To Drone Or Not To Drone…
The FAA does not prohibit anyone from flying a drone or UAS (Unmanned Aircraft System) however they do regulate the pilot program to ensure proper safety around flying drones. Anyone who chooses to fly a drone should be properly licensed by taking the PART 107 licensing test. We encourage everyone to get licensed and that is why we created a study guide because questions about drone photography are some of the most common that we get here at Atlanta Real Estate Photo. They range from how does it work to how much does it cost, but mainly it is always a question of, “should I do this?” The answer is, yes, you absolutely should be doing drone photography for your listings, especially in the Atlanta real estate market.
Why should you?
Drone photography is absolutely one of the best ways to set yourself apart from all other listings in the area. Although drone photography is not new, there are still a lot of agents who do not use professional drone photography. Aerial photography is not just used in real estate photography but also for many other industries such as; construction, multifamily housing, tv & film, and even agriculture. There are many other industries that use aerial photography services and this goes to show that it is becoming more important to our day and age. Even the government is using drones daily.
When should you?
Here at Atlanta real estate photo, we know that not all listings are created equal. Here are a few examples of times that we believe it is not best to showcase aerial photography for your listings.
- Highways: If the home backs up to a noisy road or may be on the side of a two-lane or more street with lots of traffic it may deter a future home buyer from wanting that house.
- Messy neighbors: Can’t live with them and you can’t live without them. Drone photography will show a lot more than you want sometimes and if the neighbor has a cluttered home especially if there are no fences then that could be a deal breaker.
- Power lines: Shockingly, pun intended, people still have an aversion to being close to powerlines. Mainly it is people with kids who do not want to live close to a power line however this is something to consider.
- Old roof: If the roof looks bad then you definitely do not want to showcase it. Any kind of stains or damage could be a definite NO from a potential home buyer.
With that being said, there are also some times that we believe you should 100% be doing professional drone photography:
- Lake listings: Any home that sits on a lake should have aerial photography. Even if that home does not have a dock or full access to the lake the beauty of a backyard that transitions into water is unparalleled.
- Farm/Land Lots: Whenever you have more land than the eye can see you should get aerial photography. If the farmland is active with livestock that also can help sell the appeal of living on that farm or if there are neighboring farms that are active with livestock then that can do the trick also.
- Unique backyards: Whether it’s a whimsical backyard or it is something straight out of HGTV giving a glimpse as to what exists on the other side of the house is always a fun opportunity.
How should you?
Everybody who has a drone should not be flying a drone over your listings. I have been flying drones for years now and I still encounter malfunctions and issues often enough that it is meaningful to have someone working with you that KNOWS WHAT THEY ARE DOING. There are no regulations that stop you from having professional drone photography as a part of your real estate photography needs however, there are regulations that help ensure that nothing gets damaged and nobody is in danger. Drone photography, although cool, can become dangerous if someone does not know what they are doing. Just like you as an agent go to continuing education and have certifications, drone pilots can and should do the same also. Ask your drone photographer how they continue to educate themselves as a pilot…if they do not have an answer for you then run.
Are you being set apart? We would love the opportunity to help you tell your story and the story of each of your listings.
