What a listing drone shoot costs in Massachusetts
Most Boston-area pilots sell aerials in one of two ways: as an add-on to a regular listing photo shoot, or as a package that bundles interior photos, drone photos and sometimes video. Published add-on prices cluster around $150 to $350. Booked alone, aerials are usually priced a little higher, because the pilot still has to drive to the house and set up.
We pooled the prices below into a draft range of $250 to $900 per listing, with about $500 typical for edited aerial photos plus a short video. That range is our own blend of the pilot pages we read, not a quote and not a survey. Treat it as a way to spot a price that is far too low or far too high. Your written quote from the pilot is the only price that counts.
Home Options MA is not a drone company. We connect you with independent pilots and they set their own prices. You can read what a typical listing shoot includes on the real estate listings drone page.
Prices Massachusetts pilots publish
These are the numbers on the pilots' own pages. Most are marketing pages with no date, so they show what pilots advertise, not what every job costs.
| Pilot or company | What they publish | Source date |
|---|---|---|
| Flyover Creative (Boston) | Aerial add-on $150 to $350. Packages with up to 10 drone photos: Starter $399, Essentials $699, Signature $999 (up to 2,500 finished sq ft). Drone video +$249 (Standard) or +$299 (Cinematic). Twilight +$199. | Updated Jul 30, 2026 |
| Luxe Life Productions (MA and NH) | Aerials from $150 for up to 6 photos; $250 if aerials are the only service. Listing video from $500. Quotes may add travel, rush and twilight. | Undated; read Oct 7, 2026 |
| 37 Visuals (Boston) | Standalone aerial from $235 for up to 7 edited photos plus aerial video footage. | Undated; read Oct 5, 2026 |
| MP Real Estate Images (southern New England) | $200 for the first 5 images, or $100 when combined with another full-price service. 20 to 45 minutes on site. | Undated; read Oct 5, 2026 |
| Aerius View (Boston) | Real estate photography from $200; construction, topographic and LiDAR work is priced much higher. | Undated; read Oct 7, 2026 |
We also read national price guides, such as Rotate Pilot's 2026 guide, which lists aerial photos only at $100 to $400 and photos plus video at $200 to $650. Those are US-wide, so we use them only as a check on the Massachusetts numbers.
Package tiers and what is usually included
Packages differ, so compare what is in them before you compare prices. Here is how the common tiers look.
| Tier | Usually includes | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| Photos only | About 5 to 10 edited aerial stills, delivered as web and MLS-size files | Most single-family listings |
| Photos plus short video | The stills plus a 30 to 90 second edited clip | Larger lots, waterfront, a listing video |
| Twilight add-on | Aerials or exteriors shot just after sunset, often a separate fee | Premium listings, dusk lighting |
| Multi-property or large site | More angles, more flight time, often quoted by size | Multi-family, acreage, commercial |
Our draft range expects about 5 to 10 edited photos, an optional 30 to 90 second video and MLS-ready file sizes, with delivery in 24 to 48 hours for photos and 48 to 72 hours for video. Twilight is typically a separate add-on of about $200 (Flyover Creative lists $199).
Delivery time is counted from the flight day, not the day you ask. A flight cannot happen in rain or strong wind, so plan a backup day.
Per photo, per hour or per package
Per package is the most common for listings. You pay one price for a set number of photos and, sometimes, a video. It is the easiest to compare.
Per photo shows up as a base price for the first few images. MP Real Estate Images, for example, lists a price for the first 5 images. Extra images cost more, so ask what a "photo" means and how many edited frames you get.
Per hour is more common for events, construction and inspection work than for listings. National guides list rates from about $150 to $400 an hour, but we found no Massachusetts pilot that prices a listing by the hour. If a pilot quotes hourly, ask for a cap on total hours.
For a normal listing, a flat package is the cleaner deal. Hourly pricing makes sense when the site is big or the shots are hard to plan.
Video, 3D and mapping, rush and mileage
- Video. Flyover Creative adds $249 for Standard drone video and $299 for Cinematic. Luxe Life lists a 1 to 2 minute listing video from $500, which is a full listing video, not only drone footage.
- 3D tours and mapping. A 3D virtual tour is usually a ground-level interior scan, not a drone job (Luxe Life lists 3D tours from $250). Drone mapping and 3D site models are different, priced by the acre or the site, and are rarely needed for a house listing. Aerius View prices topographic surveys from $1,525, so do not expect them in a listing quote.
- Rush. Same-day or next-day delivery can cost extra. Luxe Life says its quotes can include rush requests. We did not find a published Massachusetts rush fee, so ask for the exact amount.
- Mileage and travel. Luxe Life says quotes can include travel fees. We did not find a published per-mile rate for drone work in Massachusetts. A house in Melrose, Medford, Lynn or Peabody is close to many Boston-area pilots, but a pilot based farther away may add a fee.
- Airspace work. Most of Greater Boston is controlled airspace, so the pilot has to request FAA authorization first. That is usually quick through LAANC (see the airspace guide), but it takes pilot time and some pilots itemize it.
What drives the price up or down
- Property size. Flyover Creative bases its tiers on up to 2,500 finished square feet and adjusts above that.
- Lot and site. An acre, a waterfront or a multi-family site takes more flight time and angles than a small city lot.
- Bundling. Aerials added to an interior photo shoot cost less than aerials booked alone.
- Video and editing. Edited video, music and color work take hours at the computer.
- Timing. Twilight, rush delivery and weekends often cost more.
- Pilot credentials. The FAA requires a remote pilot certificate for paid flights, and many clients also ask for insurance, which can add to a pilot's costs. A much lower price may mean no certificate or no insurance, so ask to see both. See the Part 107 guide.
Hiring checklist
- Ask for a written quote that lists the number of edited photos, video length, delivery date and any fee for travel, rush or airspace.
- Ask for the pilot's FAA remote pilot certificate (Part 107) and how they check airspace for your address.
- Ask for proof of liability insurance. Many pilots carry about $1 million, and a certificate can be sent on request.
- Ask who owns the files and whether you can use them on the MLS and your own marketing.
- Ask what happens if weather cancels the flight and whether you pay anything for a reschedule.
- If you have signed a listing agreement, tell your agent first. Many agents already work with a photographer.
Pilots who work near Logan should be comfortable with LAANC and the FAA's grid altitudes. Our town pages list what applies in each of the eight towns we cover.
Is it worth paying for?
For most single-family homes in a tight lot, a handful of aerial stills is a small cost next to the rest of selling. For a large lot, water frontage or a multi-family property, aerials show things street photos cannot. Our guide on whether drone photos help sell a house goes through the evidence, which is thinner than the marketing suggests.
If you are still deciding how to sell, compare a cash offer with listing at the comparison tool before you pay for any marketing.