APEX UAV
Get paid to fly drone jobs near you.
Homeowners, Realtors, builders, and crane, tree, roofing and restoration crews all over the US post drone jobs here: real estate, roofs, construction visits, events and storm damage. You fly them.
- Every job comes with permission. The homeowner signs a written consent before the job ever shows up for you, so you're never flying someone's property without their OK.
- Claim jobs in the ZIP areas you cover. First pilot to claim it gets it. You see the address once it's yours.
- Fly, upload, done. Upload the photos right from your phone and add a quick note on what you saw. Apex gives them a quick check and delivers them.
- Keep 86% of every job, up to 90% as you level up. No fees to join, no lead fees, no bidding. Paid within 2 business days, and your pay is locked the moment you accept. Show up on time and you also earn a $25 bonus for every 10 on-time jobs in a row. Apex keeps 10% to 14% for finding the work and handling the billing. Customers never pay travel. If a job sits for a day with nobody closer, it opens to pilots up to 500 miles away. On jobs of $150 or more that are over 100 miles from your home, Apex adds a flat $25 for mileage automatically.
- Refer a pro, get $50. Send a drone pilot, photographer or videographer you trust. When they finish their first 3 Apex jobs, you get $50.
Every payout rule, in plain words
- Your share: 86% at Bronze (0 to 9 jobs), 88% at Silver (10 to 24), 90% at Gold (25 or more). The Reliable Pilot badge adds 1%, up to 90%. Customer discounts come out of Apex's part, never yours.
- Editing: editing is included on most jobs, unless the customer opts out for the raw files. Roof, storm, inspection, thermal and solar jobs are insurance records and are never edited. When editing is on, you edit the video and keep 98% of the video editing money, plus any video extras they paid for (titles, extra vertical cuts, adding the licensed track Apex sends you). Apex edits the photos with its touch-up tool as you upload, and keeps the photo editing money and the music license cost.
- Mileage: customers never pay travel. When a job is $150 or more and more than 100 miles from your home, Apex adds a flat $25 for mileage automatically when you accept, on top of your share, however far it is. No asking needed. Jobs under $150 don't include mileage. So take far jobs only when they're worth the drive to you.
- Locked when you accept: the dollar amount on the job when you accept it is what you get. It never goes down.
- When you're paid: within 2 business days after Apex approves your files. Paid by direct deposit through Square Payroll. Set up your bank account and tax info there before your first payout.
- Bigger than booked: if a property is bigger on site than booked and Apex approves the new price, you get your share of the difference.
- Late cancellation or no access: Apex keeps the customer's deposit. If you'd already checked in on site, you get $50 for the trip (or your normal pay for the job, if that's less). If you hadn't checked in yet, there's no pay for that job. Check in with location turned on: when your phone shows you at the job, the trip pay is automatic. If your phone can't confirm it, Apex checks before paying.
- Fixes: if files miss what the job asked for and it was in your control, you fix them or re-fly for free. Your pay waits until they're fixed.
- Money-back guarantee: every customer gets a 30-day money-back guarantee. A free fix or reshoot comes first, and Apex pays any refund. Apex reviews every case first. If the problem was something in your control (missed shots, blurry or dark photos, late files, damage), you go back and reshoot it for no extra pay and no mileage, however far it is. If it still ends in a refund, your pay for that job comes off your next payout. If it wasn't your fault, Apex pays you for any reshoot, and you keep your pay. None of this applies when a customer just changes their mind or doesn't pay.
- Bonuses: $25 for every 10 jobs in a row you check in on time. $50 for each pro you refer, once they finish 3 jobs.
- Customers you meet through Apex stay with Apex: while your pilot account is open, and for 12 months after it closes (whether you close it or Apex does), don't do drone work for them directly. If you do, you're removed from Apex.
- Changes: Apex gives you at least 14 days' written notice before changing any of this, and changes never touch a job you already accepted.
Not certified yet? Here's every step to your FAA Part 107, plus the study guide to pass the test.
What you'd make
At Bronze (86%). Silver and Gold pay more. Editing is included unless the customer opts out. When it's on, you edit the video and keep 98% of that money.
| Job (price before editing) | You get | With video editing |
|---|---|---|
| Real estate photos ($159) | $136.74 | Same |
| Real estate photos + video ($289) | $248.54 | $272.06 |
| Construction visit ($179) | $153.94 | $166.68 |
| Event or business video ($359) | $308.74 | $332.26 |
| Tree on a home ($159) | $136.74 | Same |
| Storm damage roof photos ($139) | $119.54 | Same |
| Full property overview ($199) | $171.14 | Same |
| Commercial or large lot ($319) | $274.34 | Same |
| Rush job, same day (+$75) | +$64.50 |
"Same" means no extra pay for editing: Apex does photo editing with its touch-up tool and keeps that part, and storm, roof and damage photos are never edited. Jobs of $150 or more that are over 100 miles from home add a flat $25 mileage automatically, paid by Apex.
Sign in or apply
Sign in or sign up in seconds. No password. New pilots fill out a quick application next.
Your information is protected. We never sell or share it. Customers never see your phone, email, home address or ID. How we protect it
We only work with vetted pros
Customers trust us with their homes, so you can't see or claim a single job until every one of these is done.
- FAA Part 107 certificate. We verify it on the FAA's Airmen Inquiry site.
- Drone liability insurance. Your own policy with at least $1,000,000 in coverage. Upload a copy and keep it current: no insurance, no jobs.
- Personal review by Apex. Jonnie, Apex's owner, reviews every pilot before they can take jobs. Apex does not work with anyone who has a felony conviction.
- Direct deposit and tax info through Square Payroll, since you're an independent contractor. You get the invite once you're approved.
- Your own drone with a good camera.
- Follow FAA rules on every flight and check for TFRs first. After big storms, temporary flight restrictions go up for rescue and recovery aircraft.
- Never fly over people, and stick to the property on the job.
Apply to fly with Apex
Takes about two minutes. Apex reviews every pilot before they can claim jobs.
Storm jobs
Editing help: free photo and video tools and how-tos. Stuck or running late? Call or text Apex at (386) 243-5716.
Shot lists for every job
Every package has a required shot list, so you and Apex both know what finishes the job. Each job you take shows its list with checkboxes; tick shots off on site and Apex sees your progress. Custom jobs use the customer's description instead: read it before you go and agree on the details with them on site.
Reward levels: Bronze (0–9 jobs) keeps 86%, Silver (10–24) keeps 88%, Gold (25+) keeps 90% and gets new jobs 10 minutes early. Your cut is locked in when you take a job. You get paid within 2 business days after Apex approves your files. Questions about a payout? Use Help in the menu, or email [email protected].
Pay, jobs, availability and renewals explained: Pilot help