Recently the CAR, CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS, issued a warning the Real Estate Agents in the use of RC Helicopters and Drone Aircraft in taking aerial photography of their listings. That the FAA and the LAPD have warnings too.
I wish to correct a few miss guided statements made with true facts that they have made in the recent press release. The full press release is shown below from CAR to the Realtors of Los Angeles.
This article states that the LA film Commission “requires” a FILM PERMIT for use of an aircraft to take video or still images of a home for sale is just silly and in fact false. I personally have been in the LA Film Commissions office this past spring and requested to know if we were taking aerial images of a home do we need a film permit, the answer was NO ! To further this I got a phone call yesterday from a member of the Beverly Hills Board of Realtors, asking the same question, his call yesterday to the LA Film Commission, the answer was NO. Think about it, your child’s birthday party in your private backyard, you want to take photos, or hire a professional photographer to take photos, according to this logic you will need a “Film Permit” from LA.. again just silly.
When we were using RC Helicopters for Real Estate Aerial Photography last year, they were taken off from private property, elevation about 50 to 90 feet, no where near any LAPD Helicopter or air traffic,, these facts are again just silly to assume. They said photography for commercial use needs a still image permit? Well then “every home” now on the MLS most all the images were taken by a Professional Photographer, then again by their logic every home listing on the MLS would require a Film Permit from LA Film Commission, again just silly.
mi6 films does fly a full size Robinson R-44 Helicopter for all your future Aerial Photography needs, give us a call.
Brought to you by the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®.
LAPD Warning Against Hiring Unmanned Aircraft Operators for Aerial Photos
Los Angeles authorities have asked C.A.R. to communicate this warning to REALTORS® who hire unmanned aircraft operators to take aerial photographs for marketing high-end properties. Using these devices (also known as drones) for flight in the air with no onboard pilot may violate, among other things, the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) policy on unmanned aircrafts, and Los Angeles’s local ordinance requiring permits for filming commercial motion pictures and still photographs.
The Los Angeles Police Department’s (LAPD) investigation has apparently revealed that aerial photos where unmanned aircraft were observed have appeared on certain real estate sales websites. According to FilmL.A., the LAPD Air Division has issued this warning as it intends to prosecute violators in the near future. FilmL.A. is a public benefit company created by the City and County of Los Angeles to manage film permit activity and related issues.
Under the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)’s current policy, no one can operate an unmanned aircraft in the National Airspace System without specific authority. Operators who wish to fly an unmanned aircraft for civil use must obtain an FAA experimental airworthiness certificate, which will not be issued to an unmanned aircraft used for compensation or hire. Although the FAA allows hobbyists to fly model airplanes for recreational purposes under specific guidelines, that authority does not extend to operators flying unmanned aircraft for business purposes. More information is available from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Notice on Unmanned Aircraft Operations and the FAA’s policy.
