Hire costs against retail prices
At current daily rates, one day of hire costs about 2.3%–7.2% of the retail price.
| Equipment | Australian retail | 1 day | Weekend | 7 days | Days to equal retail |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DJI Mini 5 ProFly More Combo, DJI RC 2 | A$1,699 | A$122 | A$244 | A$683 | 14 days |
| DJI Avata 360Motion Fly More Combo | A$1,619 | A$102 | A$204 | A$571 | 16 days |
| DJI Avata 2Fly Smart Combo, three batteries | A$1,279 | A$92 | A$211.60 | A$515 | 14 days |
| DJI Mavic 4 ProFly More Combo, DJI RC 2 | A$4,039 | A$194 | A$388 | A$1,086 | 21 days |
| Sony Alpha 1ILCE-1 body only | A$6,999 | A$176 | A$352 | A$986 | 40 days |
| Sony FE 200–600mm F5.6–6.3 G OSSSEL200600G lens | A$2,399 | A$70 | A$140 | A$392 | 35 days |
| Sony FE 24–70mm F2.8 GM IISEL2470GM2 lens | A$2,699 | A$62 | A$124 | A$347 | 44 days |
Retail prices are list prices on the official DJI Australia and Sony Australia stores, in AUD including GST, checked 23 October 2026; select a price to see its source. Hire totals use current product-page rates; delivery is extra.
How the numbers are worked out
Rental totals use the rates currently published on each product page, calculated the same way as the booking form: collection and return dates both count as rental days, published packages apply automatically, and any weekend surcharge is included. The weekend column means collecting on Saturday and returning on Sunday.
Retail prices are the official DJI Australia or Sony Australia store price, in Australian dollars including GST, for the configuration closest to our rental kit. Retailers run promotions, so check the linked store page for today’s price. “Days to equal retail” divides the retail price by the daily rate; longer packages make extended hire cheaper than that.
When hiring makes more sense
Hire when the equipment is for a specific trip, wedding, event or project; when you only fly or shoot a few times a year; or when you want a long lens for a season, such as bird migration, without keeping it for the rest of the year. A few days of hire also lets you try a model on your own shoot before spending thousands of dollars on it.
Hiring also leaves the newest model to us. When DJI or Sony releases a successor, you hire whatever suits the next job instead of selling used gear at a loss.
When buying is the better choice
Buying makes sense if you will use the equipment most weeks, if it earns regular paid work, or if you often need it at very short notice. Compare the number of days you expect to use it over the next year or two with the “days to equal retail” column.
That column is only a starting point. Owning also brings costs the price tag leaves out: insurance or a care plan, spare batteries as the originals age, repairs, memory cards and storage, and the value lost as newer models arrive. Selling later recovers part of the purchase price, but resale values vary and are not guaranteed.
What a hire includes
Each rental comes as the kit listed on its product page, including batteries and chargers where listed, checked before collection. For drone bookings, a refundable deposit is held on your card after we confirm the booking; it is not charged and is released after the equipment is returned and checked.
Before booking: check your setup.
- Count the days you expect to use the equipment in the next twelve months.
- Compare that number with the “days to equal retail” column, remembering the extra costs of owning.
- Check whether you also need a body, lens, memory card or extra batteries for the shoot.
- Open the product page to see the full kit list and the total for your actual dates.
- Pay the 30% deposit to hold your dates; we then confirm the booking and the final quote.
Product references
Prepared from the listed rental configurations and the manufacturer references below. Product photos show equipment examples; the individual kit list defines the included items.
