Billed

Drone Operator Invoice Template

Bill a client for aerial work on a project site with flight days at a day rate, edited photos, video and maps, processing hours and travel, then download it as an editable Word or Excel file or a blank PDF to print

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Quick answer:This drone operator invoice is for aerial work on one project site. It bills flight days as full or half days at a day rate, deliverables such as edited photos, an edited video and an orthomosaic map priced by unit, processing hours at an hourly rate and travel by the mile, each in its own section with a subtotal. A sales tax line with its own rate cell and the amount due follow. The project block records the site address, flight dates, pilot and usage rights, and the issuer block has a field for a remote pilot certificate number. It comes as a Word (.docx) or Excel (.xlsx) file with sample details and as a blank PDF to print. The page explains billing flights and deliverables separately, processing, travel, weather terms and image usage, and summarizes the FAA's Part 107 requirements in the US from faa.gov.

DRONE SERVICES INVOICE

Drone operator

Business name:
Example Aerial Imaging
Address:
18 Example Hangar Way, Sampletown
Phone / email:
[Phone or email]
Pilot certificate no.:
[Certificate no.]

Invoice details

Invoice no.:
DR-0754
Invoice date:
Nov 16, 2026
Payment terms:
Net 30
Due date:
Dec 16, 2026
PO no.:
[PO no., if required]

Bill to (client)

Company:
Example Construction Group
Contact:
Riley Example, project manager
Address:
900 Sample Plaza, Sampletown
Email:
[Email]

Project and site

Project:
Construction progress mapping, Building B
Site address:
2200 Sample Industrial Drive, Sampletown
Flight dates:
Nov 5 and Nov 12, 2026
Pilot:
[Pilot name]
Usage rights:
As set out in the project agreement [agreement ref.]

Flight days

  • Item: On-site flight day: mapping and photosAmount: 1,250.00
    Details:
    Nov 5, 2026
    Qty:
    1
    Unit:
    day
    Rate:
    1,250.00
  • Item: Return flight: progress videoAmount: 700.00
    Details:
    Nov 12, 2026
    Qty:
    1
    Unit:
    half day
    Rate:
    700.00
Flight days subtotal1,950.00

Deliverables

  • Item: Edited aerial photos, high resolutionAmount: 720.00
    Details:
    Delivered by download link
    Qty:
    40
    Unit:
    photo
    Rate:
    18.00
  • Item: Edited progress video, 90 secondsAmount: 650.00
    Details:
    4K and 1080p files
    Qty:
    1
    Unit:
    video
    Rate:
    650.00
  • Item: Orthomosaic map and site modelAmount: 900.00
    Details:
    GeoTIFF and PDF files
    Qty:
    1
    Unit:
    map
    Rate:
    900.00
Deliverables subtotal2,270.00

Processing

  • Item: Map processing and quality checkAmount: 510.00
    Details:
    Office time
    Qty:
    6
    Unit:
    hour
    Rate:
    85.00
Processing subtotal510.00

Travel

  • Item: Mileage to the siteAmount: 64.40
    Details:
    2 round trips of 46 miles
    Qty:
    92
    Unit:
    mile
    Rate:
    0.70
Travel subtotal64.40
Subtotal
4,794.40
Sales tax, if applicable (0%)
0.00
Amount due
4,794.40

How to pay

Accepted methods:
Bank transfer, ACH or check
Account name:
[Account name]
Bank details:
[Bank name, account and routing numbers]
Payment reference:
Invoice DR-0754

Project notes

  • Sample terms: flights depend on the weather; a weather day is rescheduled at no charge.
  • Files were delivered by download link on Nov 13, 2026.

Please quote the invoice and PO numbers with your payment.

Drone services invoice: sample preview. Download it below.

Key Features

Everything you need in a professional invoice template.

