If you use drone footage to market a property, inspect a roof for a client, or otherwise support a real estate business, yes, you need a drone license for real estate work. The FAA treats every drone flight connected to a business as a commercial operation, and commercial operations require a Remote Pilot Certificate under Part 107. You have two ways to comply: earn the certificate yourself, or hire a photographer or videographer who already holds one.
Why Real Estate Drone Flights Count as Commercial
The FAA draws a hard line between recreational flying and everything else. Recreational means flown purely for personal enjoyment with no business purpose. The moment a flight is tied to earning money, attracting clients, or marketing a property, Part 107 applies.1Federal Aviation Administration. What is the Definition of Recreational or Hobby Use of a UAS or Drone
A common misconception is that payment is the deciding factor. It is not. Even if nobody pays you for a specific flight, using a drone to photograph a listing you represent or to create marketing content for your brokerage counts as commercial use. The FAA specifically lists “taking photos to help sell a property or service” and “roof inspections” as non-recreational operations.2Federal Aviation Administration. Recreational Flyers and Community-Based Organizations
Hiring a Certified Pilot Instead of Getting Your Own License
Most real estate agents do not fly drones themselves. They hire a photographer or videographer who already holds a Remote Pilot Certificate. That is perfectly legal and often the more practical choice if you only need aerial shots for a handful of listings each year. The legal requirement is simply that whoever physically operates the drone holds a valid certificate.
Verify the pilot’s certification before the shoot. Ask to see their Remote Pilot Certificate or look them up through the FAA’s airman inquiry system. Confirm they carry liability insurance too, because if their drone damages a neighbor’s property or injures someone, you do not want your brokerage caught in an uninsured claim. Professional drone photographers for real estate typically charge between $100 and $500 per session depending on property size and deliverables.
The risk of skipping this check is not hypothetical. If you hire an unlicensed pilot to photograph a listing, both of you can face enforcement action.
Getting the Remote Pilot Certificate Yourself
If you plan to fly your own listings, you need the FAA’s Remote Pilot Certificate, commonly called a Part 107 license. Eligibility is straightforward. You must be at least 16 years old, able to read, speak, write, and understand English, and in a physical and mental condition to safely fly a drone. You do not need to be a U.S. citizen.3Federal Aviation Administration. Become a Certificated Remote Pilot
The core requirement is passing the FAA’s initial aeronautical knowledge exam, officially called Unmanned Aircraft General – Small (UAG). The test has 60 multiple-choice questions, you need 70 percent to pass, and you get two hours. Testing centers charge approximately $175 per attempt, and if you fail you must wait 14 days before retaking it.4Federal Aviation Administration. How Much Does It Cost to Get a Remote Pilot Certificate
The exam is not about drone photography or real estate. It covers aviation fundamentals the FAA considers essential for anyone sharing airspace with manned aircraft: airspace classification, aviation weather, Part 107 regulations, emergency procedures, and aeronautical decision-making. Plan on at least a full weekend of focused study, and more if you have no aviation background. Airspace classification and sectional chart reading tend to trip up first-time test-takers the most. Free study materials are available directly from the FAA, and several paid prep courses walk through practice questions.
The certificate itself does not expire, but you must complete a free online recurrent training course through the FAA every 24 calendar months to stay current. If you let the training lapse, you cannot legally fly commercially until you complete it.3Federal Aviation Administration. Become a Certificated Remote Pilot
Steps to Apply
Create a profile in the FAA’s Integrated Airman Certification and Rating Application (IACRA) system at iacra.faa.gov. This gives you an FAA Tracking Number (FTN), which links your test results to your application.5Federal Aviation Administration. Integrated Airman Certification and Rating Application
Schedule the knowledge test at an FAA-approved Knowledge Testing Center. Bring a government-issued photo ID and your FTN. Non-U.S. citizens need a valid passport plus a second form of identification such as a state-issued driver’s license or government ID. After you pass, log back into IACRA and submit FAA Form 8710-13, the official remote pilot application.6Federal Aviation Administration. Remote Pilot Certificate and Rating Application
The TSA runs a background security check automatically once you submit. Most results come back within a few days, though delays can occur. Once cleared, the FAA issues a temporary certificate so you can start flying commercially right away, and your permanent card arrives by mail.
What Part 107 Requires Once You’re Flying
The certificate is the start. Every drone flown under Part 107 must also be registered with the FAA through FAADroneZone, regardless of weight. This differs from recreational rules, where drones under 250 grams are exempt. Registration costs $5 per drone and lasts three years.7Federal Aviation Administration. How to Register Your Drone Your drone must weigh under 55 pounds to qualify for Part 107 operations.8Federal Aviation Administration. Certificated Remote Pilots including Commercial Operators
Since March 2024, the FAA requires all drones to comply with Remote ID. Remote ID is essentially a digital license plate: your drone broadcasts its identification, location, and altitude while airborne. Most newer drones come with Remote ID built in. Older models can be retrofitted with an FAA-approved broadcast module, but pilots using a broadcast module must keep the drone within visual line of sight at all times.9Federal Aviation Administration. Remote Identification of Drones
The operational rules also apply to every commercial flight, including real estate shoots: keep the drone within your unaided visual line of sight, stay at or below 400 feet above ground level (with a limited exception near tall structures), and fly during daylight or civil twilight with anti-collision lighting.10eCFR. 14 CFR Part 107 – Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems For real estate work, altitude and line-of-sight rules rarely cause problems since most property shoots happen below 200 feet and within clear view.
The rule that catches agents off guard is airspace. If a listing sits in or near controlled airspace around an airport, you need prior authorization before launching. The FAA’s Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability, or LAANC, handles this through approved mobile apps and usually returns approval in seconds when your planned altitude is at or below the pre-approved ceiling for that grid area.11Federal Aviation Administration. UAS Data Exchange (LAANC) Requests can be submitted up to 90 days in advance.12Federal Aviation Administration. Part 107 Airspace Authorizations
Penalties for Flying a Listing Without a License
Under the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024, civil penalties for unsafe or unauthorized drone operations can reach $75,000 per violation.13Federal Aviation Administration. FAA Proposed $341,413 in Civil Penalties Against Drone Operators The FAA can also suspend or revoke pilot certificates. Willful violations carry criminal consequences: federal law provides for fines up to $250,000 and imprisonment up to three years for knowingly violating FAA regulations.14Federal Aviation Administration. Is There a Penalty for Failing to Register The FAA proposed over $341,000 in penalties in a single enforcement round against drone operators in recent actions and has publicly stated it is increasing enforcement.
Insurance Is Not Required, But Often Expected
The FAA does not require drone insurance, but many clients, property managers, and homeowners’ associations do. Even when nobody demands it, flying an aircraft over someone else’s property without liability coverage is a gamble. A drone crash into a neighbor’s car or a bystander creates a liability claim that comes out of your pocket if you are uninsured.
Commercial drone liability insurance covering $1 million in claims typically costs a few hundred dollars per year for a single operator. Hull insurance, which covers damage to the drone itself, is separate and optional. If you are hiring a pilot, ask for a certificate of insurance before the shoot and confirm the coverage is current. Most professional operators carry both liability and hull coverage as a standard part of their business.