How to work out your FPV cost per flight hour
By the BeaconUAV team. Updated
Add up what you spent on parts, packs, and repairs over a period, and divide by the flight hours you logged in that period. The result is your cost per flight hour, and comparing it across quads shows which one is expensive to keep in the air.
The formula
Cost per flight hour = (parts + packs + repairs + other running costs in the period) / flight hours in the period.
Use the same period for both halves, such as the last three months. Leave out the purchase price of the quad itself unless you want to spread it over its life; most pilots find the running cost more useful.
A worked example
Example figures for one freestyle quad over three months:
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Props (12 sets) | $36 |
| Replacement arm and motor after a crash | $55 |
| Two new 6S packs | $110 |
| Total | $201 |
| Flight hours logged | 12.5 |
| Cost per flight hour | $16.08 |
What the number tells you
- Compare quads: a frame that costs twice as much per hour is worth a look at what keeps breaking.
- Compare periods: a jump usually means a run of crashes or a pack set reaching end of life.
- Budget: multiply by the hours you plan to fly next month.
Why it needs a flight log
The divisor is the hard part. Receipts tell you what you spent, but only a log tells you how many hours that money bought, and which quad they went to. BeaconUAV's personal ledger and squadron cost-per-hour reports do this division from your logged flights and recorded costs.
Key takeaways
- Cost per flight hour = running costs in a period / hours flown in that period.
- Compare it across quads and across months.
- The hours come from your flight log, so log consistently.