Realtors expected to utilize technology while entrepreneurs may have to bide their time.
BY JACOB PALMER | OB DIGITAL NEWS EDITOR
Over the weekend, the Federal Aviation Administration released a collection of guidelines for drone owners, taking a first crack at establishing a set of comprehensive rules regulating unmanned aircraft.
The rules say citizens can fly their drones as long as their aircraft remains in sight, isn’t carrying anything, and is flown during the day.
OregonLive.com’s Mike Francis interviewed Mickey Lindsay, vice president of Oregon First, Realtors, who said the new rules could change the real estate industry and “become a standard tool in property marketing”:
While real estate agents and prospective buyers already have access to satellite and street view images, drones may be the best way to capture an overall view of some properties, she noted. Then, Lindsay’s imagination took flight. Via email, she wrote:
“I’m waiting for the first cheeky Realtor who has a drone video that travels around the general area of the house before slowly closing in on the property while the opening music from ‘The Sound of Music’ plays in the background.”
Malia Spencer, of the Portland Business Journal, asked around on how the new rules could affect entrepreneurs. She found that the rules might be perceived as limiting for entrepreneurs who want to provide services that would require the device be flown out of eyesight:
“My concern, I’d like to see a higher threshold to use the technology commercially,” he said. “If the barrier is too low and everyone can use it and we get people using it improperly, it can negatively impact the industry as a whole.”
Oregon has been attempting to position itself prominently in the emerging UAV market. The technology is transitioning from strictly military use into recreational and commercial markets. The state is home to three test ranges established by the FAA for industry development. A cluster of new and existing companies is also growing in the region. One area where the proposed rules may help is in fundraising. The proposed regulations have at least established some clarity on what the regulatory path looks like, providing the certainty frequently required by investors.
