REAL ESTATE INDUSTRY DRONES ON
Using the devices to sell your home? Make sure to follow the rules.
Q: We are getting ready to sell our home, and one of our neighbors offered, for a small fee, to take some aerial pictures with his drone. Are there any rules or restrictionswe need to knowabout?— Susan
A: Drones, or unmanned aircraft systems, are revolutionizing the videos and photos people take tomarket and sell their homes.
Smart real estate agents and homeowners are marketing with vista views of the property and surrounding neighborhood. This sort of photography used to be out of reach of all butwealthy homeowners, but nowit’s available to all comers.
The lawstill is still catching up to this technology, and new rules are popping up all the time. Both the federal government (the Federal Aviation Administration) and most state governments have been quick to enact regulations designed to ensure the public safety and privacy.
Anyone using drones to take pictures to sell someone else’s propertymust abide by the rules, though hobbyists who are flying smaller model aircraft within their line of sight solely for their own enjoyment generally are exempt.
Penalties include fines and liability for getting sued if you caused damage to another person’s property. In very rare occasions, you could face criminal charges.
The pilots must ensure that the dronesweigh less than 55 pounds, fly less than 100mph, below400 feet off the ground and stay within view of the pilots.
Also, the drones can’t be operated fromamoving vehicle, although that just seems like common sense.
If you live close to an airport, stadium or similar buildings, you probablywon’t be able to use a drone. This can be confusing, but the FAA has an app to help you stay within the guidelines (faa.gov).
Before you hire your neighbor, make sure he is licensed by the FAA to pilot a drone. To get that license, hewould have had to read, write and speak English, pass a test and a Transportation Safety Administration background check.
Followthe rules, and you’ll be able to takemagnificent pictures to help you get your property sold quickly and for top dollar.