1. Drone aerial photography and videography

The ability to create visually stunning videos is a popular offering to make money using a drone. Being able to capture the perfect shot is a skill that can take some time to develop. Fortunately, with today’s drone technology, taking great pictures and video is easier than ever. With an integrated or attached gimbal to automatically balance the camera, drones are able to take smooth cinematic shots. The automated flying features of many modern drones allow the pilot to focus more exclusively on the composition of the shot and storytelling. For example, tracking a subject can now be performed automatically by the drone, permitting the pilot to focus on the creativity. Networking for your drone business with local realtors, wedding photographers and ancillary businesses in your location can be a great source of ongoing referrals.

2. Aerial mapping and modeling

Providing maps and models to clients has become a staple offering to make money with drones. Clients are expecting you to be able to effectively gather, analyze and export mapping data. There is a demand for orthomosaic maps which are a correctly scaled representation of an area, composed of multiple location-tagged images.

With your drone and volumetric software, you can provide your client with an estimate of the volume of a stockpile of sand, rock or other raw material – such audits would take far longer and be far more dangerous when conducted manually by employees clambering up unsteady stockpiles by foot. Consider developing both a traditional and social media marketing campaign to promote your drone business. Also think about joining business and trade associations to target the right companies in your area.

3. Drone aerial inspections

Traditional methods of inspecting any structure, be it a wind turbine, bridge or railway can have significant risk. A worker manually hoisted from a rope to conduct a wind turbine inspection is intrinsically challenging. Drones bring safety and reduced costs to such tasks.

Conducting roof inspections is also an in-demand offering – a thermal camera attached to a drone can give value by identifying hot- and cold-spots. You can inspect solar farms, wireless communications towers, oil and gas pipelines or other large installations. Inspections are one of the easiest ways to demonstrate return on investment to a client as introducing drones helps prevent accidents, reduces the need for manual labor and replaces the more expensive helicopter and airplane alternatives. The DARTdrones Aerial Drone Inspections Workshop will help you develop the knowledge to begin your exploration of this niche.

4. Agriculture and land management 

Drones can be used to make money in agriculture and land management in a variety of ways. For example, precision agriculture is the ability to increase crop profitability by using less resources. Utilizing drones can be an excellent tool in this endeavor.  Drones can be used for everything from analyzing the soil quality to identifying parasites affecting crops.

In forestry, drones are being used for surveying areas and even for planting trees. Agricultural spraying is also popular with highly specialized drones. Using a drone with or without a thermal camera can be used to search for missing livestock and to monitor game. Consider promoting your offerings to the farming, ranching, forestry and land management communities. Business Insider predicts agriculture to be one of five main segments that will experience significant growth in the next coming years.

5. Mining and quarrying

There are many difficult and dangerous tasks in the mining and quarrying industries. Drones can dramatically improve the efficiency of mines and assist in the management of quarries. All of this is achieved by gathering data very quickly at remote distances. Drones can be particularly useful at the pre-planning steps prior to planting explosives to shatter and break rock. Drilling and blasting can also be made safer by introducing aerial technology. Surveying, 3D mapping and stockpile management are popular uses for drones in the mining and quarry industries.  Drones are being used to fly a quarry, then the images are exported to photogrammetry software to produce models and maps so that accurate measurements can be undertaken within these computer models rather than physically in the field. Consider the mining and quarry industry when searching for opportunities to make money with your drone business.

6. Conservation and ecology

Efforts around the globe are being enhanced by the introduction of drones for land and water conservation. Drones can acquire images of ecosystems from the sky unobtrusively. A drone can capture images of the terrain before and after a natural disaster or can conduct inventory of habitats that are difficult to reach by foot. Drones have been used to track animals and to support anti-poaching efforts and to conduct low cost surveys of forest habitats for carbon assessments. Appropriate software can be used to map habitats and species. A 2003 study by the Wildlife Society Bulletin reported that an unfortunate number of scientist fatalities occurred in plane and helicopter crashes at low altitude – heights required for observing and tracking wildlife. Offering drone services to conservation organizations can be a revenue-generator whilst helping a genuinely worthwhile cause.

