You have probably heard of drones and how popular they are becoming. This for Christmas of 2015 it was expected that over a million drones would be give as gifts. Hardly a day goes by without some mention of drones, either on the news or just in conversation. Most who are interested can afford to buy a drone and it only takes a few hours of experience before you can fly one with confidence.
Some entrepreneurs are now using drones in a variety of new and creative ways. Not to be left out, some local governments are experimenting with drones and how they can be used for public service. Even large companies like Amazon are jumping on the drone bandwagon with plans in the works to someday make home deliveries using drones. The possibilities seem limitless.
It was inevitable that drones would eventually make into the real estate business. Some real estate companies see the value of incorporating drone photography into their marketing efforts. The only problem is that at the present, the commercial use of drones is permissible only on a case-by-case basis. Because of privacy, safety, and a variety of other issues the FAA is currently debating rules to govern the use of drones either commercially or privately. The FAA has authorized test around the country to help determine what restrictions are needed to ensure safe operation and to protect national security and people’s privacy.
So, in a nutshell if you are a real estate company wanting to use drone photography to sell real estate, or just an entrepreneur looking to make some money with commercial drone photography keep in mind that at the present time it’s not exactly legal. Although at this time the rules are a little vague there has been at least one case involving a hefty fine.
Give it a little time and I’m sure the day will come probably sooner than later when a typical home listing will include beautiful aerial photography provided by a licensed drone.