Drones are one of the top hot items to now use for commercial purposes in many industries. Drones or UAS (unmanned aircraft systems) can take great video and photographic images from a perspective that couldn’t be done previously without high difficulty or costs. Since drones have this ability, the use of them in the real estate market is on the rise and expected to be one of the best ways to feature homes or commercial properties for sale. At a recent panel discussion that was held in Washington D.C. on July 23rd, it was reported that 44% or 377 applications of the 846 received by the FAA on July 22nd were for either real estate or general aerial photography operations. Since drones can allow a real estate agent or broker to take video and photographic pictures of not only the inside and outside of a home, but also from flying above the home and property displaying a bird’s eye view of what is available for purchase, this all-inclusive marketing information allows the real estate agent or broker to better show a piece of property to potential buyers like never before.
Using a Commercial UAV Drone in the Real Estate Market.
In order to use a drone or UAS for commercial purposes, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requires that a Section 333 Exemption Permit is received before being able to use the drone in the real estate or other commercial markets. The process to obtain a Section 333 Exemption Permit can take on average between 6 to 8 weeks if you are processing your application for a previously approved drone models.
What do you need to know once you receive a Section 333 Permit?
Once the permit is obtain, the FAA has strict rules and regulations for use of a drone in a commercial manner, which the National Association of Realtors strongly advises real estate agents and brokers to follow those regulations should they decide to use a commercial UAV drone. Such requirements that real estate agents and brokers need to remember when using a commercial UAV drone for filming or taking photographs of the real estate properties include, but is not limited to:
- The flight operator has obtained a Section 333 Exemption Permit for commercial use.
- The FAA does not allow commercial UAS operations over anyone who is not part of the flight.
- The operator has to make sure that everyone within the flight zone is provided notice of the flight, provides consent and remains in a protected area during flight operations.
Drones and the real estate market are a great match. Being on the cutting edge of using this technology for the real estate listings and sales is one that a real estate agent or broker does not want to miss and fall in back of the pack. For more information, contact one of our drone attorneys or professional drone experts.