USA UAS Operator Hourly Rate

SanCap · Feb 24, 2016

Any guess on what a Private Pilot rated UAS PIC are getting paid on an hourly rate to work under someones 333 exemption? I may have some opportunities to do this and don't want to overprice or underprice myself. Just a fair compensation is all I am interested in.

Plumcrazy · Feb 24, 2016

Conga rats Sancap on your 333..!! Been talking with several in my area. K-State UAS program grads are getting 40-50k year right out of the program. Better then they can make with a commercial pilots cert in most cases. A local 333 holder has been paying $25-40 per hour to pilots that have completed a 40 hour community college course. He's paid me about 30hr for a couple jobs i did.

Is kinda confusing. You don't have to have a pilots license to get the 333. A 333 holder can have any qualified pilot fly. Therefore, any 'qualified' pilot can fly for a 333 holder.

Plumcrazy · Feb 24, 2016

Most companies that will hire you will require commercial and aviation liability insurance. Shop around, there's lots of range in pricing.

Pretty sure your COA requires a visual observer (VO). Keep that in mind when you're pricing your services.

Happy flying!!!! For $25 hour, AND expenses, I'll come down and fly for you (from Kansas)!! Lol.

SanCap · Feb 25, 2016

Thanks for the input, I was thinking 25 an hour as a minimum for the pilot only. I would expect the 333 operator to also supply the VO.

DennisR · Feb 25, 2016

SanCap said:
Thanks for the input, I was thinking 25 an hour as a minimum for the pilot only. I would expect the 333 operator to also supply the VO.

The normal rate in Australia is $550 an hour and the pilot would get 60 or 70%.
Its very different here though. We have to have a pilot license pass to get the controllers certificate.

pixl45 · Feb 25, 2016

DennisR said:
The normal rate in Australia is $550 an hour and the pilot would get 60 or 70%.
Its very different here though. We have to have a pilot license pass to get the controllers certificate.

FYI @DennisR

I suspect that licensing in Australia vs. USA is really not that different. In the USA, one must qualify and apply for a FAA 333 Exemption. In order to qualify, you must have a GA Pilot's license. The cost of doing so (including hours flying actual manned aircraft) isn't cheap, and the regulations for commercial operators are similarly strict.

I don't doubt that there's a lot invested to do the job in Australia, but every FAA 333 exempt pilot on this board has a similar amount invested as well.

DennisR · Feb 25, 2016

Im afraid I dont know or understand what a 333 is. I just go by the fact that the videos I see on this site would see the pilots in jail in this country. There doesnt seem to be the same respect for rules there and thats a reason I got told to leave the site last week. This is the first time I have posted and to be honest, I'm sick of getting upset at the lack of rules I see there. People flying over roads and buildings and people are not on here. I just found it too much stress to even care anymore. I dont wish to make trouble or upset anyone so I have kept off the site. The cost of a license is around 10k here.

SanCap · Feb 25, 2016

pixl45 said:
FYI @DennisR

I suspect that licensing in Australia vs. USA is really not that different. In the USA, one must qualify and apply for a FAA 333 Exemption. In order to qualify, you must have a GA Pilot's license. The cost of doing so (including hours flying actual manned aircraft) isn't cheap, and the regulations for commercial operators are similarly strict.

I don't doubt that there's a lot invested to do the job in Australia, but every FAA 333 exempt pilot on this board has a similar amount invested as well.

Just a point of clarification. A licensed pilot does not have to have a 333 exemption. I am talking about a licensed pilot (with UAS experience) flying a 333 owners equipment. I realize the cost of acquiring a pilots license these days, as for me, mine was acquired 1982.

DennisR · Feb 25, 2016

SanCap said:
Just a point of clarification. A licensed pilot does not have to have a 333 exemption. I am talking about a licensed pilot (with UAS experience) flying a 333 owners equipment. I realize the cost of acquiring a pilots license these days, as for me, mine was acquired 1982.

Yes, I got mine in 1979 thank God. Can you please explain the 333 thing? Whats the difference between having a license and a 333?

pixl45 · Feb 25, 2016

DennisR said:
Im afraid I dont know or understand what a 333 is. I just go by the fact that the videos I see on this site would see the pilots in jail in this country. There doesnt seem to be the same respect for rules there and thats a reason I got told to leave the site last week. This is the first time I have posted and to be honest, I'm sick of getting upset at the lack of rules I see there. People flying over roads and buildings and people are not on here. I just found it too much stress to even care anymore. I dont wish to make trouble or upset anyone so I have kept off the site. The cost of a license is around 10k here.

It's just a google search away.

I suspect that most of the fliers you dislike here are not commercial operators -- commercial guys have codes of conduct whose livelihood is dependant on. That said, there are non-commercial operators who will take chances and break rules -- I suspect this is the case in Australia as well as the USA.

