Nowadays, some form of aerial photography is almost expected for a real estate listing. Especially for land sales. But most people aren't aware that the technology isn't just useful for making a listing "pop", they are often times essential for the buyer as well.
When is aerial photography legal?
Most photographs, maps, 3D models, and videos used in real estate that aren't captured from something on the ground are taken by small unmanned aerial vehicles (sUAV), commonly called "drones". The FAA's regulations are very clear: any drone work used commercially, including real estate, must be performed by an FAA Part 107 licensed remote pilot (or a regular pilot with a Remote pilot's rating). This interpretation is so broad that if a homeowner takes recreational drone photos of their property, and decide to sell later and use those images, they are using the photos commercially and both the homeowner and real estate agent face potential civil penalties for using a drone- even though the commercial use wasn't intended when the photographs were taken!
The bottom line is that all drone photos used in a real estate transaction or any other commercial use must have originated from an FAA licensed pilot. The rules regarding operating in restricted or controlled airspace, and how to get FAA waivers to do so are complicated. They are also very important for the safety of our airspace.
I only use an FAA licensed pilot using lawfully registered aircraft for all of our drone work.
Not just for listing photographs
Our drone work is helpful for buyers as well as sellers. For buyers we have surveyed roofs, produced orthophoto maps, 4k flyover videos, and other special requests. We can produce imagery with much more detail than what Google Maps show and the data is current- not based on satellite images taken years ago.
What is an orthophoto map?
An orthophoto map is a document combining the image characteristics of an aerial photograph with the geometric qualities of a map. It removes distortions due to relief displacement, camera lens, and aircraft attitude to show all ground features in their correct ground positions. Unlike an aerial photo, an orthophoto removes the effects of tilt and relief and shows the true, straight paths of features on the ground. An orthophoto map is a photographic map with a uniform scale and can be laid directly over other maps. Our orthophoto maps come with tools that can estimate things like distances, area, and volume! These models can be used to estimate the volume of dirt stock piles, the amount of dirt removed from a hole or check the flatness of an area. The base of a selected area is calculated dynamically to account for sloped bases. We can also provide an interactive 3D model of a subject property we have mapped.
One of our orthophoto maps:
Things to try: Zoom in/zoom out, move around the map, have fun! Use the polygon tools on the left for things like estimating distances, area, or volume. Use the layers icon on the upper right to toggle between satellite, street, elevation mode, etc.
Here's an example of an interactive 3D model. Use your mouse to move the image around in 3 dimensions, zoom in and out, and virtually explore the landscape:
Video
A stunning, 4k flyover video of a property is useful for buyers and sellers. Here's a farm pasture- I suggest viewing it in 4k at full screen:
Fine print: “The data presented is based on computer modeling and should not be considered a guarantee of accuracy. The models are developed using a variety of assumptions and inputs, and the results may not be representative of actual conditions. The user should carefully evaluate the data and use it with caution. Mapped areas may extend outside the subject property and do not represent property boundaries.”