specification: FinOps Framework
specificationVersion: '1.0'
schema: https://www.finops.org/framework/
provider: DroneDeploy
providerId: dronedeploy
created: '2026-07-04'
modified: '2026-07-04'
reconciled: false
tags:
- Drone Mapping
- Reality Capture
- Aerial Analytics
- Geospatial
- FinOps
- Cost Management
- FOCUS
description: >-
  FinOps view of DroneDeploy spend. DroneDeploy is a subscription SaaS billed
  primarily per seat (Individual and Advanced tiers) with processing metered by
  imagery volume (images per map, annual Gigapixels). The developer GraphQL API
  carries no separate per-call fee - it is an entitlement of an Enterprise or
  Developer Partner agreement, so its cost is bundled into the negotiated contract.
  The dominant cost drivers are the number of seats, the map processing volume
  (Gigapixels), and any premium capability tiers.
notes: >-
  Per-unit processing rates and enterprise contract pricing are not reconciled here;
  verify on the DroneDeploy pricing page and with Sales. There is no metered API usage
  charge documented - API access is gated by contract, not billed per request.
sources:
- https://www.dronedeploy.com/pricing
- https://developer-docs.dronedeploy.com/api/authentication
- https://developer-docs.dronedeploy.com/api/introduction
- https://focus.finops.org/focus-specification/v1-3/
alignedWith:
  framework: FinOps Foundation Framework
  frameworkUrl: https://www.finops.org/framework/
  dataSpec: FOCUS
  dataSpecVersion: '1.3'
  dataSpecUrl: https://focus.finops.org/focus-specification/v1-3/
publisherName: DroneDeploy
serviceCategory: Geospatial and Reality Capture
billingModel:
  pricingCategory: Subscription-Based
  billingFrequency: Annual
  billingCurrency: USD
  chargeCategories:
  - Purchase
  - Usage
focusColumns:
  ServiceName: DroneDeploy Platform
  ServiceCategory: Geospatial and Reality Capture
  ProviderName: DroneDeploy
  PublisherName: DroneDeploy
  InvoiceIssuerName: DroneDeploy
  BillingCurrency: USD
  ChargeCategory: Purchase
  PricingCategory: Subscription-Based
meters:
- name: seats
  description: Per-user subscription seats (Individual or Advanced tier), the primary billed unit.
  unit: seats
  aggregation: sum
  dimensions:
  - account
  - plan
- name: processing_volume
  description: Map processing volume metered in Gigapixels against the annual plan allowance.
  unit: gigapixels
  aggregation: sum
  dimensions:
  - account
  - project
- name: images_processed
  description: Source images ingested and processed into maps; bounded per map by plan tier.
  unit: images
  aggregation: sum
  dimensions:
  - account
  - plan
- name: exports_generated
  description: Map/report exports produced via the API or app; work is asynchronous and draws on processing capacity.
  unit: exports
  aggregation: sum
  dimensions:
  - account
  - plan
principles:
- name: Visibility
  description: Track seats in use, Gigapixels processed, and images per map against plan allowances; API usage itself is not separately metered.
- name: Allocation
  description: Map seats and projects to teams/sites so processing volume and seat cost map to internal cost centers.
- name: Optimization
  description: Right-size seat counts and tiers, batch imagery to stay within images-per-map and Gigapixel allowances, and export only the layers you need.
- name: Accountability
  description: Assign owners per project/organization; review annual seat and processing commitments against actual capture volume before renewal.
maintainers:
- FN: Kin Lane
  email: kin@apievangelist.com