In no place on this forum does it state that this is a community for professionals only. If you find one of those out there, let me know -- I'm interested. This forum includes all sorts of pilots, and many kinds of flying that you may not appreciate or condone. Please keep in mind that some of the things that you object to may actually be legal where the pilot is flying. It's a big world.

DennisR · Feb 25, 2016

pixl45 said:
It's just a google search away.

I suspect that most of the fliers you dislike here are not commercial operators -- commercial guys have codes of conduct whose livelihood is dependant on. That said, there are non-commercial operators who will take chances and break rules -- I suspect this is the case in Australia as well as the USA.

In no place on this forum does it state that this is a community for professionals only. If you find one of those out there, let me know -- I'm interested. This forum includes all sorts of pilots, and many kinds of flying that you may not appreciate or condone. Please keep in mind that some of the things that you object to may actually be legal where the pilot is flying. It's a big world.

I dont know and here, if we see anyone flying like that ignoring the rules they would get robbed in. Its not fait to those of us that have done the hard yards to get the license. Im really worried drones will be banned in future so Im not count ting making a living out of them at this stage.

SanCap · Feb 25, 2016

DennisR said:
Yes, I got mine in 1979 thank God. Can you please explain the 333 thing? Whats the difference between having a license and a 333?

The FAA 333 exemption can be applied for by any one in the USA. Once received it allows the 333 operator to fly UAS commercially only if a FAA certified pilot is the pilot in command. Since our FAA considers our Inspires as aircraft, the 333 exemption, exempts the Inspire from having to meet certain requirements. Those requirements include, not having a mfg certification, full size N numbers, dual controls, a flight manual, the list goes on.

DennisR · Feb 25, 2016

SanCap said:
The FAA 333 exemption can be applied for by any one in the USA. Once received it allows the 333 operator to fly UAS commercially only if a FAA certified pilot is the pilot in command. Since our FAA considers our Inspires as aircraft, the 333 exemption, exempts the Inspire from having to meet certain requirements. Those requirements include, not having a mfg certification, full size N numbers, dual controls, a flight manual, the list goes on.

Ok but if anyone can get a 333 then the pilot has to be FAA certified???? I dont understand . Sorry. Why would anyone apply for a 333 if they are not the pilot?

pixl45 · Feb 25, 2016

DennisR said:
I dont know and here, if we see anyone flying like that ignoring the rules they would get robbed in. Its not fait to those of us that have done the hard yards to get the license. Im really worried drones will be banned in future so Im not count ting making a living out of them at this stage.

I appreciate what you're saying. I just hope you can understand that the rules as you know them in Australia are not necessarily the rules everywhere else.

There are many local governments in the USA that have enacted laws that effectively ground drones in their area. Of course those flying over private property with permission are exempt from those local laws, which means that much of the commercial UAV business is unaffected (ie agriculture). But this lawmaking is also in direct conflict with federal laws which are enforced by the FAA -- whose sphere of authority includes all airspace, from the ground up. This conflict between municipality/state and the federal govt will likely spawn many lawsuits and be working its way through the higher courts for some time.

In any case, we're hijacking this thread. An interesting discussion that belongs in another place.

pixl45 · Feb 25, 2016

DennisR said:
Ok but if anyone can get a 333 then the pilot has to be FAA certified???? I dont understand . Sorry. Why would anyone apply for a 333 if they are not the pilot?

If you were in the USA, you might get a 333 exemption for your company, and then get certified pilots to work for you under that exemption.

Applying for the 333 is time-consuming -- there's a backlog. So a qualified individual might come and fly for you under your exemption.

Hopefully the point will be moot sometime this tear -- the FAA is working on a true UAV pilot's lic. that supposedly will not require that you have PIC hours in a GA aircraft.

In Canada, where I live part-time, we essentially have this now. It seems to be working OK, and the training involved is essential ground school stuff. Canada has stricter rules for all including hobbiest/enthusiasts -- there is not that much public land that it is legal to fly over, all cities and public parks are basically out of bounds.

But there will always be jerks.

VAP · Mar 7, 2016

Plumcrazy said:
Most companies that will hire you will require commercial and aviation liability insurance. Shop around, there's lots of range in pricing.

Pretty sure your COA requires a visual observer (VO). Keep that in mind when you're pricing your services.

Happy flying!!!! For $25 hour, AND expenses, I'll come down and fly for you (from Kansas)!! Lol.

My rate is 175 per hour. This gig is not cheap and should not be viewed as such. I was charging $80 an hour and an engineer said that was too cheap. How much you charge is a reflection on how professional you are....

VAP · Mar 7, 2016

In Canada, you need an sfoc to be certified commercially.

SanCap · Mar 7, 2016

VAP said:
My rate is 175 per hour. This gig is not cheap and should not be viewed as such. I was charging $80 an hour and an engineer said that was too cheap. How much you charge is a reflection on how professional you are....

Is that flying your equipment or someone elses?