7. Surveillance and security

There is a growing interest by clients in the surveillance and security benefits of drones and the situational awareness they can provide in a real-time crisis. As drones are less visible, cheaper and quieter than many equivalent technologies they offer significant benefits for surveillance and monitoring assignments. Drones can also cover a lot of ground quickly and remain unaffected by awkward terrain. Be aware that during operations, it is mandatory that the drone remains in your line of sight at all times unless you have a special waiver from the FAA. Be mindful regarding privacy issues also.

If you are in a smaller jurisdiction where helicopter cover is unaffordable for your local public safety agencies and they are not already served by an in-house drone program, you might consider approaching them to gauge if their needs and your offerings align. DARTdrones specializes in aiding public safety departments adopt drone programs.

8. Construction

Drones can be used in construction for a variety of tasks including facilitating quicker and cheaper surveying. Drones enhanced with Real-time Kinematic (RTK) technology offer even greater accuracy benefits, but this premium capability is not necessarily required for many construction projects. Other popular applications of drones in construction are progress monitoring, personnel safety and marketing.

Be aware that in some cases the collection of the data with your drone is only the beginning – the workflow may entail putting that data into a form that is usable by the client. Of course, as we continually emphasize, you must be conversant with drone rules in your country and locality. Also, do consider investing in a second ‘backup’ drone in case your main aircraft experiences an issue in the midst of an assignment.

9. News gathering and sports

The use of drones in news gathering and sports is gaining momentum. Journalists can benefit from your ability to contribute to news gathering and sharing of breaking stories. Your service can allow the public to see visuals from locations that were once perceived as impenetrable. Drones are becoming an everyday tool, bringing vibrant still images and video to the screen to enhance storytelling. Similarly, drones are being used in sports coaching and training to see tactics from an aerial perspective, thereby giving teams an edge over opponents.

While there are still regulatory matters to be mindful of concerning privacy in news gathering, there remains a great opportunity in this sector so do make your offerings known to the local media.

10. Disaster response and relief

Drones have been pivotal in recent years during a variety of hazards.  Uses have included everything from providing a light source to illuminate an area, to locating lost people with thermal cameras. Drones can be a considerable asset in a catastrophe. As a drone pilot, one of the many services you can offer is to capture damage to critical infrastructure after such events. The first few hours of decision-making and action are crucial when an unexpected environmental incident occurs and drones can be deployed very quickly during such an effort, in comparison to alternative aerial solutions. Of course, if considering offering this type of service you must be endorsed and approved by the relevant local relief agencies – your objective is to work under the auspices of the authorities governing the scenario. Make your capabilities and offerings known to relief agencies in your area to evaluate their needs.

Next steps in making money with your drone business

Asking what the best offerings are to make the most money with your drone is certainly wise. Of the 10 offerings above, it would be prudent to focus on those that are the most lucrative given your location, capabilities and extent of competition. A key to success and business longevity is honing your skills in one key offering and striving to become a recognized local expert. Be sure to develop a strategic business plan including how to market your services. The DARTdrones Starting a Drone Business Under Part 107 can help you with this important initial step.

About the Author

Mike is an instrument-rated pilot and a self-described transportation enthusiast and weather geek. As a former light rail instructor for Harris County Metro, Mike trained new operators to safely operate trains on Metro’s new rail extensions in the city of Houston. Mike returned to Austin and discovered Drone photography. Taking his new hobby to the next level by combining his aviation, rait trainer, and industrial sales experience, Mike Joined DARTdrones to share his passion for aviation with student drone pilots to help them become safe, competent and confident drone pilots.

DARTdrones is the nation’s leader in drone training, program development and consultation, offering online and in-person courses in 40+ cities across the United States. DARTdrones takes pride in their comprehensive curriculum, developed by a former US Navy Helicopter pilot, as well as their 40+ flight instructors who are all manned and unmanned aircraft pilots. Visit us online at www.dartdrones.com, call 800-264-3907 or email the DARTdrones Team at info@dartdrones.com to learn more.

The post The 10 Best Offerings to Make the Most Money With Your Drone appeared first on DARTdrones.

Growth in Real Estate Aerial Photography

At the end of 2016, 26% of commercial drones were being used for real estate. This number is projected to keep increasing as more and more real estate businesses label drones as an essential tool in their toolkit. Did you know: homes sell 68% faster when using aerial photography and 73% of homeowners prefer to list with an agent who uses aerial video (source: NAR).

Tips for Starting a Real Estate Aerial Photography Business

We cannot be more excited about where the drone industry is headed, and we want to help you succeed! Take a look at some tips that will get your real estate aerial photography business off the ground.

