Drones are already making an impact on real estate and are considered to be an essential tool in some aerial inspections. Drone videos and pictures have changed the way properties are viewed. Don’t assume that one client will generate enough business for you to make a comfortable living, diversify and think outside the box.
Drones give access to hard to reach places, can obtain more images from different angles and are more time efficient to use. Upon completion of an operation you can view, choose and edit your photographs on a computer and mark areas of interest for additional inspection using Latitude and Longitude. Real-time Inspections are far more valuable than Google Earth and Bing Maps. Using a drone for aerial inspections can identify potential problems while they are still small and showcase and identify quality issues. But one of the most useful features of using drones for aerial data gathering is the acquisition of unintended information. During one real estate valuation project the unintended information of traffic flow was noticed and changed the way the property was valued and marketed for lease.
Real estate has multiple opportunities which can be provided doing similar services. Here are some of the services that could be conducted on one property:
As you can see, there a a number of different styles of drones which can be used as-is or customized to meet your particular access and recording requirements.
Drones can provide unique material for marketing a property. Brokers and agents have taken advantage of the ability to showcase property features that were previously unobtainable to potential clients. Aerial shots can create a personal connection that cannot be found in land-based photographs or videos. An expensive drone is not needed to gather useful information for promotional material. Finally, due to the consumer’s awareness in using the internet, multiple properties can be inspected from the comfort of a home or office before actually visiting the site.
A real estate appraiser is Interested in valuing the property. Drones are a tool which can assist in the ability to make educated and informed decisions from a unique perspective. There are many advantages to using a drone for appraisal practice. The main one being the ability to have access to hard to reach places. Areas considered previously unobservable such as rooflines, air conditioning units, gutters, etc. can be seen using the correct equipment. Not only can these items be observed, but areas of interest can be identified for additional inspection. Furthermore, this is a real-time inspection on the date of inspection. Drone videos and pictures are changing the way properties are viewed.
Insurance companies are interested in the condition of the property and having a base-line for what the properties condition was as of a certain date. From this baseline damage assessments can be accurately estimated. It also increases assessment accuracy and the response time by quickly and accurately identifying changes to the properties condition.
The tax assessor is interested in the current improvements to the property. An aerial drone allows for more property inspections because they are less intrusive and can cover more ground from the air. Improvements and damages can be accurately assessed leading to a more accurate assessment value. Due to the decreased staffing in assessor’s office, using a drone is an alternative to an on-site inspection. A drone can view a larger amount of properties in a shorter period of time.
Roof damage, moisture detection and heat loss can be easily determined using the correct sensors and equipment attached to an aerial drone. The size of roof can be easily estimated so that the correct amount of materials can be allocated and used for each job.
Owners and investors are proud of their properties and sometimes they want to show them off. One way is by having an aerial photograph of their property framed and displayed. An aerial photograph can be used as promotional material for the property.
Builders and developers are interested in adding on or constructing to the property. In development the progress of a job site can be easily assessed. Project managers can view properties in real time as they are being aerially inspected. A positive allocation and use of resources can be determined. Aerial inspections can aid in the estimate time of completion and ensure that the contractor is following the contract. Improvements can be developed using 3-dimensional models and property can be developed into 2-dimensional orthomosiacs. These models can show contours and showcase features of a property. The models can be created to determine the actual scope and magnitude of an operation.
Attorneys are interested in settling litigation on the property. Using a drone helps to create the image of a more thorough report and looks more credible in the eyes of a jury. It also helps the judge and jury to identify with the property easier. Finally, the images are in real-time which can easily look different than images acquired from Google Earth or Bing Maps.
Aerial photographs and videos are aiding in the creation of improvements to support drone uses. There will be needs for landing pads, charging stations and antenna sites for drones. Buildings are being redesigned to accommodate small electric aircraft or shipping drones.
From just one property there is a number of different sources of income to be had. Think about all the opportunities in regards to a property. Think outside the box.
Lamar H. Ellis, III, MAI, SRA, FAA Certified Remote Pilot of Small UAS is from Atlanta, Georgia. He is the president of Drone Education Services, an educational leader in drone technology with an emphasis on real estate. He has 30 years of Real Estate valuation experience and was an early adopter of Drone Technology for real estate in 2014. He has served in leadership with the Atlanta Chapter of the Appraisal Institute, serving as a Director and Educational Chair and currently serves as Treasurer for the Atlanta Chapter of the Association of Unmanned Vehicle Systems International. He also consults with companies all over the United States on applications and business development with drones, is a published author and assists in business development for several Atlanta based drone companies.
Lamar is an industry expert and has delivered breakout sessions to the National Conferences of the Appraisal Institute in 2016, the American Society of Appraisers in 2018 and the National Association of Realtors in 2018. He will again be presenting a breakout session at the National Conference of the Appraisal Institute in 2019. He continues to present educational seminars on the adoption and utilization of drones into a variety of industries. He has presented seminars in 30 states to various chapters of the Appraisal Institute, National Association of Realtors, American Society of Appraisers, Georgia Bar Association, East Coast Insurance Brokers, the Georgia Erosion and Agricultural Expo, International Drone Day 2016, Turner Broadcasting Systems, International Right-of-Way Association, Conservation groups, American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers and various other real estate entities. He also donates his time to helping elementary and middle school children realize the benefits of a STEM education (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) through Drone Technology and has participated in events including Drone for Good. | www.droneeducationservices.com | 1-833-DRONE-ED (376-6333)
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