Dang! One of the updates since last I bothered buffed these payouts I knew (update 14--I just tracked it down), but I didn't realize it was that much. That is certainly not chump change. The speed of doing it will depend on the procedurally generated distribution of samples and terrain, so payout per hour is still highly variable, but last I did it, a full set at FTD was in the hundreds of thousands, not millions.The trouble with judging earnings per hour is that somebody who just plays faster gets a better earnings per hour.
With first discovery a complete sample series pays five times more than standard, the hugest standard price is 19 million giving 97 million for first discovery.
I definitely wish other aspects of on-foot gameplay followed this model (somewhat. On-foot gameplay shouldn't be staggeringly more rewarding than flight either)