- Joined
- Apr 25, 2016
- Messages
- 1
- Reaction score
- 0
- Age
- 52
Real Estate
- Thread starter Craneworks
- Start date
- Status
msinger
Approved Vendor
- Joined
- Oct 30, 2014
- Messages
- 31,958
- Reaction score
- 10,786
- Location
- Harrisburg, PA (US)
- Website
- phantomhelp.com
It depends on your local market. To be honest Real Estate Drone work is not a very lucrative business model to say the least. It seems easy and profitable until you understand what all is involved and you realize sometimes you're only making a few dollars an hour.
Locally you're required to have FAA Part 107 or 333, NC DOT permit, $500K liability insurance, and a business license in the state of NC. Without proof of all of these the Realtor can't submit the pics to MLS.
Figure out how much time it takes to drive to the job, get the pics, processing & editing after the fact and any costs associated with each project. You'll be surprised how much it costs to provide a professional product. If you provide sub-par products word gets out quickly because Realtors are a tight and vocal group. SOCIAL is their middle name.
Locally you're required to have FAA Part 107 or 333, NC DOT permit, $500K liability insurance, and a business license in the state of NC. Without proof of all of these the Realtor can't submit the pics to MLS.
Figure out how much time it takes to drive to the job, get the pics, processing & editing after the fact and any costs associated with each project. You'll be surprised how much it costs to provide a professional product. If you provide sub-par products word gets out quickly because Realtors are a tight and vocal group. SOCIAL is their middle name.
Hi Thanks for your reply, when put like that it does not seem to be an attractive proposition, however I was thinking of doing it on an armature basis, not charging per job, but maybe getting some expenses back, failing that not charge at all, but an oppertunity to do something practical and interesting.
Waylander
You would not be able to do that in the US, but I have no idea about the UK.
- Joined
- Oct 30, 2015
- Messages
- 325
- Reaction score
- 236
- Age
- 53
Plus, every guy and his dog seem to be a drone pilot these days, so besides the fierce competition driving costs even lower, many companies are buying a P3 to take their own pics and films themselves instead of hiring a professional pilot.
If you want to have an edge, then maybe you can invest in 3D modeling. It´s another level and has a steeper learning curve but that can be good. It´s a considerably more sophisticated and advanced final product, so it adds value and can be a differential.
Lately I´ve been getting a few inquiries for real estate in 3D, I´m still working on pricing because it´s new and takes a lot more work, but I´m currently performing a contract for an institute to model and register city monuments here (they allowed me to display a few at-work at my personal Sketchfab page if you want to check SkyView|AirPro 3D on Sketchfab).
If you want to have an edge, then maybe you can invest in 3D modeling. It´s another level and has a steeper learning curve but that can be good. It´s a considerably more sophisticated and advanced final product, so it adds value and can be a differential.
Lately I´ve been getting a few inquiries for real estate in 3D, I´m still working on pricing because it´s new and takes a lot more work, but I´m currently performing a contract for an institute to model and register city monuments here (they allowed me to display a few at-work at my personal Sketchfab page if you want to check SkyView|AirPro 3D on Sketchfab).
How terrible that would be.
Welcome to the forum
Thanks for adding your insight to the equation
That because you have to create images that people want, but can't normally do themselves. Just having a drone and claiming to be a professional drone pilot photographers isn't going to cut it.
Welcome to the forum
Thanks for adding your insight to the equation
LOL! Yes, I know that was an insightful post. Sarcasm really. I would gladly "Only" make a few hundred an hour. Working the equivalent to 40 hours a month for 12 months I could gross over $150K.
I think you completely misread my post... not a few "hundred" but a few "dollars" an hour. Go back and read it again and see if it doesn't seem more logical if you don't add the "hundred" part.
I stand corrected! Sorry about that. Sometimes your mind sees things that aren't actually there.
