The growth of the real estate industry has come with a high demand for better visual marketing to attract more buyers. Drones come in handy to accomplish this task. Building interiors are quite easy to capture and display, but the need for exterior views such as landscapes, the large acreage, and the great natural features has led most developers to hire choppers for aerial coverage, which has been a significantly high cost.

The application of drone aerial photography real estate is a game changer. The removal of existing barriers such as waivers and the official publication of the drone operation rules in 2016 has given agents liberty to fly drones and capture the best aerial photos and videos, hence achieving more exceptional building views and improve real estate marketing.

The Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA’s) analysis concludes that the major functions of drones or Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS’s) are aerial photography and real estate.

Savvy home buyers get a variety of views such as property surveys and maps, neighborhood facilities and ambiance, walks and car drive views, roof structures, and an overall one-off property aerial view.

Drones dynamically reduce the aerial capture cost, offering a moderate purchase price range. They capture both images and videos and have tools that aid in editing and sharing your captured footage without you having to possess any professional skills.

The UAS weight requirement is below 880oz. There’s also a registration requirement with the FAA that has a 3-year validity. Flight should only be done at daytime, with the drone flying at a visible sight, at a 100mph speed, and below 400ft, which is sufficient height for capturing the best aerial footage. It’s, however, illegal to navigate a drone while in a vehicle that’s in motion.

There are specified no-flight-zones for drones such as airports, stadiums, and hazardous places such as burning areas. The downloadable FAA safety app makes use of your GPS location to relay to you your area’s predefined flight rules and limits.

It’s advisable to uphold good drone practice while flying. Get permission before flying over private property and refrain from places crowded with people. Avoid any move that would trigger children or animals to chase after the drone. Follow the published manual to the letter.

The operation rules give clear guidelines regarding safety, noise, and privacy.

To become a competent drone pilot and earn money from it:

• You must be above 16 years and have basic literacy, with the ability to understand, speak, write, and read English.
• You must perform exceptionally well in an aeronautical knowledge test.
• You must fill a FAA Form 8710-13 to attain a remote pilot certificate. This is done via an online rating system which has a 10 day validation period.
• You later receive a FAA email confirming your complete TSA security check and a provisional printable pilot certificate valid for 120 days. Upon completion of other processes, the FAA emails the official remote pilot certificate renewable every 2 years upon undertaking another knowledge test.

The use of UAS in real estate photography is being embraced more by real estate agents. The underlying profits are incredible and the marketing potential grows by the day. The set-out regulations ensure controlled operations regardless of your location. With drones, aerial photography just gets better and better.