Attorneys Elevate Discussion on Drones

On August 26th, the Florida Aviation Network empaneled a group of experts to discuss Unmanned Aircraft Systems, commonly called drones, with the Central Florida Real Estate Attorneys Council (“CFREAC”) and their guests from the Orlando Regional Realtor Association (“ORRA”).

The panel, which was moderated by Obie Young of the National Aviation Safety Foundation, included:

• Chris Kiggins of CineDrones, an Orlando company on the forefront of aerial filming technology
• Daniel Foard, an Emmy-winning broadcast sports videographer
• Robert Jex of the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Orlando Flight Standards District Office

Kiggins and Foard demonstrated the considerable capabilities of using drones to photograph real estate. At one point they shared a video that began with an aerial view of a new development and ended with the drone flying inside a store. After viewing the sample footage, Linda Hitchcock, Vice President of Professional Development for ORRA, commented that “this is the future for real estate agents in their effort to market real estate for their clients.”

But with great power comes great responsibility. Jex, who is with the FAA, presented an overview of the regulatory implications of drones for commercial use. He explained that operators of drones used for any commercial purpose must obtain a Grant of Exemption and Certificate of Authorization from the FAA. Hobbyists are exempt but the definition of hobby use is extremely limited according to Jex.

View Jex’s complete presentation entitled, Unmanned Aircraft Systems: Regulatory Environment Update.