Drone photos are one of the most requested add-ons and one of the most misused. Here's how to decide whether aerials will actually help a listing.
What aerials show that nothing else can
- Lot size and shape, including the back of a deep lot hidden from the street.
- Setting: forest, water, farmland or a view corridor.
- Proximity: the walk to a beach, park, school or SkyTrain station.
- Site layout for acreages, large townhome complexes and properties with outbuildings.
Listings where drone usually pays off
- Acreages and hobby farms in Langley, Maple Ridge or Abbotsford
- Waterfront and near-water homes in White Rock, Tsawwassen or Deep Cove
- Large or irregular lots, and homes backing onto parks or trails
- Luxury homes where the setting is part of the price
Where it usually doesn't
- Mid-floor condo units, where the building aerial says little about the unit
- Tight urban lots with nothing distinctive around them
- Homes where the best selling point is inside, such as a renovated interior
In those cases the budget does more as twilight photography, a Floor View Tour or better interior coverage.
Rules, airspace and timing
Every drone flight in Canada must follow Transport Canada's rules. Parts of Metro Vancouver sit in controlled airspace: much of Richmond around YVR, areas near Boundary Bay, Pitt Meadows and Abbotsford airports, and the downtown harbour with its floatplanes and heliport. Flying there requires authorization and appropriate certification, can take extra lead time, and some addresses may not be flyable at all. Wind and rain also ground drones.
Practical tip: book aerials early, keep a backup date, and have a plan B for the cover image (usually twilight).
How to use aerials well
- Put one aerial near the end of the gallery to show context; lead with the house.
- Use an aerial for neighbourhood posts on social media.
- Include one on the property website and brochure.
Booking drone
Drone Photography is a flat-rate add-on, booked with photography or a package. It's currently part of the All-in-One package.
The question isn't "should every listing have a drone shot?" It's "does the setting sell this home?" If it does, aerials are some of the best-value media you can buy.