Watch the full video 🎥 →
👉 https://wins.cloudpano.com/case-study/ty-hurd-interview
Hey there, Zach Calhoun here! In this new video series, I’m diving deep into how you can build a profitable drone services business in 2025 and beyond — even if you don’t own a drone or have a Part 107 license.
I’ve spent the last several years scaling CloudPano, a 360° virtual tour platform that’s been used by over 120,000 users. A large portion of our power users? You guessed it — drone service providers.
In this post, I’ll walk you through:
Drones aren’t new — but the way you can monetize them has evolved. Many people think drone work is just flying, filming, landing. But the opportunity goes way beyond that.
Here's the truth:
The real money is in the service package, not just in the drone flight.
Whether you're shooting real estate, commercial construction, or virtual tours, drones can add massive value — especially when bundled into an experience.
At CloudPano, we specialize in 360° virtual tours, and one of the best ways to begin a virtual tour experience is from the air. Imagine this:
📦 We’ve sold hundreds of these packages, and drones are a killer upsell.
Here’s the game-changer for a lot of folks:
You don’t need to fly the drone yourself. You just need to control the contract.
That’s right — you can win the job, then subcontract out the drone work. Here's how:
✅ It’s that simple.
When we pitch our services, we often use a three-tier pricing model. Here's how you can do the same:
💰 Clients often go for the top-tier package just to get that wow-factor drone shot.
And guess what? You don’t have to shoot anything. You just need a reliable drone partner to deliver a 360 or 2D image from the sky.
Drone work doesn’t have to be complicated. In fact, one of our easiest scopes of work is:
"Capture a 360° drone shot above this property and deliver a high-resolution image."
Want to go further? Add 2D overhead shots, stitched maps, or custom flight paths.
You can even provide the customer a map and ask, “Which angles or areas do you want covered?” From there, just assign a pilot, collect assets, and deliver a polished experience.
Here’s your quick-start guide to drone subcontracting:
🔁 This is how the commercial construction world works — and how you should think as a service-based entrepreneur.
One trick we use all the time is called “customer delight” — meaning we overdeliver.
For example, if we capture a few extra drone shots that weren’t in the scope — but look amazing — we’ll include them for free. This builds trust, earns referrals, and leads to repeat business.
🎯 This works especially well in:
They’ve spent millions building — so give them a reason to show it off.
Starting a virtual tour from the air is powerful.
It’s more than just a photo — it’s an experience. And people are blown away by it.
💬 "Wow — I didn’t know you could do that!" ← We hear this all the time.
You can even turn images into video using tools like PhotoAIVideo.com. With just two or three photos, our software generates:
This means you can skip the full video shoot, and still deliver high-converting visuals.
The key takeaway is this:
You don’t need to fly the drone — you just need to orchestrate the experience.
That’s how you scale.
Ultimately, drone services should become just one component of your offering. You can sell:
When you control the contract, you control the opportunity.
The drone business isn’t about flying.
It’s about creating experiences that wow customers and make you money.
Whether you own a drone or not, you can build a scalable business using:
And this is just the beginning.
🎥 Watch the full video here →
👉 https://wins.cloudpano.com/case-study/ty-hurd-interview
We’ll explore even more in the next part of this series — from mapping, to construction, to high-ticket selling.
Let’s turn your drone idea into a profit machine in 2025.
Compact, ready to go anywhere
Interchangeable lens that’s upgradeable
Dual 1-inch sensors for improved clarity and low light performance
Dynamic range and 6K 360° capture
360° photo resolution at 21MP
8K 360° video recording for ultra-detailed visuals.
4K single-lens mode for traditional wide-angle shots.
Invisible selfie stick effect for drone-like perspectives.
2.5-inch touchscreen with Gorilla Glass protection.
Waterproof up to 33ft for underwater shooting.
360° photo resolution in 23MP
Slim design at 24 mm thick
Built-in image stabilization for smooth video capture.
Internal 19GB storage for photo and video storage.
Wireless connectivity for remote control and sharing.
60MP 360° still images for high-resolution photography.
5.7K 360° video recording at 30fps.
2.25-inch touchscreen for intuitive control.
USB Type-C port for fast charging and data transfer.
MicroSD card slot for expandable storage.
.png)
.png)
Try it free. No credit card required. Instant set-up.
.svg){kind=small}
.svg){kind=small}