>What is the range of a ~$5K drone? Payload? Battery life? Knowing these approximate parameters would be quite useful for putting one's thinking cap on. If anyone has a good idea, with payload and without payload, that could be helpful.
The answers to your questions depend firstly on the type of drone: multicopter or fixed-wing. With a multicopter you are looking at a maximum flight time of around 30 minutes, give or take depending upon numerous variables such as the payload and specific application (for example, hovering in one place uses less power than moving around). The payload capacity of a ~$5K multicopter would be in the order of 10 - 15kg, although carrying anywhere near this weight would severely limit the flight time.
A similarly-priced fixed-wing drone could stay aloft a lot longer and also have a greater payload capacity - the downside is the inability to hover or do vertical take-off and landing.
There are of course hybrid designs, usually tilt-rotors, that attempt to get the best of both worlds.
The answers to your questions depend firstly on the type of drone: multicopter or fixed-wing. With a multicopter you are looking at a maximum flight time of around 30 minutes, give or take depending upon numerous variables such as the payload and specific application (for example, hovering in one place uses less power than moving around). The payload capacity of a ~$5K multicopter would be in the order of 10 - 15kg, although carrying anywhere near this weight would severely limit the flight time.
A similarly-priced fixed-wing drone could stay aloft a lot longer and also have a greater payload capacity - the downside is the inability to hover or do vertical take-off and landing.
There are of course hybrid designs, usually tilt-rotors, that attempt to get the best of both worlds.