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Sharp online photography is vital in today’s digital market — and real estate drone photography can help you get dramatic images.

Create amazing and powerful images for listings with these 4 drones for real estate photography.

In this post, we’ll list 4 drones for exceptional real estate drone photography in 2024. We’ll also cover why you should use drones in real estate photography and how they can help you capture spectacular listing photos.

Let’s dive in!

Why Use Drones in Real Estate Photography?

Real estate drone photography

Drone aerial photography is one of the more powerful ways real estate agents can make their listings stand out.

Today, homebuyers start their search online, looking at sites like Zillow and social media first.

This has created the need for drone photography, so buyers can consider all visual perspectives of a property. 

Consider these facts:

  • 7 in 10 agents report that videos, virtual staging, and drone photography have become more important since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • 83% of home sellers prefer to work with a real estate agent who uses drone photography.
  • 97% of home buyers used the internet to search for homes and expect to see quality photos.

Real estate agents and their photographers are increasingly turning to drones to capture some of their most spectacular listing photos.

After all, what a fantastic way to show off a home’s impressive swimming pool or expansive yard, then from overhead?

Drones have nearly unlimited uses for real estate photography. Agents can show a property’s proximity to the beach, parks, wooded areas, or other desirable locations. 

Do keep in mind, if you’re using drones for any source of income stream, you must hold a Remote Pilot Certificate, which is essentially a commercial drone pilot license.

The 4 Best Drones for Real Estate Photography

Some drones can be expensive and the quality of cameras varies. So, how do you know which drone is the right one for you? 

Let’s take a look at 4 drones that might work for your real estate business:

1. DJI Mini 2 Fly More Combo – Ultralight Foldable Drone

DJI Mini 2 Fly More Combo – Ultralight Foldable Drone

This model is DJI’s smallest drone yet. Perfect for beginners, it’s fairly easy to use.

Here are some of its features:

  • 12 MP Camera with Dolly Zoom
  • Can fly up to 24 mph (38 kph) with ActiveTrack, TapFly, and other smart features that make your photography and video easier. 
  • Just about 27 Minutes of Flight Time per charge. 

Some other features to consider:

  • This small drone is affordable and shoots 4K video.
  • This model doesn’t provide obstacle avoidance or HDR.
  • Ideal for those who want a simple, entry-level drone to start.

The DJI Mini 2 is ideal for those new to real estate aerial photography. Also, it can handle up to Level 5 Wind Resistance, providing for stable photos and video.

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2. Flightelf Professional Sony Camera Drone

Flightelf Professional Sony Camera Drone

Sony’s Flightelf Professional combines intelligent shooting modes with a quality camera. It’s a good choice for real estate agents and photographers who want to take their photography to the next level.

This drone features:

  • Obstacle avoidance technology and a 3-axis gimbal
  • Up to 90 minutes of flight time.
  • Shoots 4K at 25 FPS and uses digital zoom rather than mechanical.

An affordable option, the Flightelf allows you to select from a 30 minute, 60 minutes, and 90 minute flight time, depending on price.

One drawback of this drone, the image resolution is 2048 x 1080p. But that’s still an HD resolution and the flight is stabilized through the gimbal.

Other functions include 50x zoom, an automatic GPS return to home, and even gesture recognition.

3. DJI Mavic Air 2 – Drone Quadcopter UAV With 48MP Camera and 4K Video

DJI Mavic Air 2 - Drone Quadcopter UAV With 48MP Camera and 4K Video

DJI Mavic Air 2 offers intelligent shooting functions and excellent image quality, and its safer flight features enable you to focus on your photography.

Here are some of its features:

  • Advanced 48 MP photography, HDR, and 4K video.
  • A 1/2 inch image sensor and 8K hyper-lapse.
  • 34 minutes of flight time. 
  • It also has automatic obstacle avoidance.

With this drone, you can take real estate photography and videos without having to be extremely precise. An ideal model for a newbie, you can get aerial photos easily and quickly.

And even if you’re not used to flying drones, this model uses stabilizers and a gimbal to improve performance.

4. Ruko F11 Pro Drones With 4K UHD Camera

Ruko F11 Pro Drones With 4K UHD Camera

The Ruko F11 Pro has advanced features such as 5GHz Wi-Fi FPV real-time data transmission, a brushless, aluminum alloy motor, and an 11.1v battery that powers a more stable flight.

This drone offers many advantages:

  • Strong GPS positioning and air pressure help the drone hover stably and avoid camera vibration.
  • A solid 36 minute flight time, a 4K camera, and multiple flight modes.
  • An excellent option for those who want a collapsible, lightweight drone that transports easily.

This drone does present two concerns. First, it has to have its battery changed after 30 minutes. Second, it doesn’t have obstacle avoidance.

Still, this drone is more than sufficient for real estate professionals who want to take high-quality aerial videos and images.

It’s definitely worth looking into. 

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Get the Best Possible Images With PhotoUp

Drones are one tool among many that real estate professionals have at their disposal. But just because your using a drone doesn’t mean you’ll have the best quality, sharpest images.

Here’s where PhotoUp can help!

If you’ve already made the extra effort by using a drone, why not make sure your images are simply fantastic? 

Professional editing can make an average photo look impressive. 

PhotoUp’s editing experts can take any photo or video and make it truly stunning. 

Sign up for a free PhotoUp account today, and let us help you take your photography business to the next level!

Hopefully, this post has helped you learn about the potential of drones for real estate photography as well as provided you with more info on drones available. If you liked this article, you may also want to check out the following resources:

Gregory Gronbacher

Real Estate Sales Agent / Professional Blogger

Gregory is a real estate sales agent and a state-certified instructor of real estate licensing and law. Originally from New York City, he's called Grand Rapids, Michigan home since 1995.

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