> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://dronelist.io/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Services & Pricing

> Define your service catalog, configure pricing models, and manage tiered pricing

# Services & Pricing

The Services module is where you define what your drone business offers and how much it costs. Build a catalog of services, set pricing models, create Good/Better/Best tiers, and configure organization-wide pricing strategy — all of which flow directly into [Proposals](/docs/features/proposals) and [Profitability](/docs/features/profitability) tracking.

## Service catalog

Your service catalog lives under **Services** in the main navigation. Each service represents a distinct offering you provide to clients — from real estate photography to orthomosaic mapping.

### Creating a service

Click **New Service** to add an offering. You can start from scratch or choose a built-in template:

| Template                | Base rate | Pricing model |
| ----------------------- | --------- | ------------- |
| Real Estate Photography | \$250     | Flat          |
| Roof Inspection         | \$350     | Flat          |
| Orthomosaic Mapping     | \$500     | Variable      |
| Construction Progress   | \$400     | Flat          |
| Thermal Inspection      | \$450     | Flat          |
| Event Coverage          | \$300     | Hourly        |
| Agricultural Survey     | \$400     | Variable      |

Templates pre-fill base rates, default time estimates, and pricing models. Customize everything after creation.

### Service fields

| Field                 | Description                                                           |
| --------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Name**              | What clients see on proposals and invoices                            |
| **Description**       | Details about what this service includes                              |
| **Item type**         | Classification for how this item appears in proposals                 |
| **Base rate**         | Starting price before tiers or modifiers                              |
| **Currency**          | Billing currency (USD, EUR, GBP, CAD, AUD, NZD, CHF)                  |
| **Unit type**         | How pricing is measured (per hour, per flight, per area, per project) |
| **Pricing model**     | How the final price is calculated                                     |
| **Visibility**        | Public (shown to clients) or Private (internal only)                  |
| **Taxable**           | Whether tax applies to this service                                   |
| **Discount eligible** | Whether discounts can be applied                                      |

***

## Service item types

Every service is classified by item type. This determines how it appears in proposals and how it's categorized in financial reports.

| Item type         | Description                                                 | Example                                          |
| ----------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------ |
| **Service**       | Core service offering with labor and operations             | Aerial survey, site inspection                   |
| **Deliverable**   | Tangible output produced for the client                     | Orthomosaic map, edited video, inspection report |
| **Equipment Fee** | Equipment rental, depreciation, or specialized gear charges | Thermal camera surcharge, LiDAR rental           |
| **Add-on**        | Optional enhancement to a base service                      | Same-day delivery, additional flight passes      |
| **Expense**       | Pass-through cost billed to the client                      | Travel, permits, airspace authorization fees     |

When building a [Proposal](/docs/features/proposals), you can mix item types to create a detailed, transparent breakdown for your clients.

***

## Pricing models

Each service uses one of three pricing models to calculate its price:

| Model         | How it works                                 | Best for                                                                    |
| ------------- | -------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Flat Rate** | Fixed price regardless of quantity           | Standard jobs with predictable scope (roof inspections, real estate shoots) |
| **Hourly**    | Base rate multiplied by hours worked         | Variable-duration work (event coverage, consulting)                         |
| **Variable**  | Base price plus quantity-based rate per unit | Area-dependent work (mapping, agricultural surveys)                         |

### Variable pricing

Variable pricing adds a per-unit component on top of the base rate. Configure these additional fields:

| Field                  | Description                                         |
| ---------------------- | --------------------------------------------------- |
| **Variable unit name** | The unit being measured (e.g., Acres, Sq Ft, Miles) |
| **Rate per unit**      | Price charged per additional unit                   |

**Example:** An agricultural survey with a $400 base rate + $15/acre. A 100-acre job would be quoted at $400 + (100 x $15) = \$1,900.

***

## Pricing tiers

Tiers let you offer Good/Better/Best options for the same service. Each tier adjusts the base price and specifies what's included.