Drone operator block with a pilot certificate no. field, and invoice details with a PO no.
Bill to (client) with a contact, and a Project and site block with flight dates, pilot and usage rights
Flight days: full or half days × day rate, with the flight date
Deliverables: edited photos, video and maps priced by unit, with format details
Processing hours × hourly rate for office work after the flight
Travel: miles × mileage rate
Subtotal, "Sales tax, if applicable" with its rate in its own cell, and amount due
Project notes for weather terms and file delivery
Word (.docx) and Excel (.xlsx) files with sample details, and a blank PDF to print

Download the invoice template

The PDF is a blank invoice to print and fill in by hand. The Word and Excel files contain the sample details shown in the preview, ready for you to replace with your own. In the Excel file, each line amount is a formula: "Qty" × "Rate". The section subtotals, subtotal, tax and amount due are formulas too. The tax rate sits in its own cell, so you can change it.

DRONE SERVICES INVOICE

Drone operator

Business name:
Example Aerial Imaging
Address:
18 Example Hangar Way, Sampletown
Phone / email:
[Phone or email]
Pilot certificate no.:
[Certificate no.]

Invoice details

Invoice no.:
DR-0754
Invoice date:
Nov 16, 2026
Payment terms:
Net 30
Due date:
Dec 16, 2026
PO no.:
[PO no., if required]

Bill to (client)

Company:
Example Construction Group
Contact:
Riley Example, project manager
Address:
900 Sample Plaza, Sampletown
Email:
[Email]

Project and site

Project:
Construction progress mapping, Building B
Site address:
2200 Sample Industrial Drive, Sampletown
Flight dates:
Nov 5 and Nov 12, 2026
Pilot:
[Pilot name]
Usage rights:
As set out in the project agreement [agreement ref.]

Flight days

  • Item: On-site flight day: mapping and photosAmount: 1,250.00
    Details:
    Nov 5, 2026
    Qty:
    1
    Unit:
    day
    Rate:
    1,250.00
  • Item: Return flight: progress videoAmount: 700.00
    Details:
    Nov 12, 2026
    Qty:
    1
    Unit:
    half day
    Rate:
    700.00
Flight days subtotal1,950.00

Deliverables

  • Item: Edited aerial photos, high resolutionAmount: 720.00
    Details:
    Delivered by download link
    Qty:
    40
    Unit:
    photo
    Rate:
    18.00
  • Item: Edited progress video, 90 secondsAmount: 650.00
    Details:
    4K and 1080p files
    Qty:
    1
    Unit:
    video
    Rate:
    650.00
  • Item: Orthomosaic map and site modelAmount: 900.00
    Details:
    GeoTIFF and PDF files
    Qty:
    1
    Unit:
    map
    Rate:
    900.00
Deliverables subtotal2,270.00

Processing

  • Item: Map processing and quality checkAmount: 510.00
    Details:
    Office time
    Qty:
    6
    Unit:
    hour
    Rate:
    85.00
Processing subtotal510.00

Travel

  • Item: Mileage to the siteAmount: 64.40
    Details:
    2 round trips of 46 miles
    Qty:
    92
    Unit:
    mile
    Rate:
    0.70
Travel subtotal64.40
Subtotal
4,794.40
Sales tax, if applicable (0%)
0.00
Amount due
4,794.40

How to pay

Accepted methods:
Bank transfer, ACH or check
Account name:
[Account name]
Bank details:
[Bank name, account and routing numbers]
Payment reference:
Invoice DR-0754

Project notes

  • Sample terms: flights depend on the weather; a weather day is rescheduled at no charge.
  • Files were delivered by download link on Nov 13, 2026.

Please quote the invoice and PO numbers with your payment.

Drone services invoice

An invoice from a drone operator for aerial work on a project site: flight days at a day rate, edited deliverables such as photos, video and maps, processing hours, travel, a tax rate cell and the amount due.

