Many people ask us about the video marketing of their property and how we get the beautiful shots and video. Do we hire the service out? Is it legal? Does it work? Will your listing benefit from aerial video and photography? How much does it cost? And a host of other questions. We have been involved in this pursuit for years and would like to take this opportunity to answer your questions.
Recreational and commercial Radio Control (RC) planes, helicopters, boats and cars, electric and gas powered, have been in use since the 50's. While commercial use was limited, recreational use has existed for decades but never captured the popular imagination and was rarely noted in the media.
With public awareness being raised around military use of unmanned aircraft, recreational, movie industry, agricultural, and other sUAV activity has become a hot topic.
In the past few years the use of sUAV's, Small Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, or drones, have become commonplace. With over a million sold last year in the USA, we see all types of new industry and recreational opportunities catching the attention of the public like never before.
Is it legal? Yes and no. Only certified FAA Pilots are allowed to use drones for commercial purposes. Unlicensed commercial activity is a felony. There are good reasons only FAA pilots with a Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems rating is allowed to collect commercial images.
The first is safety in our airspace. In order to ensure that the airspace is safe for pilots of all types, and that the public is safe on the ground, we, as professional sUAV Pilots are required to be certified by the FAA. All hobbyists are now required to register their aircraft at this point but as commercial pilots we go several steps further.
As pilots, we study and pass the FAA knowledge test. This knowledge is critical for safely utilizing the complex national airspace. As pilots we also must pass the FAA background check to insure we have not disregarded the law in the past.
With FAA registered commercial sUAS aircraft, we keep detailed flight and maintenance records and follow carefully defined protocol in the national airspace to ensure that we are all safe and can fulfill our commercial pursuits without incident. In real estate sUAV use, as with any commercial aircraft use, we need to make sure there is no risk to the public, our clients, our clients' property, and of course, our crew.
For real estate purposes, we use high end professional sUAV platforms and cameras in which we have invested many thousands of dollars. This is important to note for several reasons. First, we are carrying expensive cameras, to create quality images. We would not risk flying those cameras without a quality professional platform that we know will bring it back safely and keep others safe in the process. Secondly, hobby and professional equipment are orders of magnitude apart in both cost and results... Just like your brokerage, quality, depth, and professionalism are key.
Professionally produced aerial photography and videography make a real difference in how often your properties are viewed online and redistributed. We consider aerial photography and videography a basic and required service for any listing. As basic as our social media package and distribution though the primary online platforms for real estate media and listing collateral.
When it is time to list your next property, make sure your broker has not only the proper licensing, brand affiliations, online distribution and social media savvy to get your property noticed, but that they care enough about your business, your property and the well being of others to use pilots who have an FAA Remote Pilot Airman Certification, FAA Certificate of Aircraft Registration, and that it is professional level commercial equipment you can trust.