1. Know the rules – The FAA drone regulations are set in place for a reason, so you must know them. Keep in mind – the FAA does not prohibit a certificated drone pilot from flying over private property, however, some local laws have been put into place that do limit where a commercial operator can fly their aircraft. These laws are often put in place in response to privacy concerns. If you are capturing aerial photography for commercial real estate listings, there’s no reason you should be flying low and close enough to a neighbor’s home to raise their concerns. Bottom line: know the local rules and fly responsibly!
2. Learn the trade – It is very important for any real estate aerial photography professional to understand aerial camera angles, desirable flight paths for video capture, optimizing camera/gimbal settings, etc. This will all result in great aerial photography which will then attract more customers to your business.
3. Get your drone insured – Although drones are much cheaper than capturing aerial imagery from an airplane or helicopter, they are still a big enough expense that you’ll want to get it insured. There are many great and affordable drone insurance providers that can cover your flights.
4. Get drone training – Getting proper flight training to fly your drone for commercial purposes is essential. It will not only teach you how to fly the drone, but also the rules and regulations set in place to fly legally. You will also need to pass the FAA Part 107 Airman Knowledge Exam. If successfully passed, this exam will classify you as a legally licensed commercial drone pilot.
5. Become comfortable with social media – Launching a drone business is very modern and innovative, so you must be modern with your marketing strategy. Use your drone footage as a digital marketing strategy. Post your aerial photos, videos, and virtual tours on all social media platforms. Some main platforms being Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Linkedin, and Google +. This will create organic content and social engagement which will attract people to your profile and listings.

What’s Next?

If you are interested in launching your own real estate aerial photography business, be sure to make time and get hands on drone training and Part 107 certification. Not only will you need your Part 107 Certificate before you can fly a drone commercially, a hands on flight training course will allow you to learn, and be professionally coached on the most effective techniques for capturing quality aerial imagery; something that you will not get by reading articles or viewing videos online. Also, check out our drones for beginners, starting a drone business, and aerial photography courses. Visit us at www.dartdrones.com or call us at 800-264-3907!

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• Homes sell 68% faster when using aerial imagery (source: NAR)
• 73% of homeowners prefer to list with an agent who uses aerial video (source: NAR)

What are the benefits of real estate drone training?

Present the whole neighborhood and surrounding areas

Many buyers want to get a feel of the area as a whole. Being able to embrace aerial views of the entire property could grab a lot of attention and generate sales. Keep in mind – the FAA does not prohibit a certificated operator from flying over private property, however, some local laws have been put into place that do limit where a commercial operator can fly their aircraft. These laws are often put in place in response to privacy concerns. If you are capturing images for commercial real estate listings, there’s no reason you should be flying low and close enough to a neighbor’s home to raise their concerns. Bottom line – know the local rules and fly responsibly.

Generate new business

Most home buyers are shopping online first. Use your real estate drone training to create aerial photos and virtual tours as a way to have buyers look at a house in awe and to keep them looking at the listing for longer. Short 30-60 second video clips are also a huge attention grabber and can be easily put together using raw footage captured with your aircraft.

Create organic social media engagements

Use your drone footage as a digital marketing strategy. Post your aerial photos, videos, and virtual tours on all social media platforms. Some main platforms being Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Linkedin, and Google +. This will create organic content and social engagement which will attract people to your profile and listings.

Create better curb appeal

Instead of having one-dimensional images of a listing, fly your drone to capture shots to highlight scenic views and landscaping of the property. If you’re flying low (window level) make sure to only stay around the property you’ve been hired to capture. Low level flight near a neighbor’s home is the quickest way to have someone accuse you of flying your drone irresponsibly and violating their privacy. If the neighborhood is densely populated, it’s a good idea to knock on the doors of the homes next to the property you’re capturing to introduce yourself and explain what you’ll be doing with your drone. Who knows…it may just lead to another business opportunity!

Give an exact view of what the kids walk to the school bus will look like

Use your commercial drone as a tool to give the buyer detailed information. Imagine launching your drone from the front porch and flying along the route to the kids bus stop! Just remember to avoid flying directly over any public roadways if vehicles are travelling along them, and again, be cautious of flying at low altitudes in the vicinity of neighboring properties. Even though it is not necessarily against FAA regulations, it may violate local laws and may also raise unnecessary privacy concerns.