A request for payment — shows the amount due

Download

What goes on a drone services invoice

A client paying for aerial work wants to see when you flew, what they're getting and what each part cost. The template has these parts:

  • Drone operator. Your business name, address, phone or email, and a "Pilot certificate no." field.
  • Invoice details. The invoice number, invoice date, payment terms, due date and a PO number, if the client needs one.
  • Bill to (client). The company, a contact, the address and an email.
  • Project and site. The project, the site address, the flight dates, the pilot and the usage rights.
  • Flight days, Deliverables, Processing and Travel. Four sections with the same columns: item, details, qty, unit, rate and amount, each with its own subtotal.
  • Totals. The subtotal, "Sales tax, if applicable" and the amount due.
  • How to pay and project notes. The methods you accept, placeholders for your account details, a payment reference, and notes such as your weather terms and when the files were delivered.

The sample bills a construction company for progress mapping of a building site. A full flight day on Nov 5 (1,250.00) and a half-day return flight for video on Nov 12 (700.00) come to 1,950.00. The deliverables are 40 edited photos at 18.00, a 90-second edited video and an orthomosaic map and site model, which come to 2,270.00. Six hours of map processing at 85.00 add 510.00, and 92 miles of travel at 0.70 add 64.40. The subtotal is 4,794.40, sales tax is 0% in the sample, and 4,794.40 is due on Net 30 terms. The rates are placeholders, not market rates.

Flight days and deliverables: bill them separately

A drone job has two parts the client pays for: the time you spend on site flying, and the finished files you hand over. Putting them on separate lines lets the client see what each part cost, and it makes changes easy to price.

  • Flight days. Bill time on site by the day, or by the half day if your quote uses that unit, at your day rate. A flight day covers setting up, flying and packing down at the site, whether you capture ten photos or two hundred.
  • Deliverables. Bill the finished work by what the client receives: a number of edited photos, an edited video of a stated length, or a map or model of the site. Name the format and resolution in the description so the client can check what they got against what they ordered.
  • Changes. If the client adds a second visit or more deliverables after the quote, add them as their own lines. A short description such as "Added at client's request" ties the line to the change.

Processing hours

Processing is the office work after a flight: turning overlapping photos into a map or model, checking its quality, or extra editing beyond what a deliverable's price covers. Bill it as hours × an hourly rate in the Processing section, as the sample does with "Map processing and quality check", 6 hours at 85.00.

The sample prices the orthomosaic map as a deliverable and bills the office time to process it by the hour. If your price for a map or video already includes the processing, leave the Processing section empty, so the client doesn't pay for the same work twice. Either way, say in the quote which you use.

Travel

Travel is a separate line, so the client can see it isn't part of your day rate. Bill it the way your quote says: miles × a mileage rate, a flat travel fee for sites outside your area, or lodging and other travel costs at cost. Rates in the sample are placeholders, not market rates. The sample bills 2 round trips of 46 miles, 92 miles at 0.70 a mile, in the Travel section.

Weather, reflights and cancellations

Drone work depends on the weather, and that needs settling before the shoot, not on the invoice. Put your terms in the quote or service agreement:

  • Weather days. Whether a day scrubbed for wind or rain is rescheduled at no charge, and whether travel already spent is billed.
  • Reflights. Whether a reflight is free when the capture doesn't meet the agreed spec, and how it's billed when the client changes the brief.
  • Deposits. Whether a deposit holds the date, and whether it's credited to the invoice or kept if the client cancels.

Then bill to those terms, and say in the project notes when a line reflects one of them, such as a rescheduled flight day. The sample's notes give its terms: "Sample terms: flights depend on the weather; a weather day is rescheduled at no charge."

Usage of the images, video and maps

The client is paying for files and for the right to use them. State the use in your quote or agreement, and repeat it on the invoice so both sides have it in writing with the bill:

  • What the client may use the files for, such as the client's own marketing, a property listing, or internal records of a construction site.
  • For how long and where, if the use is limited.
  • Whether you can reuse the files, for example in your portfolio.
  • What happens to raw footage and unedited images, whether they're included, sold separately or kept by you.

The template has a "Usage rights" field in the Project and site block. The sample points to the agreement rather than repeating the terms: "As set out in the project agreement [agreement ref.]". Replace the bracket with your agreement's reference, or write a short summary of the agreed use, such as "Client's internal project records and marketing; no resale".

