Presentation of real estate photography
Drones have brought many innovations to the real estate sector, offering users the opportunity to film properties from a completely new perspective. This fantastic form of photography requires high-quality, innovative, and smart drones.
Now let’s take a look at the best DJI real estate drones, which include industry-leading optics, advanced obstacle prevention systems, and smart flight modes.
Comparison of specifications
| Drone | Camera | Video | Transmission | Max Flight Time | Portability |
| Mavic Mini | 12MP 1/2.3” CMOS | 2.7K/30fps 40 Mbps | Enhanced Wi-Fi | 30 minutes | 249 g Foldable |
| Mavic Air 2 | 48 MP 1/2″ CMOS | 4K/60fps120 Mbps | OcuSync 2.0 | 34 minutes | 570 g Foldable |
| Mavic 2 Pro | 20 MP 1” CMOS | 4K/30fps100 Mbps | OcuSync 2.0 | 31 minutes | 907 g Foldable |
| Mavic 2 Zoom | 12 MP 1/2.3” CMOS | 4K/30fps100 Mbps | OcuSync 2.0 | 31 minutes | 905 g Foldable |
| Phantom 4 Pro V2.0 | 20 MP 1″ CMOS | 4K/60fps100 Mbps | OcuSync | 30 minutes | 1375 g |
| Inspire 2 | Zenmuse X4S ZenmuseX5S Zenmuse X5 Zenmuse X7 | 6K CinemaDNG/RAW(Zenmuse X7) | Dual-band Lightbridge | 27min(Zenmuse X4S) | 3440 g (Propellers + two batteries, without gimbal and camera) |
How to Choose a Real Estate Photography Drone
Selecting the most suitable drone for real estate photography includes understanding individual needs and how drone characteristics meet or exceed those needs. Let’s take a look at all the factors you need to consider.
Camera performance
From the Mavic Mini 1 / 2.3 “CMOS sensor to the Inspire 2 S35 sensor equipped with Zenmuse X7, there are levels of camera performance for all needs. For smaller properties such as family homes, sensors such as CMOS 1 / 2.3 “are more capable of producing high-quality images. As your properties get wider, try to harness your full creative potential with more powerful sensors.
Flight performance
When choosing a drone for real estate photography, speed, and battery life are necessary characteristics to consider. Powerful drones like Inspire 2 are capable of speeds of up to 58km / h (94km / h), which is very useful for capturing property while following fast-moving objects such as cars or boats. New drones like the Mavic Air 2 offer up to 34 minutes of battery life, which gives you the time to shoot everything you need. Analyze the needs of your project and choose a drone that offers extended flight performance.
Flight safety
The most important thing to consider is to protect yourself, others, and your surroundings as you fly. DJI drones offer several flight safety features that make them ideal for real estate photography. Ultra-light and portable drones such as the Mavic Mini offer GPS positioning and vision sensors, but if you are shooting in complex environments, you should look for a drone with multiple vision sensors, such as Phantom 4 Pro V2.0, Mavic 2 Pro or Mavic 2 Zoom.
Integrated security features grow as you move towards more advanced drones. Search for available security features and choose a drone that suits your shooting needs.
Transmission
This is an important factor to consider when buying a real estate drone. If you plan to shoot exciting and dynamic perspectives of a location from various distances, choose a drone with the extensive and reliable transmission. Wi-Fi transmission is great for everyday flying, and it is better suited in open areas where there isn’t signal interference. OcuSync2.0 is a new transmission type that offers an extended transmission flight distance and better transmission feed quality. Light bridge transmission is the reliable transmission system found on enterprise and professional DJI drones. Do you only need the Wi-Fi transmission found on Mavic Mini, or do you require a more robust transmission system like OcuSync2.0 found on Mavic Air 2? Take a look at the locations you typically photograph and choose a transmission that supports all your shooting requirements.
Intelligent Functions
Without intelligent flight modes, many of the most sensational shots in real estate photography could only be captured by pilots with hundreds of flight hours. Intelligent flight modes offer even beginner the ability to create masterpieces effortlessly. If the type of real estate image you shoot requires dramatic footage and intricate flight patterns, look for drones that offer smart flight modes.
Portability
Drone size and portability are really important when considering a real estate drone. If you are always moving from one location to another, small drones like the Mavic Mini make it easy to shoot on the go. If you’re looking for a combination between portability and power, Mavic series drones offer a great lineup of options.