### How tiers work

| Tier property      | Description                                                              |
| ------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| **Name**           | Display name (e.g., "Basic", "Standard", "Premium")                      |
| **Level**          | Sort order (1, 2, 3)                                                     |
| **Price modifier** | Multiplier applied to the base rate (1.0 = base price, 1.5 = 50% markup) |
| **Included items** | List of deliverables and features included at this tier                  |
| **Recommended**    | Highlight one tier as the suggested option                               |

### Example tier setup

A "Roof Inspection" service at \$350 base rate:

| Tier     | Modifier | Price | Includes                                              |
| -------- | -------- | ----- | ----------------------------------------------------- |
| Basic    | 1.0x     | \$350 | 10 photos, summary report                             |
| Standard | 1.4x     | \$490 | 25 photos, detailed report, video walkthrough         |
| Premium  | 1.7x     | \$595 | Full documentation, thermal imaging, annual follow-up |

Mark the **Standard** tier as recommended — it gets highlighted in proposals so clients naturally gravitate toward your mid-range option.

***

## Service scope

Each service can define structured scope details that appear in proposals.

### Deliverables

List the tangible outputs the client receives. Each deliverable has a name, optional description, and optional quantity.

**Examples:** "Edited aerial video (4K)", "Orthomosaic map (GeoTIFF)", "Inspection report (PDF)"

### Exclusions

Explicitly state what's not included. This sets clear expectations and reduces scope creep.

**Examples:** "Interior photography", "FAA airspace authorization", "Same-day delivery"

***

## Effort tracking

Each service tracks estimated effort by category. These time estimates power the [Profitability](/docs/features/profitability) module's margin calculations.

| Category       | What it covers                                                 |
| -------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Flight**     | On-site flight operations — equipment depreciation applies     |
| **Processing** | Post-production editing, data processing, deliverable creation |
| **Report**     | Report writing and deliverable documentation                   |
| **Travel**     | Driving to/from site, site surveys                             |
| **Admin**      | Client meetings, invoicing, scheduling, overhead               |

Set default hours for each category per service. When you create a project from a proposal, these estimates become the baseline for tracking actual vs. estimated time.

***

## Pricing configuration

The **Services > Pricing** page controls organization-wide pricing strategy. These settings apply across all services when generating proposals.

### Base rates

Set your hourly rates for each effort category. These rates are used by the profitability calculator to determine your cost basis and margins.

### Margin multipliers

Margin multipliers define the price tiers used in your quote calculator:

| Multiplier      | Default | Purpose                                  |
| --------------- | ------- | ---------------------------------------- |
| **Floor**       | 1.0x    | Break-even price — your absolute minimum |
| **Recommended** | 1.25x   | Target margin for standard work          |
| **Premium**     | 1.6x    | High-value or specialized engagements    |

When generating a proposal, the quote calculator uses these multipliers to show you Floor, Recommended, and Premium price points based on your actual costs.

### Auto-modifiers

Auto-modifiers automatically adjust pricing when specific conditions apply:

| Modifier                | Type       | Default | Description                                                                        |
| ----------------------- | ---------- | ------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Controlled Airspace** | Percentage | +10%    | Surcharge for operations in controlled airspace requiring additional authorization |
| **Marginal Weather**    | Flat fee   | +\$50   | Buffer for weather-dependent scheduling and potential re-flights                   |
| **Rush Fee**            | Percentage | +25%    | Applied when lead time is under 48 hours (disabled by default)                     |
| **Extended Travel**     | Percentage | +15%    | Applied when travel distance exceeds 50 miles (disabled by default)                |

Enable or disable each modifier and customize the values to match your business. When enabled, these modifiers are automatically factored into proposal pricing.

### Team rate overrides

If your team members have different billing rates (e.g., a senior pilot vs. a junior operator), configure per-member rate overrides on the Pricing page. These overrides apply when assigning specific team members to projects and proposals.

Solo operators see a placeholder message — this section is only relevant for teams with multiple members.

***

## Tips

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Start with templates, then customize">
    Templates give you a solid starting point with industry-standard pricing. Adjust base rates and time estimates to match your local market and cost structure.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Use tiers to increase average deal value">
    Clients tend to pick the middle option. Set your Standard tier at the price you actually want, with Basic below and Premium above. The recommended badge on the middle tier guides the choice.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Define exclusions to prevent scope creep">
    Being explicit about what's not included saves difficult conversations later. If clients frequently ask for something outside scope, consider adding it as an Add-on item type.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Keep effort estimates accurate for profitability">
    The [Profitability](/docs/features/profitability) module compares estimated effort against actual time. Revisit your default hours after completing a few projects to calibrate your estimates.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Enable rush and travel modifiers as needed">
    Rush and Extended Travel modifiers are disabled by default. Turn them on once you've established your baseline pricing — they add complexity that's worth it once you have volume.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>
