Selling a
home is no easy task and the real estate agents that find new and creative ways
to market a home tend to be the most successful. Those successful real estate agents will tell
you that one of the most important aspects of selling a home is investing in
the project through efficient marketing.
Small Unmanned Aerial Systems (sUAS) offer an opportunity for real
estate agents to present unique photos and videos of the home they are
representing to potential buyers. Some
agents claim that “drones” are the most important new technology to enter real
estate marketing since the internet (Nixon, 2016). The sUAS offers never before seen clarity in
both pictures and video that give a potential buyer a better view of the home
while searching over the internet. The
real estate agent who offers these live video and aerial photography options to
a home seller will be sure to sell homes quicker and at a higher asking price
than those who don’t.
There are
currently three very capable platforms that can do a professional job of real
estate aerial services. The DJI Inspire,
Phantom 4, and the 3DR Iris are all reasonably priced entry level commercial
off the shelf (COTS) solutions to real estate photography.
The DJI Inspire 1 V2.0 is a
revolutionary HD camera drone that makes it easy for 1- or 2-person teams to
produce extremely high quality 4K HD and Micro Four-Thirds video from up to 2
km away (Nixon, 2016). DJI has packed a
ton of new technology into the Inspire 1 to improve reliability, safety and
video quality (Nixon, 2016). With an
entry level price below $3,000 and an intuitive Professional DJI Flight Control
System, this is a smart choice for someone who wants to purchase a vehicle,
remove it from the box, and begin working.
The DJI is capable of flying indoors without GPS which is a necessity
while filming large scale luxury homes.
Most users will experience approximately 18-20 minutes of flight in
stable low wind conditions. If you’re looking for a ready-to-fly camera
drone for professional-quality film making, surveillance, inspection, law
enforcement or event coverage, the Inspire 1 is tough to beat at this price
(Nixon, 2016).
The DJI Phantom 4 is slightly
cheaper and a highly suitable platform for UAS aerial photography. Designed for high-quality aerial photography
and cinematography, the DJI Phantom 4 is the most intelligent, easy-to-operate
flying camera drone available for less than $2,000 (Nixon, 2016). The Phantom 4 has demonstrated up to 24
minutes of flight and is capable of flight as far as 1.2 miles. One might think it would be difficult to
maintain FAA mandated line of sight as far as 1.2 miles, and they would be
correct. The biggest breakthrough for
the Phantom 4 is its inclusion of a new Optical Sensor unit and real-time 3D
vision system that makes it capable of automatically detecting and avoiding
obstacles while in flight (Smith, 2016).
Sense and avoid is a tremendous selling point as part of the real estate
aerial services safety mitigation plan.
3DR has built a vehicle known as
the IRIS that can be fitted with a moveable gimbal and GoPro camera making it a
viable performer in this class of sUAS.
Max flight time is listed as 22 minutes.
The Iris uses a standard controller but has other options for control
that are less than reliable. Capability
is not as advanced as the other options but for an entry price just under
$1,000, the 3DR is a nice entry platform for the beginner UAS aerial photographer.
While using a sUAS might seem like
an extremely lucrative business idea to some, there are numerous issues
surrounding the business application of aerial vehicles. First and foremost, operations aren’t
currently legal without navigating the incredibly cumbersome FAA process of
obtaining a Certificate of Authorization and Type 333 exemption. While many are operating despite those qualifications,
the FAA has been quick to fine many operators.
The list below also outlines some limitations in the capabilities of a
sUAS.
There are still certain
kinds of photos and videos that a flying camera is not well suited for,
including:
Carefully-focused, fixed
position photography. For example, shots designed to avoid an unpleasant feature
or to help a room or yard appear larger.
The interiors of smaller
spaces, such as condos or apartments
Homes shrouded by trees or
other buildings.
Standard street-level
shots that all buyers have come to expect in a listing. (Nixon, 2016)
Other users have found sUAS as a
hype or fad that doesn’t really offer any unique capability. This is a tool of macro proportions only
(Smith, 2014). That means that it’s only really useful for wide shots, like
aerial views from 100 to 200 feet (or higher) (Smith, 2014). Every breeze from a passing car or the AC unit
is going to push it away or pull it down (Smith, 2014). This particular writer doesn’t share which vehicle
they used in their assessment, but it’s easy to surmise that they either used
one of lesser capability or did not know how to operate their vehicle to optimize
its features.
Privacy is a tremendous concern when operating
a sUAS in an area where other homes or individuals may be filmed or
photographed. Special care must be taken
by the operator to canvas the neighborhood and inform others about the nature
of the operations prior to initiating flight.
Privacy rights regarding public photography and video is a grey area,
especially in the technologically advanced world of cell phone cameras and
videos that currently proliferate the public.
Risk
Mitigation needs to be a consideration when operating sUAS in real estate photography. A wise operator will have dedicated areas for
launch and recovery that are sectioned off from the general public. Clear signage and explanations of the
operations will also alleviate public concerns regarding safety and
privacy. Insurance and liability should
be a prime concern for the operator as well.
There are plenty of forces beyond your control that can bring your drone
down and put your business on hold – or worse, damage a person or property
(Amato, 2015). Getting hull and liability insurance for your drone often costs
about as much as a second drone so it may be worth getting some coverage if you
are going to aggressively pursue new opportunities (Amato, 2015).
Once the
FAA approves a clear set of rules, regulations, and policies the real estate
photography business will be a lucrative venture for UAS operators. The three drones listed are initial COTS
vehicles that have proven their capability.
These initial pioneers pave the way for future designs that will be sure
to add additional capability while adding safety measures to protect the public
from harm.
REFERENCES
Amato,
A. (2015, May). 7 Pieces of Advice to
Consider When Starting an Aerial Photography Company; Dronelife.com. Retrieved
from http://dronelife.com/2015/05/12/7-advice-aerial-photography-company/
Smith,
C. (2014, August). 8 Reasons Why Not to
Buy a Drone for Real Estate Videos; Tampa
Bay Area Wholesale Real Estate & Investment Properties. Retrieved from http://btgh.com/why-not-to-buy-a-drone-for-real-estate-videos/
Nixon,
A. (2016, April). Fly It, or Buy It? The
Complete Guide To Using Camera Drones for Real Estate Marketing; Best Drone for
the Job. Retrieved from
http://bestdroneforthejob.com/drone-buying-guides/fly-it-or-buy-it-the-complete-guide-to-using-camera-drones-for-real-estate-marketing/
It proved to be Very helpful to me and I am sure to all the commentators here! Frisco real estate aerial photography
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