Drone Hire: The Benefits

• Drone rental provides a new way of accessing drones;

• Hiring a drone has many benefits: Cheaper upfront costs, flexibility to have the kit only when you need it, ideal for periods of dynamic scaling, always access the latest equipment, and try before you buy;

• heliguy™'s drone rental service features drones, payloads, batteries, accessories, gimbals, drone tethers, and more. It is available to commercial and recreational users;

• Add extras to your rental combos - available in weekly hire slots - to build a tailored package.  

heliguy™ drone rental changes the way you access UAS technology.

It enables you to acquire aircraft on a short-term basis for a significantly cheaper upfront cost and removes the risks associated with purchasing, such as being left with old or redundant equipment.  

Drone hire also provides great flexibility, allowing you to only access the technology when you need it or dynamically scale your fleet based on demand or for a specific job. It also presents a great try before you buy option and enables you to always fly with the latest kit.

Our rental bundles, available to hire in weekly slots, have been built to provide you with the tools you need to maximise your rental period. Optional extras can be added to further tailor your hire package.

The heliguy™ rental service extends beyond drones: Our catalogue includes payloads, gimbals, lenses, batteries, base stations and other equipment to provide a fully-rounded hire solution.

This blog explores the benefits of drone hire and why rental could be the option for you.      

What Are The Benefits Of Drone Hire?

Hiring a drone has multiple advantages compared to an outright purchase. It is a very flexible option and works out significantly cheaper.

In many ways, drone rental opens up the technology to more people and makes it even more accessible.

Click here to find out how commercial clients are benefiting from drone rental. 

Drone Rental Vs Buying A Drone: The Price 

Drones and their associated payloads are amazing tools. 

And renting presents a cheaper and more cost-effective method of acquiring the technology, dramatically reducing the upfront investment in the process.

Take the heliguy™ M300 RTK rental combo for instance. A weekly hire starts from £599.99, compared to the package purchase price of £14,424. This means you can hire this bundle for 14 weeks for the cost of an outright purchase.

This is a particularly attractive incentive for drone operators who are either using the equipment infrequently or for bespoke missions, or for those who want to sample the equipment before committing to a purchase.

How Much Does A Rental Drone Cost?

The price does depend on which drone you rent, but our rental drones start from £29.99. 

The table below shows the price of weekly hire compared to an outright purchase (inc VAT, and correct at the time of writing) for a range of our hire drones and payloads.

The above is just a selection of our rental range. Click here to view the entire rental catalogue. 

Flexibility: On-demand Availability And Dynamic Scaling

Renting enables you to access the drone only when you need it - meaning you don't have aircraft sitting unused for months.

Got a specific job which requires a certain drone or payload? Then rent your desired piece of hardware on a short-term basis, and then hand it back when the job is done. This is perfect for dynamic scaling, helping you cater for periods of high demand.

This option is also attractive for pilots who are starting a drone business. Rather than committing to the full price of hardware upfront, rent a drone and see if the business is viable and the technology works for you, before forking out the full cost. This is invaluable for the proof of concept stage and represents a reduced-risk option.  

Going on holiday for a week and fancy capturing some unique footage? Then rent a drone for the period of your break, shoot content to help remember your trip, and then return it after your vacation. 

Buying a drone for a fortnight's holiday doesn't make sense. But renting a Mini 2, for example, for £29.99 for a week suddenly becomes a much more viable and enticing option. 

Access The Latest Technology

Renting is a truly flexible option. Not only does it allow you to have the kit only when the need it, but it also means that you can always access the latest technology.

This will give you the competitive edge for commercial operations, or enable you to enjoy the most up-to-date model with upgraded camera specs and flight safety systems if you are flying recreationally.

Why be lumbered with an older drone you have previously purchased, when you can get your hands on the newest model on a short-term basis, whenever you want or need it, and take advantage of its enhanced specs. For instance, the M300 RTK is superior to its older sibling, the M200 V2. 

And let's face it, technology moves fast.

The Air 2S, for instance, was released just a year after the Mavic Air 2, with vastly superior specs. If you'd bought the Air 2, you might be feeling a) annoyed that your £800 investment has been trumped just 12 months later by a newer model, and b) be reluctant to buy the newest model because of your previous outlay. Renting takes away this headache.

Try Before You Buy 

One of the major advantages of renting is that you can test the hardware before deciding to commit to a purchase.

Any amount of research can’t beat hands-on experience with a drone or payload and rental will help you get a feel for which one suits you and your needs.

Different aircraft can benefit the industry you work in in lots of different ways.

Testing the drone will allow you to make an informed choice of the best fit based on the pros and cons of each aircraft.

You will then know you’ve made the right decision for you and your business - or indeed your hobby - before you make an investment.

Don't Worry About Repairs 

Mistakes can happen, even to the most seasoned of drone pilots.

Renting with heliguy™ means that you can outsource the repairs back to us, at our in-house DJI-approved repair centre. 

This ensures that you don't have to worry about booking in a repair, or face having a broken drone sitting on your shelf for months.

In terms of excess for damaged equipment, this depends on your own insurance policy. Please consult your insurance documents.

As an aside, each rental item is regularly serviced by our tech team, ensuring it is updated with the most recent firmware. This saves you the hassle, and reduces the risks and complications associated with flying without the most up-to-date firmware.   

What Drones Are Available For Hire?

heliguy™'s rental offering covers the DJI ecosystem of drones, as well as batteries, controllers, and other accessories, plus DJI AeroScope drone detection. 

The rental service also includes non-DJI equipment, such as Elistair drone tethers and the Teradek streaming backpack.

What Do You Need To Rent A Drone?

heliguy™'s rental service is a no-hassle, streamlined option.

But there are a few requirements.

A valid insurance policy is mandatory, and we have teamed up with our partners, Coverdrone.

A CAA Flyer ID - which is free to obtain if you don't already have one - is also needed.

If you are flying commercially, we will need to see your training certificates or Operational Authorisation. 

A small shipping fee will apply for delivery and collection and this will be added to the cost of your rental package. 

Next-day delivery options are available, and rental equipment can be shipped to your place of work, where specified. 

Drone Hire - Summary

Depending on your situation, hiring a drone can make a lot of sense.

It's not to say that buying one is a bad decision; far from it, and for some operators - commercial and recreational - purchasing an aircraft outright is a sensible decision.

But drone rental provides another option, which for other people can represent better value for money and reduces some of the risk associated with buying.

For more details and to view the rental range, visit our drone rental page or contact us.