Guide

How much does drone photography cost on Long Island?

Updated by Core Media Co.

At Core Media Co., drone photography for a Long Island listing comes in the Photos + Air package, $495 per listing, with professional photos and a 2D floor plan included, and aerial video comes in the Full Package, $695. Any operator's price depends on photos or video, what else is bundled, and the airspace at the address.

The cost factors and questions below apply to any drone operator. The FAA rules are a plain reading of what the FAA publishes, not legal advice, and the airspace notes are a starting point, never a clearance for an address. Our own prices sit in one box at the end.

What moves the price

What moves the price of drone photography

Drone work is sold in different ways: as an add-on, inside a listing package, or by the flight. These are the things that change the number.

  • Photos, video, or both

    Aerial photos take a short flight. Aerial video takes longer to fly and to edit, and it usually comes with a listing video rather than on its own.

  • On its own or in a package

    Some operators sell a flight by itself. Others include it in a listing package with the ground photos and a floor plan. Compare what lands in the folder, not only the number.

  • Airspace and authorization

    An address inside controlled airspace needs FAA authorization before the flight, usually through LAANC. Close to a runway the FAA may approve only a lower altitude, and a request above that ceiling is reviewed by hand, which takes longer. Ask how the operator handles it and whether it changes the price.

  • Weather and rescheduling

    Wind, rain, low cloud, and poor visibility ground a flight, whatever the airspace. Ask whether a weather day means a second trip, and whether that costs extra.

  • Dusk and night aerials

    Part 107 allows flights in civil twilight and at night with anti-collision lighting visible for 3 statute miles (107.29) and the pilot's updated training. A dusk flight is often a separate visit at the end of the day.

  • The size of the property

    A large parcel, a waterfront lot, or an estate with outbuildings can need more angles, or a longer video, than a house on a small lot.

  • Certificate, registration, and insurance

    A Part 107 certificate, a registered drone that broadcasts Remote ID, and liability insurance that covers drone work are the baseline for paid work. If a quote leaves any of them out, ask about it before you book.

The rules

The FAA rules behind every paid flight

Flying for a listing or a business is commercial, so it falls under the FAA's small drone rule, 14 CFR Part 107.

  • A remote pilot certificate

    The person flying must hold an FAA remote pilot certificate, or fly under the direct supervision of someone who does (107.12), and must have passed a knowledge test or recurrent training within the previous 24 calendar months (107.65).

  • A registered drone that broadcasts Remote ID

    The drone must be registered with the FAA (107.13) and broadcast Remote ID under Part 89.

  • Altitude, sight, and weather limits

    No higher than 400 feet above the ground, or 400 feet above a structure the drone is within 400 feet of (107.51). The pilot or a visual observer keeps it in sight unaided (107.31). Visibility must be at least 3 statute miles.

  • Authorization in controlled airspace

    Class B, C, or D airspace, or the Class E surface area around an airport, requires air traffic control authorization before the flight (107.41). LAANC lets a Part 107 pilot request it through an FAA approved supplier's app, checked against the FAA's UAS Facility Maps.

Long Island airspace

Republic, MacArthur, and Gabreski

From the FAA's airspace data and Chart Supplement, September 2026. Tower hours are local time and can change.

  • Republic Airport (FRG), Farmingdale

    Class D from the surface while the tower is open, 7 am to 11 pm. At other hours the airspace is Class G.

  • Long Island MacArthur (ISP), Town of Islip

    Class C from the surface while the tower is open, 6 am to midnight. At other hours it becomes a Class E surface area, which still requires authorization.

  • Francis S. Gabreski (FOK), Westhampton Beach

    Class D from the surface while the tower is open, 7 am to 11 pm. At other hours the airspace is Class G.

  • What it means for a listing

    At their centers, Nesconset and Lake Grove sit inside MacArthur's Class C surface area, and Melville inside Republic's Class D. Hauppauge, Saint James, and Smithtown sit within about a nautical mile of MacArthur's Class C surface area, and Dix Hills close to Republic's Class D, so it depends on the address. Every flight is checked by address.

What to ask before you book drone photography

Before the shoot, not on the day.

  1. Is drone included in the price or an add-on, and do I get aerial photos, aerial video, or both?
  2. Can I see your FAA Part 107 remote pilot certificate?
  3. Is this address in controlled airspace, and how will you get authorization?
  4. What happens, and what does it cost, if weather cancels the flight?
  5. Do you carry liability insurance that covers drone work?
  6. Does the price change with the size of the property or the town?

Our answers

How Core Media Co. prices drone

For listings across Suffolk and Nassau County, from the studio at 523 Lake Avenue in Saint James, NY.

Packages
Aerials come in three packages, $495 to $1,250 per listing: aerial photos from Photos + Air, $495; aerial video from the Full Package, $695, delivered within 48 hours; and twilight and a full property tour with Signature, $1,250.
On its own
Drone comes as part of the listing packages rather than on its own, so each one also includes the professional photos and the 2D floor plan.
Pilot
Every drone flight is flown by an FAA Part 107 certified remote pilot.
Insurance
Core Media Co. is fully insured, and the coverage includes drone work.
Airspace
We check each address on the FAA's airspace maps when you book, request any authorization before the day, usually through LAANC, and tell you up front if a flight is not possible.
Weather
We tell you before the shoot if wind or rain rules out the aerials, so we can agree on another time for the flight or go ahead without it.
Towns
The price does not change by town.
InquireSee every package on the pricing page

Questions

Questions about the cost of drone photography

How much does drone photography cost on Long Island?
It depends on whether you need aerial photos, video, or both, and what else is bundled. At Core Media Co., aerial photos come in Photos + Air, $495 per listing with professional photos and a 2D floor plan, and aerial video in the Full Package, $695. The price does not change by town.
Does a drone flight near Republic, MacArthur, or Gabreski Airport cost more?
Not at Core Media Co., where the price does not change by town. What the airspace changes is the planning: inside Republic's or Gabreski's Class D or MacArthur's Class C, a flight needs FAA authorization first, usually through LAANC, and close to a runway the FAA may allow only a lower altitude.
Does a drone photographer need an FAA license on Long Island?
Yes, for paid work. The pilot needs an FAA remote pilot certificate under Part 107, and the drone must be registered and broadcast Remote ID. Flights in controlled airspace near airports also need FAA authorization.
Can I book drone photos without the rest of the listing package?
Some operators sell a flight by itself. At Core Media Co., drone comes as part of the listing packages: aerial photos from Photos + Air, and aerial video from the Full Package upward, each with the professional photos and the 2D floor plan.
What happens if weather cancels the drone flight?
Ask before you book, because operators handle it differently. At Core Media Co., we tell you before the shoot if wind or rain rules out the aerials, so we can agree on another time for the flight or go ahead without it.

Sources

The FAA facts on this page match our drone rules guide, checked against these FAA and eCFR sources in September 2026. Rules and tower hours change, so confirm the current version before a flight.

Keep reading

Contact

Inquire about a service.

Tell us what you are trying to do. If it is a fit, we send an agreement and pick a date.

5.0 on Google, 10 reviews (opens the Google Business Profile in a new tab)

Replies within one business day. Signed agreement on every job. You own the finished work.

Prefer to write? Send us a note at studio@thecoremedia.co

Core Media Co.523 Lake Avenue
Saint James, NY 11780studio@thecoremedia.co

Based in Saint James. Working across Smithtown, Huntington, Port Jefferson, and all of Suffolk and Nassau County.