When the ultimate power is your main consideration, larger drones like the Phantom 4 Pro V2.0 and the Inspire 2 will be a great choice. We suggest starting with a portable real estate drone and upgrading to an advanced real estate drone as you develop your skills and shooting requirements.
Ease of Use
In the end, the best real estate drone is the one that is easiest to use. The aircraft, software, remote controller, must all be easy for you to use. Look for a proven setup where you can quickly grow on your abilities as a photographer and a pilot. Research the features available on the drone’s app and check out all the in-app features before you make a purchase.
Interesting Tips for Real Estate Photography
It’s time to discover the best tips for real estate photography, from the camera settings, till safety.
Aerial Reveal
One of the best shots for real estate is the aerial mode. Fly your drone over your property to reveal the surrounding landscape. You can also adjust the gimbal pitch and smoothness to add a smooth transition effect to your footage.
@Moera Creative, SkyPixel
Smart Flight Modes
Intelligent flight modes offer beginners and seasoned professionals the ability to create amazing videos of the property and surrounding area. The Point of Interest (POI) intelligent flight mode is one of the best to use for this task. Bring your drone to 150 feet (45 m) above ground level.
When prompted to on the app, extend the radius of the circle flight path to around 600-700 feet (200 m). Tilt the gimbal so that approximately 15-20% of the screen shows the horizon. The video will give viewers an immersive idea of what is around the location. Remember to only use intelligent flight modes in large, open areas.
@Moera Creative, SkyPixel
Lighting Conditions
The best time to film is from around 11:00 to 15:00, keeping the sun behind the drone. Tilt the gimbal so that the top 10% of the frame shows the sky and horizon.
@Moera Creative, SkyPixel
Immersive footage
If you are creating a video of a large property with a smaller drone like Mavic Mini, you can easily capture immersive shots. Before trying out any interior shots, attach propeller guards to Mavic Mini, clear the area, set Mavic Mini to hover in the DJI fly app in case of signal loss, and ensure there is ample lighting.
@Moera Creative, SkyPixel
Add landmarks
Adding landmarks to aerial imagery can indicate useful attractions and infrastructure around the subject, which can be important for publicizing your location.
@Moera Creative, SkyPixel
Camera Settings for Real Estate Photography
Let’s take a look at the best camera settings you can use to realize your amazing real estate photography.
Manual Settings
Manual settings are very useful for full camera control. Automatic settings are helpful, but to showcase your real estate subject, shoot with full manual control.
Auto White Balance (AWB)
AWB is a good tool for shooting and for general photography.
Turn AWB off and use a custom setting.
Resolution
When you are choosing your shooting resolution, you should always take into account where you are shooting and the type of project you are working on. Not every shot requires 4K/60fps.
Overexposure
An important setting to leave when you start shooting is the overexposure warning, which identifies any overexposed sections within the frame, making them appear with zebra stripes. This is extremely useful when you are filming any landscape shots or general scenery shots.
Color
Many drones offer different color profiles like normal and D-Cinelike modes. In D-Cinelike, colors will look flat but will give your great flexibility in post-production. Take the time to explore and analyze the full range of manual options available.
Safety Tips
Last but not least, make sure you follow all these safety rules when shooting real estate photography.
Get Permission to Fly
Always obtain permission to fly and comply with local rules and regulations.
Monitor and control Drone Status
It’s crucial that you monitor your drone status whenever you are flying. Check the battery life, speed, and any other prompts on the flight app screen.
Survey Your Environment
Real estate photography can bring your drone into proximity with all sorts of obstacles. Take the time to analyze the property of potential dangers before you take off. Hanging objects should always be visualized and identified before you begin your flight.
Use Propeller Guards
Propeller guards protect yourself, others, and the environment around you. Use propellers guards whenever possible.
Safety Features
Whatever drone you are using, make sure you use safety features. If you are filming outdoors, turn the Return to Home function on to allow your drone to return safely to its take-off position.
Fly Within Line of Sight
Always fly your drone within your line of sight and pay specific attention to all of your surroundings when you are flying.
Conclusion
The best drones for real estate need to be first of all safe, reliable, and able to produce high-quality photos and videos. DJI has numerous drones designed to satisfy the needs of everyone in this field.
Whether you are looking for a mini drone ultralight like Mavic Mini for everyday filming, a portable and powerful drone like Mavic Air 2 or Mavic 2, or even a professional setup like the Phantom 4 Pro V2.0 or Inspire 2.0, there is a big assortment of drones available in our Online Store for real estate photography!
