Real Estate Videos for Free

[jmedrone]

I recently bought a Phantom 3 Adv. I'm thinking about doing drone videos for local real estate agents for free until I get the new qualifications. My goal is to get lots of practice and get my foot in the door so that when I get the new qualifications (after Aug 29th) I will be polished and have some clientele. If I do this for free, does it violate any laws???

Thanks in advance for any advice!

 

[AerialZ]

You are definitely opening yourself up to some liability if you're flying properties that you do not have written authorization/releases to be on. There are other considerations as well in this new age of everyone wanting to get into aerial photography commercially. Next question, do you have insurance covering your drone and any potential damage that a crash might cause?
And most importantly, I wouldn't set foot on someone else's property until you have a skill set established in operating your P3. You can practice elsewhere before getting yourself into a predicament. Learn to control your bird in ATTI mode in case you have a failure of any type. Fly in wind and learn how it affects what you are trying to accomplish. Do not just rely on GPS mode or smart modes to get your shots. Practice is great... situational awareness is golden. The last thing you want to do is crash your P3 into a client's home.
I would also get your business plan together. Getting your foot in the door doesn't mean anything if you haven't prepared yourself for it.

 

[RoyVa]

FAA Giidelines
Model aircraft operations are for hobby or recreational purposes only.
The FAA has partnered with several industry associations to promote Know Before You Fly, a campaign to educate the public about using unmanned aircraft safely and responsibly. Individuals flying for hobby or recreation are strongly encouraged to follow safety guidelines, which include:
* Fly below 400 feet and remain clear of surrounding obstacles
* Keep the aircraft within visual line of sight at all times
* Remain well clear of and do not interfere with manned aircraft operations
* Don't fly within 5 miles of an airport unless you contact the airport and control tower before flying
* Don't fly near people or stadiums
* Don't fly an aircraft that weighs more than 55 lbs
* Don't be careless or reckless with your unmanned aircraft – you could be fined for endangering people or other aircraft
The statutory parameters of a model aircraft operation are outlined in Section 336 of Public Law 112-95 (the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012) (PDF). Individuals who fly within the scope of these parameters do not require permission to operate their UAS; any flight outside these parameters (including any non-hobby, non-recreational operation) requires FAA authorization. For example, using a UAS to take photos for your personal use is recreational; using the same device to take photographs or videos for compensation or sale to another individual would be considered a non-recreational operation.

Pretty clear... Hobby or recreational purposes only.... Hope this helps.

 

[msinger]

If I do this for free, does it violate any laws?

Since your local real estate agents won't be able to legally use the video to sell their houses, I doubt they will be interested in your free videos. Maybe practice on your own house or your friends' houses?

 

[AerialZ]

Since your local real estate agents won't be able to legally use the video to sell their houses, I doubt they will be interested in your free videos. Maybe practice on your own house or your friends' houses?

And, expect many Realtors to be quite familiar with this information. I assure you you're probably not the first exposure they've had to aerial photography. Many are becoming quite well-versed in what they think is drone law (whether accurate or not.)
Common advice here: practice elsewhere. Don't approach potential clients until youre ready to produce a great product for them as a service. Practicing on businesses will do nothing but hurt the industry and spread negative press, especially if something happens from your lack of experience.

 

[msinger]

And, expect many Realtors to be quite familiar with this information.

They should have all received a letter/email from the NRA a while back when using drones became a thing. I suppose some ignore the NRA's advice though.