SHOULD I BUY MY OWN DRONE FOR REAL ESTATE LISTINGS?
This is a common question I am asked and the short answer is NO.
If you are a real estate professional then there are many other tasks you could focus your attention on instead of going through the entire legal process to fly drones. It is much easier to hire an experienced certified and insured drone pilot and have your images professional shot, edited and delivered while you are doing your other tasks.
DRONE COSTS.
If you have decided to purchase a drone of your own and take photos for your listings consider the costs and time required to properly get the job done.
Drone: $1000
iPad: $350
Extra Batteries: $145/each
Flight Case: $250-300
Log Book: $20
Memory Cards: $20
Total: $1785 (minimum)
Once you have your drone the FAA says you must obtain a Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate and complete a comprehensive knowledge exam. This exam covers weather, rules and regulations, airport operations, risk management, sectional charts and lots more. If you are not a licensed pilot then expect about 40 hours of studying to get a firm understanding of the content.
This test costs $150 and if you fail the test you must wait 14 days and pay again.
Most people who are not pilots will require some sort of test prep or class, those range from $99-599 and the test requires at least 8-40 hours of study time.
This is all assuming you don’t crash your drone during your first few flights and you actually spend the time needed to fly proficiently and avoid obstacles.
Another often overlooked obstacle for first time drone owners is computer hardware. Most people do not have a computer that can edit the 4K video files that come out of the drone.
It is much easier for a professional certified commercial drone pilot to fly your listings and save you time and money.
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