Part 107 for real estate photographers
Shooting listings with a drone is Part 107 work. The rules that matter most: airspace near cities, people and roads, twilight shots, and clients.
Updated
Drone photos and video for a property listing are commercial work, so they fall under Part 107 even if the agent or homeowner is a friend. Real estate jobs also tend to hit the rules that are most often tested: controlled airspace near cities, people and traffic nearby, golden-hour and twilight shots, and clients who ask for shots the rules do not allow.
Which rules come up on a typical listing shoot?
| Situation | Rule | Read more |
|---|---|---|
| Listing within a few miles of an airport | Controlled airspace needs authorization, often through LAANC | LAANC guide |
| Neighbors, buyers or traffic nearby | Operations over people and moving vehicles | Operations Over People |
| Twilight exterior shots | Anti-collision lights in civil twilight, night rules after | Civil twilight |
| Hillside or tall homes | 400 ft above ground level, structure exception | 400-foot rule |
| Agent wants to fly the drone | Direct supervision rules | Who can fly |
| Client pushes for a shot | You are the final authority | Client is not the remote PIC |
Does the property owner's permission settle it?
No. Owner permission covers access to the property. It does not replace an airspace authorization, a waiver or the people-overhead rules. The client post works through an example near a towered airport.
How should a photographer study?
You already understand cameras and probably flying. What is new is the regulatory and airspace material. Take the free diagnostic, then spend most of your time on regulations and sectional charts, since listings near metro areas often sit inside Class B, C or D airspace. Run the exam simulator until your score is stable well above 70%.
State and local rules can also apply, such as privacy or park restrictions. Part 107 is the federal baseline that the FAA exam tests.
Free, 20 questions, scored by the five exam areas.
See how ready you areEvent work brings its own rules about crowds and evening light: see Part 107 for wedding and event videographers.
Frequently asked questions
- Do real estate photographers need a Part 107 certificate?
- Yes. Flying to photograph a property for a listing is business use, so the recreational exception does not apply. The pilot needs a remote pilot certificate, and the drone must be registered and broadcast Remote ID.
- Can I fly over neighbors or people at an open house?
- Not freely. Part 107 limits flight over people who are not directly participating unless the operation meets one of the Operations Over People categories or the people are under a covered structure or in a stationary vehicle.
- Can I take twilight real estate shots with a drone?
- Yes, with anti-collision lighting visible for 3 statute miles during civil twilight. After civil twilight ends, night rules apply, including the post-2021 knowledge test or training requirement.