Drones recruited for real estate

December 14, 2017


UAV North founder Chris Anderson

Drones are buzzing into the residential real estate market as the remote-controlled flying devices can provide a unique bird’s-eye view of land and property with on-board videos, drone suppliers say.
UAV North in Edmonton has had its video-equipped drones focused on golf courses and farmland real estate, but is now also being hired by residential landlords and developers.
UAV North founder Chris Anderson said that even a brief drone video can show traffic movement around a neighbourhoood as well as provide geographic context. They can also be used in online marketing campaigns for new homes.
Raphael Boudreault-Simard of Flow Motion Aerials in Whistler, B.C., now does 50 per cent of his work as drone videos.
“Drone videos allow you to get innovative angles and to get a good sense of the scale of a building,” said Boudreault-Simard. For large multi-family buildings, drones can be used to show potential high-rise views and help with 3D modelling by having a drone fly around an entire building and feed information into a computer program.
“This can be used for insurance companies or the progress of construction plans.”
Boudreault-Simard cautions building owners to be aware of limitations when it comes to hiring a drone operator. For example, all drone operators must have a Special Flight Operations Certificate – a permit that allows flights under specific conditions. If someone is not properly certified, both client and operator may end up with fines, which, according to Anderson, can soar as high as $25,000.