Successful real estate photography not only looks good but also stands out from all the other real estate photos seen by prospective buyers.
If it takes the average buyer four months to find a home after looking at dozens of homes, you must make sure your properties catch the eye of the viewer.
That’s where drone photography comes in.
In this article, we’ll reveal why it’s so critical to use drone photography for your real estate portfolio and how much real estate drone footage costs.
Whether you’re a real estate agent or involved in the sale or purchase of properties, you’re well aware of the importance of visually representing the best attributes via photos.
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In many instances, it makes sense to work with a professional drone pilot to assist you with capture ideal photos.
However, there are cases when real estate agents can easily purchase their own drone, such as the DJI Mini 4 Pro, and capture high-quality images and 4K videos of the property.
This drone is capable of capturing dynamic footage and has intelligent flight features like ActiveTrack, obstacle avoidance, and advanced video formats that reduce the need to edit video content.
But read on to see what makes the most sense for your real estate circumstances!
Article Highlights:
- Most drone pilots charge $100-$500/hour
- Ensure photography is at least 4K
- Consider negotiating bundled deals for multiple real estate photography projects
Video Credit: Inside Real Estate Photography
How Much Does Real Estate Drone Footage Cost?
The price of drone photography and videography footage depends on several factors that might surprise most real estate agents and home sellers.
Location, expertise, and property size are some of the most common determinants of drone real estate footage pricing.
In the U.S. most pilots will charge you hourly rates of anywhere from $100-$500/hour, however, if you’re a real estate agent that has multiple properties to photograph, you might be able to negotiate a discounted rate or bundled package.
In this article, we’ll review the top factors that determine how much drone real estate photography and videography cost. We’ll go over some examples of how you can successfully plan your next drone photography investment.
Top Drone Real Estate Photography Price Factors
When you’re vetting and negotiating pricing with drone photographers, you’ll want to first and foremost establish a baseline of photo and video quality.
The last thing you want to do is to pay a drone photographer a sizable amount of money for a project that yields low-quality photos and videos of your property. This is a sure way to deter clients from your property simply because of the quality of the drone footage.
How to Establish a Good Drone Photography Baseline
Cameras on drones are similar to any other cameras used by photographers. You’ll want to vet out the quality of the photos before signing on as a drone photographer. Most drones operated by professional drone pilots will have at least a 4K camera.
Most drones operated by professional drone pilots will have at least a 4K camera
Before selecting your drone photographer, be sure to ask about what type of drone they operate and the camera they will be using to capture footage of your property. Ask for samples of their work to verify the photos they’re using are high quality.
Number of Photos and Video Clips
Depending on how large the property is or how many properties you need, your drone photographer could charge you based on the time it will take to photograph your properties, as well as the time it will take them to edit the videos and photographs.
Some commercial drone pilots will not only offer photography and videography services, but they will also provide photo and video editing support after they’ve captured photos of your property.
Getting the best quality footage from a real estate drone is a process. For example, a drone pilot will want to ensure the camera is set to RAW, and shoot multiple angles on clear, sunny days.
Then, apply basic composition principles, such as using leading lines and diagonals. This will simplify the image production process.
These factors may influence the cost of the final product. Another factor is the turnaround time for the edited photos and videos. Professional aerial photographers usually charge more than those who are just hired for events.
Areas of Coverage (Indoor and Outdoor)
Real estate drone footage is becoming an increasingly popular way to market not just the outside parameter of homes but also the interior. Aerial footage not only shows a home’s exterior but can also give potential buyers a whole new perspective of the interior of the home or property. Some drone cameras can scan a home and create a virtual tour of every room.
This allows viewers to move around the home. Consider if you’re interested in footage of just the exterior of the home, or would like to have a professional drone pilot fly inside the home or property. This can ultimately help with the marketability of the property, as it gives property seekers a more real-life, first-person view.
Editing Services
Some commercial drone pilots will not only capture photos and videos of your property, but they will also provide you with video editing services to further enrich the media they’ve captured. This can be a helpful service that adds the final touches to your images or videos of your property, but can also be a factor that influences the price of a real estate drone photography project.
Real Estate Location
The location of where your real estate is location can also influence the costs of finding a commercial drone pilot. Prices of real estate drone photography can vary widely. The size of the property, special requests, and the number of shots required can affect the quote. Luxury properties will demand more high-quality shots, while other real estate listings will need less.
The cost of real estate drone photography may include the drone itself, licensing and training, and other expenses. The fees may also include the cost of editing and transcription.
Expenses of Taking Real Estate Drone Footage
Generally, prices range from $150 to $350 for one to ten aerial photos. A typical video reel can contain anywhere from one to five minutes of footage. The price may also include post-production work for a professionally produced video reel. Aside from the photos and videos, some clients may request additional video and photography post-production.
The cost of drone aerial photography can vary widely. The cost of a single photo might be as low as $300, or as high as $500. However, drone aerial photography can be very detailed, offering you better-quality photos than standard photography.
Before you hire a real estate drone photographer, check the laws in your area. You should not fly over private property without permission. Once you’ve verified that you’re in a legal flying zone, ensure the pilot experiments with different heights and angles to find the perfect view of your property. A rookie photographer will most likely shoot at too high an altitude, but many of the best real estate drone photographs are taken at around 20 feet elevation, which is low enough to show features.
Reasons to Hire a Real Estate Drone Photographer
A real estate drone video is a great way to highlight the features of a property, from a bird’s eye view, as well as passing through the property itself. High-quality images can help sell a property. They can also create a seamless, flowing tour that looks and feels like a Hollywood movie. Real estate drones are also a good option for capturing 360-degree panoramic views of a property. This allows prospective buyers to picture the space in their minds. Moreover, they don’t require unique mounting systems or tripods.
As you might expect, using real estate drone photography can increase the number of leads and sales. These aerial images can show off every aspect of a property, allowing you to attract more potential buyers. This new technology is helping real estate agents increase their profits. Drone imagery will also help them save time as they will not have to show properties to prospective buyers who are not interested in the property.
When it comes to selling a home, buyers like to view it from all angles, and they also want to see the surrounding area. Aside from taking a comprehensive view of the building, drone photography will also help agents highlight the location, which is an important selling point for a property. The aerial shots can also highlight neighboring properties, landmarks, and other eye-catching features of the neighborhood.
Finally, drone photography can be cheaper than traditional photography methods, making it a smart option for realtors and homeowners who want to sell their properties faster. It is also much more versatile and flexible than traditional methods, such as aerial photography from a helicopter. Drone photographers can highlight certain features, accentuate scenery, and offer a 360-degree view of the neighborhood.
Best of luck with finding the right drone photographer for your real estate projects and we wish you the most success!
