Video of neighborhood rooftops, backyards and docks — even in exclusive enclaves — could become public fodder on real-estate sites under federal plans to loosen drone restrictions.
Even though the Federal Aviation Administration rules allowing commercial-drone use are about two years away, some real-estate agents are already hiring companies to shoot footage of some of their listings with unmanned aerial vehicles.
“Real estate changes so much that we have to stay ahead of the game and provide the best picture possible,” said Orlando real-estate agent and drone fan Michael Chiorando. “In Orlando, we are dealing with so many out-of-state investors and international buyers who shop remotely.”
Chiorando said he used aerial-drone photography to market a house in Orlando’s Hunter’s Creek community two years ago, and a New York buyer, who happened to be a paraplegic and preferred shopping online, saw the video and purchased the house. Chiorando said the aerial videos gave the buyer a visual perspective he could have never gotten from ground-level photos.
The FAA last month proposed drone-rule changes, which would allow a “more flexible framework” for the vehicles with limitations on nocturnal and line-of-sight use. Proposed rules also address height restrictions, operator certification, use of spotters and aircraft registration.
The real-estate industry quickly embraced the proposed measures “to enhance the process of buying and selling real estate” but cautioned against using the technology until the rule changes are approved, which could take more than a year. The FAA grants some exceptions.
Real-estate drone photography is among specific uses that require special permission from the FAA. Other restricted uses include weddings, cinematography and mapping, according to the Know Before You Fly education campaign.
The handful of agents who are marketing their properties with drone-shot footage say they rely on the drone pilots they hire to know the regulations.
Bob Roth, owner of Sanford-based Blue Sky Flyovers, said he closely monitors the FAA regulations. Even though he doesn’t have federal permission to fly, he said he is cautious to shoot his footage in a way that would not irritate neighbors or cause them to complain.
“I stay over the property or around the property,” said Roth, whose drone fees start at $350 for small properties. “It’s certainly not flying through their backyard.”
More capable than satellite photography on websites such as Google Earth, drone cameras can capture ornamental details such as the stripes on variegated liriope shrubbery or the physical condition of roofs or structural elements such as piers supporting a boat dock.
How surrounding homeowners feel about them remains to be seen. A spokeswoman for Tavistock, which owns the exclusive Isleworth and Lake Nona communities, did not comment on privacy concerns. Winter Park real-estate broker Scott Hillman said his listing agents will undoubtedly use the marketing tool. But, he added, homeowners who live next to a listing are likely to be sensitive about their property being videotaped.
“And, yes, we would get some push-back from homeowners not wanting a drone over their home without their consent,” he said recently.
Winter Park land broker William Sullivan, who calls drone photography a hobby of his, has used it with Florida’s mansions for more than a year.
“The small drone provides a way to bring the intimacy of ground shots, bringing the texture of the land and the home together,” said Sullivan. “The other added feature is the quality of the camera. We use cameras with super high-resolution photos that toy drones cannot provide.”
Casselberry real-estate broker Jamie DiSalvatore said she has used drones to shoot video at three homes during the last year. At some point, she said, they will become essential to marketing materials for luxury homes. She said she would only use them for houses priced at $1 million or more.
“I think there is better ‘eyeballing’ on it, and people are impressed with it. Sellers say, ‘My house looks better here than in person.’ They all say that,” DiSalvatore said. “You get the feel of the whole property and the area surrounding it.”
