What a project costs, and what actually drives it

The six things that move the price

1. Area, but less than you would think

Mobilising, planning and processing are largely fixed. Doubling the area does not double the cost. This is why small sites can feel expensive per acre and large ones feel cheap, and why bundling several nearby sites into one visit is usually the single biggest saving available to you.

2. The accuracy level you actually need

Relative, absolute or checkpoint verified. Each step up adds field time and processing. Matching the accuracy level to the decision the data supports is where most of the saving on a mapping project comes from. The accuracy page sets out which is which.

3. What the deliverable has to be

An orthomosaic is quick. Contours, a bare earth model, a reconciled quantity workbook or a CAD ready package each add processing and review. Tell us what software your team opens it in and the format question resolves itself.

4. Distance from Edmonton

Capital Region work carries no travel charge. Beyond that, mobilisation becomes real, and remote programs are built to carry several sites per trip because a single site visit to Fort McMurray rarely justifies itself.

5. Airspace and access

Controlled airspace authorization, military coordination, traffic control windows, site orientation and contractor prequalification all take time before anyone flies. None of it is optional and all of it is quotable, so it belongs in the scope rather than appearing later.

6. Turnaround

Three to five business days is standard. Faster is possible and costs more, because it displaces other work. If your deadline is real, say so at quoting rather than after.

How our quotes are structured

One project value, with the scope itemised beneath it. The positioning method is named. The deliverables are listed. The delivery window is stated. There is no hourly rate, no per drone charge and no line item for production time, because those are our internal problems and not a useful way for you to buy.

Common questions

How much does a drone mapping project cost?

It depends on six things, and all six are visible before you commit: area, the accuracy level you need, how complex the deliverable is, distance from Edmonton, whether airspace authorization is required, and how fast you need it. Drone360 quotes a single project value with the scope itemised beneath it, never an hourly rate.

Why do you not publish a price list?

Because the same acre costs different amounts depending on whether you need a picture, a measured surface or a verified one. A scoped quote comes back within a business day, states what you get, and holds without renegotiation.

Do you charge by the hour or by the flight?

By deliverable. You are buying an orthomosaic, a volume report or a set of measured quantities, not a block of flying time. If the flight takes longer than expected, that is our problem rather than an invoice adjustment.

What makes a project more expensive than expected?

Usually one of four things: the accuracy level was raised after quoting, the area grew, airspace authorization turned out to be required, or the deliverable format changed. All four are visible during scoping, which is why the quote itemises them.

Is drone mapping cheaper than ground methods?

For area work, almost always, because the cost of a capture barely changes with the size of the site while ground methods scale with it. For a handful of discrete points, conventional methods are usually cheaper and more appropriate. We will say so if that is the case.