Save money

Before drones, real estate agents had to use helicopters and airplanes to obtain these great aerial shots that we now see every day. This process can be very expensive and limit the agent to shooting one or two property’s. Real estate drone training will give the agent flexibility to shoot multiple listings. Drones also allow agents to showcase features of a property from “tree top” level, which highlights specific details of a property when shown in an aerial perspective, but would not be possible if using manned aircraft flying at a thousand feet or more above the ground.

As you can see, there are many ways drones can benefit your real estate business and take it to the next level. Drones are continuously being implemented in real estate agencies, and we believe the number will keep growing!

For more information on real estate drone training, flying your drone commercially, and becoming Part 107 certified, call us at 800-264-3907.

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Are Drones for Real Estate Right for You?

Creating added value for customers is essential to standing out in very competitive real estate markets, and realtors are quickly coming around to using drones to highlight their properties.

Uses for Drones for Real Estate

• Create more interesting virtual tours
• Show local improvement and historic district issues
• Present the neighborhood and surrounding areas
• Conduct aerial inspections of the entire property
• Highlight scenic views, landscaping and curb appeal

Sellers and buyers often have a difficult time differentiating one real estate agent from another. Adding drone photography to your marketing efforts allows potential investors to see every inch of the property, including pitfalls and problems, at the initial phase of the deal. The National Association of Realtors conducted a survey in 2016 which found that almost 20 percent of agents who are not using drones for real estate listings plan to do so in the near future. The survey also shows 12 percent of realtors know someone in their office who uses drones, and 11 percent say they would consider hiring a professional drone pilot.

If you are thinking about using drones for real estate photography, you need to resolve your possible legal liability and be licensed by the Federal Administration Agency. “Don’t ask, don’t tell” is not a smart policy when flying drones for real estate. Drones can hurt people and damage property if pilots are not careful. Whether you fly drones yourself or hire a company, the pilot must be insured, properly trained, and have a drone license from the FAA.

Know Your Market, Show Your Market

Well-designed camera drone footage not only looks incredibly professional, it can generate a sense of awe that you simply cannot get from old-school, ground-based photography. Posting drone footage online means buyers from all over can get a very clear idea about your properties 24/7, making the lead to acquisition process significantly faster for you.

If you outsource to a professional drone photographer, expect to pay anywhere from $100 to $2,000 per flight depending on the experience level of the pilot. The agent or broker typically covers the cost, not the seller, so every flight lowers your profits. Piloting a drone yourself will save you money and downtime while you are waiting for videos and stills from a vendor.

The practicality of using drones for real estate advertising is especially germane when you consider cost and return on investment. In very competitive markets and luxury neighborhoods, real estate agents have generally used airplanes and helicopters to film the property. But that can cost hundreds, if not thousands of dollars per flight and limit the number of properties you can afford to shoot. In contrast, you can buy a professional camera drone for just over $1000 and film all your listings on your time.

Generate New Business

Buyers often shop online first, with many using their mobile devices, so they expect detailed photographs and videos or they may search for another realtor.

Consider drone footage a key to your website’s digital strategy. You can leverage it on Facebook, Twitter, SnapChat, Pinterest, Instagram and every other online medium. Using drones for real estate advertising will create organic social engagements, attract attention to your personal profiles, and highlight the very best aspects of your listings.

For residential properties, aerial images and videos are often the only way to showcase the entire context of a property – its surroundings, proximity to neighbors, etc. Drone photography for commercial properties should at least show the building’s condition, proximity to stores and restaurants, and parking.

Also, you can edit and share the drone footage however you want. Without extensive experience or expertise, you still can really get creative. Imagine your property showcased by a drone video that begins a view from 400 feet above, then proceeds quickly up the driveway, continues towards the front door, and circles the interior – in the same shot. (The possibilities of drones are truly endless.)

Drones for Real Estate: Pick a Model and Get Trained

If you want a drone for real estate, consider the two most popular models among realtors: DJI’s Phantom and Inspire.

The Inspire and Phantom are packed with features to help pilots fly without repeated crashes. Features also include: automatic return, GPS, first-person view, and headless mode. They also offer HD video (typically 1080p or better) and high-resolution pictures to capture every detail of the building. When using a drone for real estate advertising, it is critically important to choose one with a great camera. No one wants to squint at blurry, pixelated images online.