Correct it does seem every guy and his dog are in fact drone pilots these days. But, not all drone pilots, in fact very few drone pilots have full video production gear to shoot quality shots inside (stabilizers, sliders, lighting, prosumer cameras). After all anybody can take aerial video and photos of houses these days. But, what is a real estate video when you just show the outer shell and not the inside?
- Joined
- Oct 30, 2015
- Messages
- 325
- Reaction score
- 236
- Age
- 53
I agree that just having a P3 and being capable of flying it to take a few aerial shots of houses and pools doesn't turn anyone into a drone pilot. Of course there's a whole lot more to it, not only in regards to equipment but also various skills both for operating everything and also shooting/filming at professional level. Not to mention all the post-production involved when you talk about delivering a broad range of services involving aerial images as a final product to the client.
That's not what I meant, what I was trying to say is that simple aerial photos may not be an edge for real estate anymore, now that the basic technology is more accessible even for less experienced pilots. Aerial photography professionals may have to look to newer and more exclusive "products" and technologies to offer to the various types, sizes and levels of real estate (and many other) clients.
That's not what I meant, what I was trying to say is that simple aerial photos may not be an edge for real estate anymore, now that the basic technology is more accessible even for less experienced pilots. Aerial photography professionals may have to look to newer and more exclusive "products" and technologies to offer to the various types, sizes and levels of real estate (and many other) clients.
YIPES! North Carolina requires its own permit? Really? And liability insurance, too? The isurance i guess I understand, but commercial drone permits? That sounds like LA, where you have to buy a permit to take pictures on the doggone street or public property. That is sad, as I am NC born and raised (Wilmington). Very happy that so far, my current state requires neither - they recognize here that the FAA is THE BossMan of the airspace, and so have nothing to add to Federal Regs. Believe me, I have thoroughly checked and spoken with the "powers that be." Eventually, mine may recommend liability insurance, which is a good idea anyway if you value your own butt. I have general business liability insurance of course for my photography, but so far, nothing specific/no riders offered for commercial drones...nothing worth while found so far but my regular Insurance company is looking into it.
Back too the OP....As folks here have pointed out, it really depends on your business model and what your clients want to do, package-wise. Suggest you do some research. If you can, find someone in your area (or another part of the country similar to your community) who offers "drone videos" and photography and benchmark what they do and what they charge. Decide if you are doing work for only real estate and/or golf courses and/or insurance adjusters and/or roofing companies and developers...you get the picture. Go visit these prospects.
In my area, I would starve if I did not combine any drone work with interior and exterior stills and clips taken from the ground. I started business several years ago just doing elevated "mast" photography and my equipment collected a lot of dust until I offered a lot more techniques and packages.
Last edited:
NC doesn't require the Liability Insurance the local Realty companies do in order to be able to do business with them. Not all of them but a few do.
NC's permit costs nothing but does require you to meet the FAA requirements and pass an NC DOT Aviation Division knowledge Test.
Well, Thank You, @BigA107 . I do apologize for being a narrow-minded bonehead. I went ahead and read over the permit study guide as well as some of the materials it references, and must say IT IS ENTIRELY REASONABLE, in my most humble opinion.
Since there is no doubt I will do some work in NC eventually, I studied and took the test (got a 96, no excuse for whatever I messed up). Certificate printed... and actual permit.....Got it! That was pretty easy. I should say, there seems to be a couple of statements on the NCDOT website that need to be amended, as there is only one mention I could find of the new remote airman cert, since it did not exist when NC put this into play.
All good - Thanks!
Last edited:
GadgetGuy
Premium Pilot
- Joined
- Jun 18, 2015
- Messages
- 6,881
- Reaction score
- 2,199
Agree 1000%! Real estate agents, as a whole, are also cheap, and the majority won't spend any of their own money on a listing on spec! On the high end properties, the agent can now easily buy their own drone, get a 107 license, and permanently cut you out, for less than you need to charge to make a reasonable business profit for a single listing. Find a different business model, if you want to earn a decent living!
- Status
Similar threads
