So far, all i've read of the company doing, is considering a pilot & AC. All well & good, but your offering more than that in a turnkey operation start > finish. So, they may find a brilliant pilot, yet unable to turn the comp on to run edit. Ergo, two people to do the job of one, and maybe neither the pilot or editor can effect repairs and therefore a mechanic now required....see how this works?
Service life of AC,...sounds like they don't realize just how frequent "breakages" can be...or the ^^^mark-up on aftermarket sales (accessories) and replacement parts....(seriously, $350 for batteries??? unheard of 10-15 year ago aside from specialist areas).
Recall,...they are considering "in-house" based on cost,...YOU have to enlighten them of the costs they HADN'T considered, and that, that alone being absorbed by contracting you, keeps it simplified accounting for them, less In$urance o/head, and overall deniability.
All that without touching on FAA and regulations/limitations etc...
Offer them a challenge...design a very short & quick project of you against them,... let them go through the process of being legal, all the while you've completed, packaged and delivered the project to client...TIME IS MONEY, and you are SAVING them the cost of OVERSIGHT & responsibility where UAV AC are concerned. (unless this is an arena they wish to be involved in, yet i don't read it that way)
A.U.S.