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How to use Drone For Real Estate Photography
Elevate your real estate photography with drones! Capture breathtaking aerial shots of properties, showcasing their size, surroundings, and unique features. Use smooth and stable flights to create cinematic footage and high-resolution images.
Showcase properties from unique angles and perspectives, giving potential buyers a captivating and immersive view. Enhance your real estate marketing with stunning drone photography! 🏠🚁📸


Before we go, let me clarify a few points.
With so much information accessible on the internet (most of it confusing), I know all too well how much confusion this can create.
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Drones have grown in popularity, and not just for commercial purposes.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration, over 868,783 drones were registered in the United States as of August 2021, with the vast majority (over 500,000) designated for recreational use.
And this figure does not even include all of the drones that fly through our friendly skies.
The FAA only requires drones weighing more than 0.55 pounds but less than 55 pounds to be registered, so the tiny ones sold on Amazon.com frequently go unnoticed. Aside from that, drones weighing more than that must register with the FAA aircraft registry. =
In Australia
Drone pilots do not obtain a ‘license, If your drone weighs more than 250 grams, you must fly at least 5.5 kilometers away from a controlled airport, which generally has a control tower at them.
This implies that the CASA has given you the authorization to operate a drone for monetary benefit.
So you may now start a business, work for a corporation, or sell your photos, which includes real estate photography.

The Kind of Drones used for Business
You can fly a tiny drone or RPA weighing no more than 2 kg for business or as part of your employment. Because you do not require a RePL or ReOC, this is also known as the sub-2 kg exempt category.
If you fly a drone (remotely piloted aircraft) with RPA weighing less than 2kg but for commercial purposes, you can fly your drone in the ‘excluded’ category. This means you must notify CASA before flying and adhere to the standard operating conditions.
To fly commercially outside of these operating conditions, you must be licensed (have a remote pilot’s license RePL) and fly with a certified operator.
Here’s how it works:
Request an aviation reference number.
Inform us before you fly.
Fly within the standard operating parameters.
Examples of firms that fall under this exclusive category include:
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- Real estate brokers, photographers, and filmmakers, as well as construction workers and tradesmen
- Providers of government and community services
You are required to: - obtain an aviation reference number (ARN) – an organization ARN may be required for your business to obtain an RPA operator accreditation to register your drone and only fly your drone within the standard operating conditions
DRONES ARE QUICKLY BECOMING ONE OF THE MOST USEFUL TOOLS IN THE ARSENAL OF REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONALS.“
WHY USE DRONE FOR REAL ESTATE Photography?
A drone can help you build a reputation as a creative real estate agent who is open to new trends and uses them to benefit customers.
Differentiating property listings with high-quality imagery and video pays off handsomely.
Return on Investment in Real Estate Drones
According to MIanMedia estimates, listing agents that use drones for real estate may experience a 73 percent boost in listings and a 68 percent rise in transaction closings.
According to Drone school, “83 percent of house sellers prefer to deal with an agent using drones.” With these types of statistics, agents may potentially earn tens of thousands of dollars each year.
Aerial photographs were formerly exclusively captured by aircraft or helicopters, which necessitated the rental of an airplane, a pilot, and an aerial photographer.
The obstacles to those technologies are generally out of reach for the majority of businesses. Drone technology now offers a safer, quieter, more accurate, and, of course, far less expensive alternative.
While the cost of a good drone for real estate is not prohibitively expensive, ranging between $1500 and $3000, flying a drone for real estate does need a significant level of ability in both navigating a drone and effectively using the onboard DSLR camera.
While you could do it yourself, as is the case with most endeavors, it is always preferable to employ a trained and well-insured professional drone pilot.
Prices for hiring a drone pilot for residential or commercial real estate can range from $150 to $500.
Selecting your Drone Pilot
Another key factor to consider when hiring a professional drone pilot is ensuring that a decent, high-quality product is provided in a straightforward and timely way.
The Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) has created a quality control system that goes above and above the minimum legal criteria for becoming a drone pilot, as discussed in the following section.
The Trusted Operator Program (TOP) was created to assist guarantee that qualified and quality pilots who know what they’re doing can be located in your region. Locate a HIGHLY certified drone pilot in your neighborhood.
Regulations you need to know When Using Drones for Real Estate
If you’re a real estate professional and think you’re ready to start using drones, think again.
It is not as simple as purchasing a drone, flying it, and pressing a few buttons.
To use drones for real estate professionals, you must be a commercially licensed drone pilot, also known as a remote pilot by the FAA.
Licensing entails passing an FAA examination covering aviation topics such as airspace regulations and restrictions, as well as aviation physics.
Local restrictions, in addition to federal regulations, can prohibit flights from state parks to state infrastructure.
Local ordinances in some cities may even limit where you can and cannot launch from.
Geofencing is a technology built into many drones that prevent them from flying in areas deemed unsafe or sensitive.
This can even occur when all aircraft in the area are temporarily grounded due to unforeseen circumstances.
It is the responsibility of a drone pilot to be aware of and avoid these areas whenever they exist.
Privacy
Another major concern when flying drones is privacy. Many people are still concerned about drones flying around their neighbourhoods.
People will be curious about your intentions with your drone, from concerned citizens to parking lot security guards. It is your responsibility to understand how to be a good industry steward and to politely educate them on the rules and regulations. You should be fine as long as you operate on a professional level.
According to CASA, if you fly a drone for money or any other form of economic gain, you are flying for commercial purposes.
Individuals flying drones in their private capacity are exempt from the Privacy Act.
Individuals who fly drones with the intent of disclosing personal information about another individual to another individual for the purpose of benefit, service, or advantage, or who provide a benefit, service, or advantage in exchange for collecting personal information about another individual from another individual, are not exempt from the Privacy Act.
Special Drone Insurance for RealEstate
There is also the issue of special insurance requirements for the use of drones in real estate.
Some general liability insurance policies may be extended to cover drone accidents, but most do not .
There are quite a few Drones available in the market that you can Opt for. You may be interested in insurance regardless of why you have a drone or what type you own.
While a homeowner’s insurance policy will most likely cover damage to your drone that occurs on your property, it will not cover commercial use.
Furthermore, using homeowner’s insurance for your drone may necessitate paying your homeowner’s insurance deductible, which may be prohibitively expensive for many claims.
You should have product liability insurance for your UAVs and this Insurance may be capable of providing the following coverage:
Insurers will pay legal costs incurred in defending any claim made against the insured up to the sum insured for bodily injury or property damage caused by products manufactured by the insured once such products are no longer in the insured’s possession or control.
For these reasons, drone owners can and should consider purchasing drone liability insurance to cover property damage or bodily injuries caused by their drones.
You can also look into hull coverage, which protects your drone from physical damage, as well as add-on coverage for equipment, remote controls, and other items.
We launch our drones into the skies as pilots. Mother Nature does her thing, while we are able to manage our drones to some level, thus it’s normal for our drones to return to us and look a bit worse for wear. To make sure your drone is ready to fly, take the time to purify your drone, and care for it.
Your Experience with Drone Piloting
Another important factor to consider is the type, technique, and experience you have with drone piloting maneuvers. Aerial video necessitates smooth and continuous movements.
otherwise, things appear jerky and cause dizziness. It is critical to practice aerial cinematic skills that provide these transitions, such as delicately handling and manipulating the control sticks.
Make a map of your land/property and take some interesting photographs of it.
Even if you are not a real estate agent, there are still reasons why you should photograph your house.
For starters, it’s your residence… It’s also a significant financial investment. Some individuals treasure their house and, as a result, desire photographs of it.A drone enables you to capture photographs of your property that no one else can.
And, because many drone cameras are of excellent quality, you could have the image of your home blown out, framed, and hung on a wall in your home.
Benefits of using Drones for Real estate
Drones in the Real Estate Industry: What They Bring into your Real estate Business
1. Geographical location
“Location, location, location,” is a popular real estate catchphrase.
