check rooftops for damage or routine inspections. Get a thermal imaging camera for your drone, and observe rooftop equipment. Use drone inspection services to inspect tower antennas, or cell phone towers.

You may prevent a complete breakdown of service by detecting potential issues with equipment overheating, such as air conditioners and thermal imaging cameras. Thermal imaging cameras are also useful for monitoring expensive equipment.

30. Drone home/roof inspection

Home inspection businesses that utilize drones can be highly profitable, with drone-assisted roof inspections costing $150 to $400 on average.

In comparison to traditional home inspections, drones provide aerial views of difficult-to-access exterior spaces like roofs, gutters, HVAC systems and chimneys without causing damage to the inspector or property. Aside from being cheaper, they are also more convenient for those who need inspections.

31. Critical infrastructure inspection

An aerial survey was used in cartography, topography, feature recognition, archaeology and GIS applications long before helicopters and aeroplanes were commercially piloted. 

It provides information on terrestrial sites that are difficult to observe or measure from the ground, or even impossible.

Due to their enormous cost savings, small unmanned aerial vehicles are rapidly taking over the field of digital photogrammetric mapping and orthography due to their ability to carry a variety of visual imagery payloads at a slower and lower speed than much larger traditional aircraft.

32. Crop monitoring

When farmers can monitor the health of their crops in real-time, they can make adjustments as needed, which presents tremendous opportunities for drone pilots living in rural areas.

Drone operators can also use drones to spray chemicals, such as herbicides and pesticides, where they are most needed based on surveys. 

Drone technology in agriculture has such promising implications that the market is expected to grow to $6.52 billion by 2026, up from $1.19 billion in 2018.

33. Studio with drone service

It’s another great business for creative people. Nowadays, directors use drones more efficiently than trolleys. In essence, you can shoot videos at any distance.

Establish a studio equipped with drones and pilots that are highly efficient. After all, drones make much more sense for photography than helicopters.

34. Underwater inspections

You can start a business performing underwater inspections with a submersible drone. 

Before, these machines were only used by government research labs and universities, but the prices have decreased, opening up new opportunities.

Expand this business by offering underwater footage of scuba divers enjoying their hobbies, such as underwater inspections for environmental assessments, law enforcement, dock building, boat marinas, and artistic ocean life photography art.

35. Create an online drone course

If you’re looking to learn how to write a business plan or grow succulents, you’ll definitely find an online course that’s right for you.

There will be more drone owners in the future. You can also create an online course that teaches drone beginners how to use their drones. Drone education is a great way to monetize your drone expertise.

36. Drone rentals

It might be a good idea to start a drone rental business if you own the equipment or your services. You may have the technology and aptitude that a nearby business is seeking to understand the impacts drones can have on their business.

Your community may also have individuals who need drones for one-time projects or events.

Consider joining an online peer-to-peer marketplace like Fat Lama, where drones can be rented based on location, or UpSonder, a marketplace for renting or selling drone piloting services.

37. Marine photography

Many consumers link drones with gorgeous landscape photography. However, the last business idea demonstrated that drones can fly in the sky as well as dive into the ocean. Imagine capturing the beauty of underwater landscapes.

With drone photography, you can capture stunning photos and videos of seaweed forests and vibrant coral reefs.

You might find marine photography with drones to be your next niche as a photographer.

38. Drone repairs

Drones are still fragile tools prone to damage or failure. Despite the price drop, drones are still expensive. Most consumers prefer to repair an existing drone than purchase a new one.

A drone repair shop fills this market need, whether it is damaged from a collision or malfunctioning from weather exposure. This business idea is attractive to people who enjoy building things and understand how they work.

39. Fishing drones

In order to help fishermen catch fish, drones can be used to search waterways for fish schools, direct fishermen to those exact fish schools, and replace humans in the process.

Waterproof drones and submersible drones can be used to do this.

40. Real estate photography

In the real estate market, quality photography is crucial for capturing a home or commercial property’s best features and generating interest, and professional photographers can help.

 It is important to note that most do not provide aerial views, which are crucial for providing context and perspective to potential buyers, thus increasing a property’s appeal.

For a 60-90 minute session, you can charge $250 – $350 on average for capturing captivating, high-quality photos and videos from drones equipped with cameras. If you offer more services, like a photo or video editing, you can charge more.

ProTip: The first step in starting a drone business is to create a business plan. You can download a sample business plan pdf for inspiration.