So which should you choose? That depends on your needs and staffing. A real estate agency will do fine with the Phantom 3 or Phantom 4 ($500 – $1500, respectably). A larger agency might want to consider the Inspire 1.

Luckily, you do not need a pilot’s license to fly a drone. But you still need to pass the FAA Airman Knowledge Exam under Part 107. If you do not know what you are doing, you can get into a lot of trouble! The FAA has fined pilots for illegally using drones for commercial use. Avoid taking unnecessary risks when pursuing drones for real estate applications. Make sure you are aware of:

• What you need to know when flying close to private property
• How to fly your drone safely near people and structures
• The ins/outs of your drone’s features and how to best use drones for real estate
• FAA, local and state rules governing flight
• Insurance concerns and regulations for real estate drones

Once you’re ready to implement drones into your real estate operation, you’ll give buyers new, fantastic views of the properties you’re selling.

AJ Cote writes for DARTdrones’ blog. Cote wrote this blog post about drones for real estate.

The post Drones for Real Estate: A Guide for Beginners appeared first on DARTdrones.

One of the major industries that will benefit from this is the real estate industry. Using drones for real estate can help show potential buyers many things they cannot see from just looking at pictures of a house on the ground.

Aside from seeing the house from the air, the potential buyers can view the surrounding area and what the other neighborhoods around the area look like. Taking to the skies and using drones for real estate lets buyers see how far the walk to school would be for their kids or what the drive home would look like.

Image ©AZ Cash Deals

As a real estate agent, having a drone in your toolkit for selling houses is a must in the coming years as long as it is done within the bounds of the law. Drones have opened pretty much everyone and every industry to aerial footage that was only achievable before by helicopter.

Using footage of a house is extremely cost effective compared to the cost of renting a helicopter or small airplane to take footage of a house. A real estate agency could compile all the footage of their properties for sale into one video for potential buyers to look at. This is a much more interesting way for buyers to shop for houses.

Using drones for real estate helps buyers get a sense of the surrounding area especially for vacation homes placed in beautiful landscapes.

A skilled pilot could start flying the drone inside the house and move to the exterior, then high above to get a lay of the land. Drones for real estate can make the process of finding and purchasing the right house less stressful and more enjoyable.

Drones for real estate allow real estate agents to become better salesmen/saleswomen. Having drone footage and pictures of a property for sale makes the property much more interesting for buyers.

Image © Drone View Technologies

Check out one of our past DARTdrones interns, Giles Ober, has gone on to create a real estate drone training company. 

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This article was written by Alex Martin. He is a junior at Texas Christian University studying Strategic Communication and a minor in Photography. He is from St. Louis, MO and loves playing hockey with his dad and water skiing at Lake Ariel. Alex is very interested in how the drone industry will expand in the coming years.

The post Drones for Real Estate appeared first on DARTdrones.

Like most businesses using drones, realtors have hundreds of potential uses for the media captured by the drone. Drones for real estate photography & video can show potential buyers or renters a never-before-seen view of the properties. The most direct access that drone footage can offer to consumers is through a promotional video. Companies can use drones to film their commercials and offer their consumers a bird’s eye view of their day-to-day operations. Drone footage is innovative, and will put any company above the industry standard of typical commercial footage.

Presenting the full picture

With a residential home or rental property, starting from the ground level, the drone will film the exterior of the building showing the porch, windows, and landscaping of the property. Moving a bit higher in elevation, the drone will film the second story showing the house while also turning the camera to show the view from the bedroom windows. Continuing higher, the drone will show the roof offering a possible assessment of the condition of the roof. The drone will then continue hundreds of feet into the air to show the buyer/ renter their potential neighborhood, surrounding schools and parks, and commercial areas where the customer will be spending recreational time or even buying groceries.

Land Surveying with Drones

Another use for the drone is land surveying for real estate development or large acreage estates. For companies that work in land development, a thorough assessment of the land is essential to defining the proper value or potential of the land. The drones can give an aerial view of potential hazards or flaws in the property. Properties that have large acreage can be surveyed much more conveniently with drone footage than an on-foot assessment.

Drones for Real Estate will change the home-buying experience

The drone footage will take the convenience of the buying and renting experience to the next level. With the busy schedules of today’s society, we want everything bigger, better, and faster. The convenience of a realtor being able to send a short video to the buyer’s cell phone instead of taking an in-person tour of the property will revolutionize the real estate industry.

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