One of the most significant advantages of using drones in real estate is the ability to see a property’s location in relation to nearby points of interest, amenities, parks, and airports, among other things.
The layout is best seen from above, so that’s what we’ll do.
A high degree of precision Taking pictures is unquestionably a critical step in the home-selling process.
Traditionally, these images are captured from the viewpoint of a person standing in a driveway, garden, or backyard..
These photos, when paired with some text descriptions, can give prospective home buyers a good idea of what the property looks like and how it is laid out, but they still leave some relationships to the imagination in some instances.
Using drones for real estate aerial photography can provide buyers with a much more accurate, as well as way cooler, view of the property.
You can show the condition of newly installed roofs, gutters, vents, and other inaccessible features of a property using aerial views.
Telling a Story is quite Interesting
More Real estate listings and more sales can be achieved by improving the quality of the story you tell.
For both buyers and sellers, transparency is key.
Buyers want to know exactly what they’re getting into, and sellers want their property listed with winning agents who are equipped with the latest industry tools.
The Multiple Listing Service (MLS) is the most well-known database of properties for sale, and it contains several details about the use of aerial shots as the “Featured” photo.
Professional groups like the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) say that using drones for real estate is quickly becoming the new normal in the industry, and innovative companies are using drones for real estate to attract savvy customers..
Increase the visibility of your property Listings
If you’re a modern-day real estate agent, you’re well aware of the value of professional photography when it comes to marketing a new property.
Drone photography is an excellent technique for real estate brokers to show purchasers the layout of a home. Additionally, there may be visual overlays such as property area measurements, development planning, and geographical maps.
5 Best Drones for RealEstate
The SwellPro Fisherman is the first fishing drone that is designed to be waterproof and is capable of delivering your baits and long lines up to 1.6 kilometers away.
If you have The Fisherman, getting to the greatest coastal fishing places does not need you to have a boat. Anglers fishing from the shore may cast a significantly further distance and drop many baits weighing up to 2 kilograms all at once.
The SPRY sports action drone has received new updates and improvements thanks to SwellPro.
The new model, which has been given the name Spry+, features a body that has been strengthened and a new GPS module that can be replaced by the user. The new GPS module has increased responsiveness by a factor of 0.5 thanks to its improved accuracy, speed, and durability.
Additionally, the battery door has been strengthened, and the altitude control system has been rebuilt to include a shielded air-breather design in addition to an enhanced heat management system.
Both of these improvements have been made.
The firmware of the Spry+ Flight Control has been upgraded to match the advancements made to the hardware, resulting in a flight control system that is smoother and more stable. Even the camera itself has received a firmware upgrade to provide higher-quality still images and video recordings for you.
The Spry+ is an enjoyable and dependable waterproof drone. You won't have to worry about the risks that are generally connected with flying drones near water if you take it with you on your next trip that takes place on the water and use it to shoot exciting, action-packed photos from a different perspective.
For Unbuilt Structures its Important to get drone imagery that demonstrates to developers and potential buyers what the views would be like from an unbuilt structure.
This type of photography is referred to as “Intended Views.” THIS IS THE MANNER IN WHICH Drones for Real estate WORK:
Place the drone in the predetermined site for the building’s construction and then fly it up in a straight column, stopping at each level. At each level, spin the drone 360 degrees to get the precise view from that level.
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About the Author:
Manny Acharya is the co-founder of Artmellows. Your go-to place for Design, Digital Art, Digital sculpting, Photography, Design Tools and gears Info, and Product Reviews. Manny is a Digital Artist, 3D Sculpt Designer, Ardent Photography, Drone flying Enthusiast, and tech Lover. He supercharges Digital Art and design by crafting memorable 3D sculptures & 2D Design and art. Learn more About Manny:
PS: Manny has created a Beginner Friedly ebook to Learn the Nomad 3D Sculpt App. Know More about the eBook. Know more about Manny