FAA rules in the US: Part 107

In the US, the FAA says that if you have a small drone that is less than 55 pounds, "you can fly for work or business by following the Part 107 guidelines" (FAA: certificated remote pilots including commercial operators). The FAA's pages set out what that involves:

  • Remote Pilot Certificate. To fly under Part 107, "you must obtain a Remote Pilot Certificate from the FAA." The requirements include being at least 16 years old and passing the initial aeronautical knowledge test. Certificate holders must complete online recurrent training every 24 calendar months, and the FAA tells pilots to have the certificate available whenever they fly (FAA: become a certificated remote pilot).
  • Registration. Drones flown under Part 107 must be registered, and the FAA requires you to label each drone with its registration number before you fly it (FAA: register your drone).
  • Remote ID. Drones that are required to be registered, or are registered, including those flown for business, must comply with the FAA's rule on Remote ID (FAA: Remote ID).
  • Airspace authorization. Pilots planning to fly under 400 feet in controlled airspace around airports must receive an airspace authorization from the FAA before they fly. LAANC can give authorizations in near-real time at pre-approved altitudes, and LAANC requests can be submitted up to 90 days ahead (FAA: LAANC). For requests through FAADroneZone, the FAA says processing has historically taken up to eight weeks (FAA: Part 107 airspace authorizations).
  • Waivers. The FAA lists the Part 107 rules that can be waived, such as operation from a moving vehicle or aircraft, and explains how to apply (FAA: Part 107 waivers).

None of these rules says what an invoice must show. The template's "Pilot certificate no." field is there for clients who ask for it; fill it in or leave it blank. If a job needed an airspace authorization or a waiver, you can add its reference to the project notes. Outside the US, check the rules of the country where you fly.

Filling in the figures

In the Excel file, each line amount is qty × rate. The four section subtotals, the Subtotal, the sales tax line and the amount due are formulas, and the sales tax rate sits in its own cell next to its line. The tax line applies to the whole subtotal, travel included. Type over the sample lines with your own; each section has one blank row at the end.

  • No sales tax: leave the rate at 0%. Don't delete the row, because the amount due refers to it. Whether drone services are taxable depends on where you work, so check with your state's tax agency.
  • More lines than fit: insert a row above the blank row in that section and copy the amount formula into it. The section subtotal and the Subtotal should grow to include the new row; check that they did.
  • A section you don't need, such as Processing: leave its rows empty. Its subtotal shows 0.00.
  • A deposit already paid: insert a row below the sales tax line labeled "Less: deposit received", type the amount, and subtract it in the Amount due formula.

In the Word file, the amounts are typed, not calculated, so retype the line amounts and totals whenever you change a figure. The PDF is a blank form to fill in by hand, with a blank for the sales tax rate.

Quote, invoice or receipt?

  • Before the job: send a quote or estimate with the flight days, deliverables, travel and usage terms. The photography estimate template has a similar structure, and in Billed you can convert an approved estimate into an invoice (estimating software).
  • To hold a date with a deposit: send a deposit invoice. This template has no deposit line; the Excel tips above explain how to add one to the final invoice.
  • After the work: send an invoice like this one. It asks for payment by a due date.
  • After the client pays: send a receipt if they want one. The payment receipt template confirms payment of a specific invoice.

Billing drone work in Billed

Billed can create and send estimates and convert approved ones into invoices (estimating software). You can save the products and services you sell, such as a flight day or an edited video, to reuse on invoices, and Billed shows which invoices are partly paid and sends payment reminders (features).

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What's included in this invoice template

Charge Section
Time on site, flying Flight days: days × day rate
Edited photos, video, maps Deliverables: qty × price
Office work after the flight Processing: hours × rate
Getting to the site Travel: miles × rate
Sales tax, where it applies Rate on the subtotal, 0% in the sample

When this isn't for you

If the job isn't agreed yet, send a quote or estimate. If you only need a deposit to hold the date, send a deposit invoice. If you shoot only on the ground, a photography or videography invoice fits better. If the client has already paid, send a receipt.

How To Send Invoices With Billed

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3

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Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about this invoice template.

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