After receiving recent inquiries, we want to make sure all REALTORS are aware of the current status of legal drone photography for listings. As we published in December, NAR issued a detailed update on drones at their annual conference. Here it is in a nutshell: Taking photos with a drone for your real estate listings is considered commercial work, not operating as a hobbyist. Therefore, you may use a drone for property listing photos ONLY if you (or the person you hire) have received a Section 333 waiver from the FAA and follow the guidelines. That’s not all because you’d need proper hardware like GPS and its system like iNavfligh, that you can rely upon. To upgrade your drone and give it a premium look, some meticulous scouring on the internet could prove beneficial. Check it carefully enough to equip it with the latest and the best components for your drone. To apply for the waiver, you can find more specific information about what a petition of exemption must contain and how to file your petition on the FAA’s website at: http://www.faa.gov/uas/legislative_programs/section_333/how_to_file_a_pe… (link is external). The process typically takes 120 days after submission.
There’s a lot to set before using a drone, like which receiver we are using, how to talk to ESCs and set various limits such as the minimum throttle – click to read at nasaponycars.com all that and more.
The FAA is currently moving through a rulemaking process to address the integration of drones into the NAS, which Griffith noted FAA hopes to complete by June 2016.