From Shoot to Delivery

The Complete Professional Workflow

You need a workflow you can repeat. Here’s the process from client contact to final payment.

Pre-Shoot (Day Before)

Review the client brief: what do they need? Aerial photos only? Video? Both? Any specific angles or features to highlight?
Check airspace: use B4UFLY or Aloft to verify you can legally fly at the location. Get LAANC authorization if you’re in controlled airspace.
Scout on Google Maps: satellite view shows obstacles, neighboring properties, power lines. Plan your takeoff and landing zones.
Confirm weather: wind speed, visibility, cloud ceiling. Postpone if conditions aren’t safe.
Charge everything: batteries, controller, tablet. Format SD cards.

Day of the Shoot

Arrive 15 Minutes Early

Walk the property before unpacking your drone. Look for:

Power lines and cell towers nearby
Trees that could block shots
People, pets, and vehicles in the area
Sun position relative to your key angles

Talk to the Client

If the client is on-site, confirm what matters most to them. A realtor might say “the backyard view is the selling point.” A construction manager might need specific progress angles. Align before you fly.

Clients who see you doing a thorough site walkthrough perceive you as more professional. It also prevents surprises mid-flight.

Shooting Systematically

Don’t fly randomly. Work methodically:

Wide establishing shots: property in context, neighborhood, landscape
Medium shots: the property itself from multiple angles
Detail shots: specific features the client wants highlighted
Creative angles: orbit shots, reveals, fly-throughs

Take multiple takes of everything important. A second attempt costs 30 seconds. A reshoot costs a second trip.

Check Footage Before Leaving

Plug your SD card into your laptop. Scroll through your clips. Confirm you got what you need. This 5-minute check saves hours of regret.

Post-Shoot

Backup Immediately

Copy all footage to two separate locations before doing anything else. Never edit from an SD card. Transfer first, then format.

Organize by Project

/Projects/
  /[Date]_[ClientName]/
    /Raw/           — original footage
    /Selects/       — best clips
    /Exports/       — final deliverables
    /Project/       — editing project file

Editing

Select your best clips first: don’t edit everything, only the winners
The 10-second rule: if a clip doesn’t add value in the first 10 seconds, cut it
Color grade for consistency: match the look across all clips

Editing

Add appropriate music: licensed, matching the mood and pace
Export multiple formats:
- Full-resolution master (4K ProRes or H.265)
- Web-optimized version (1080p H.264)
- Social media cuts (vertical for Instagram/TikTok)

Delivery

Upload to cloud storage (Google Drive, Dropbox) and send the client a link. Name files clearly: [PropertyName]_AerialVideo_4K.mp4.

Invoicing

Send your invoice within 24 hours of delivery. Include:

Project description
Deliverables list
Total amount
Payment terms (Net 15 or Net 30)
Multiple payment options (check, Venmo, PayPal, wire)

For new clients, Net 15 (payment due within 15 days) is reasonable. Long-term clients can get Net 30. Don’t extend credit to strangers.

Follow Up (1 Week Later)

Check if they’re satisfied
Ask for a testimonial
Ask for referrals
Mention your availability for future projects

Quick Check

Q: What’s the recommended shooting order? A: Wide establishing shots, then medium shots, detail shots, and creative angles.

Q: How many backup copies of footage should you make? A: Two separate locations minimum, before you start editing.

Q: When should you send the invoice? A: Within 24 hours of delivering the final files.

What’s Next?

Your workflow is dialed. Now let’s talk about what happens when you have more work than you can handle: scaling beyond solo.

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