Using drones to capture amazing aerial photographs that give properties a unique perspective is one of the newest trends in real estate. Drones are being used to list many different kinds of real estate, including houses, flats, hotels, vacant land, commercial properties, and more. Currently available drone camera technology can record 360-degree panoramas, numerous overhead map views, still photos, and video.
Drones are most frequently used in residential and commercial real estate. Usually, real estate brokers who are advertising residential properties prefer 8 to 10 breathtaking aerial pictures to choose from. These listings might include everything from modest homes with a little bit of land attached, such as apartments, to massive estates with a large quantity of land, like immense estates. Towards the center of the property, at a height of 30 to 70 feet, is a great vantage point that faces inward toward the main building.
Commercial real estate brokers, real estate investment businesses, and development companies are showing a lot of interest in drones for real estate since they can offer positions in large land purchases, building restoration, or construction projects. These are usually larger places where aerial images, taken using the same techniques but from a much higher altitude, are more beneficial for capturing the entire property.
Site maps of a property with pictures looking straight down may occasionally be handy when using drones for real estate. However, in larger locations, it is impossible to capture the entire property in a single image. By digitally “stitching” together numerous photos into one very large and continuous image, you can achieve the same effect with significantly more information. Drones are equipped with the ability to fly in straight lines between waypoints on their own, and drone mapping software can automate photo capturing.
For areas that provide full-time resort-style living or short-term rentals, real estate drone video tours are an excellent marketing tool. Cinematic revelations, slides, pans, circles, and blast-off views are some of the techniques that can be used to tell an engaging story.
Another popular technology used in the virtual tour industry is the 360-degree panorama. To get this kind of view, a drone is used at a single aerial location while the camera is rotated and tilted to collect overlapping shots. By fusing all of these images together using specialist software, customers may be given complete control over rotation, tilt, and zoom. They can look wherever they want since it gives them the impression that they are inside the drone.
Drones’ Benefits for Real Estate
1. Location
One of the key benefits of employing drones for real estate is the ability to evaluate a property’s location in relation to nearby landmarks, conveniences, parks, airports, etc. The adage “location, location, location” is commonly used in the real estate industry. Clearly, an overhead view is the most accurate method to portray this architecture in its entirety.
2. Accuracy
One of the most crucial steps in selling a house is undoubtedly taking images. These photos are typically taken from a person who is standing in a driveway, garden, backyard, etc. A basic sense of the design and arrangement of the property can be given to potential homebuyers by these images when combined with some spoken explanations, although some of these associations can still be left to the viewer’s imagination.
Real estate purchasers may get a lot more accurate—and cool—view of a home by deploying drones for aerial photography.
Aerial photos can be used to show potential buyers the condition of inaccessible aspects of a property, such as recently built roofs, gutters, vents, etc.
3. Storytelling
Improved storytelling is the key to increasing the number of listings and sales of properties. Buyers want to be aware of what they are getting into, and sellers want their property to be advertised by professional brokers who have all the latest tools of the trade.
Regulations for Using Drones for Real Estate
If you work in real estate and believe you are prepared to immediately begin using drones, reconsider. You need to do more than just buy a drone, send it flying, and click a few buttons to do this. To fly drones for real estate on a professional level, one needs to be a commercially certified drone pilot or remote pilot as the FAA likes to call them. For licensing, an FAA exam covering topics including aviation physics and airspace laws and restrictions is necessary.
Municipal regulations may also forbid flights over state parks or infrastructure in addition to federal restrictions. Local laws may even affect where you can launch from in some places.
Many drones include a function called geofencing that prevents them from flying in specific areas that are thought to be dangerous. This can happen even if all nearby aircraft are momentarily grounded because of unanticipated circumstances. When they are present, a drone operator must be aware of these areas and avoid them.
The requirement for specialist insurance is another difficulty when using drones for real estate. Although this is not usually the case, some general liability plans may cover drone accidents.
Remote Pilot Certificate
To fly real estate drones, you must first obtain a Remote Pilot Certificate, which is similar to a commercial drone pilot license. That’s all thanks to FAA Part 107, which requires anyone who wants to operate a drone commercially to obtain a drone pilot license, formerly known as a “remote pilot certificate with a small UAS rating.”
You can obtain it by passing an in-person written exam, similar to the permit test you took when you were 15 years old before getting your driver’s license. The test, which consists of 60 multiple-choice questions, can be taken at one of approximately 700 testing centers in the United States.
Privacy Concerns
Meanwhile, privacy concerns are a key issue when employing drones. Many people continue to feel anxious and unsure about drones flying over their area. What your drone is used for will be of interest to everyone, including concerned passersby and parking lot security personnel. It is your responsibility to understand how to manage the industry effectively and to respectfully notify them of the standards and regulations. As long as you are handling yourself professionally, you should be fine.
Advantages of Drone Technology in Property Management
1. It is an innovative and captivating way to market and monitor your home.
2. A good strategy for highlighting the entire community or neighborhood, the resources in the area, the building’s excellent walk score, and the size of the entire property.
3. It can help you determine your buildings’ security needs as well as any potential problems in the neighborhood.
4. The views from the drone can be used to keep a check on the roofs of the houses you manage.
5. Some quadcopters can be used inside a huge rented space to produce eye-catching photographs and films.
Risks Related to the Use of Drones
While using drones offers many advantages, there are also some disadvantages. The majority of individuals today give privacy and security issues a high priority. Even before you conduct a drone event on your property, you should let your neighbors know what will happen. Because it permits them to avoid being outside while it is being done, they frequently value the notice a lot.
They often take care of their own properties, which makes them appear beautiful in pictures.
A key additional worry is the extent of liability insurance that a real estate broker or property management company holds. As they fall from the sky, drones frequently crash into people, things, live wires, and other things. You absolutely must purchase UAV-specific insurance. If you hire a professional drone photographer, make sure they have insurance.
Drone technology use will undoubtedly be beneficial for your marketing efforts.
Conclusion
Among the many benefits of using a drone for real estate marketing is the ability to increase property value and gain an edge over rival real estate agents. As a result, your property will be seen more frequently around the world.
On the other hand, firms that are still figuring out how to use drones will find that they can be expensive, difficult, and difficult to maintain. These companies may find that hiring a professional is a better choice if they are inexperienced with the nuances of drone technology.