7 Best Drones for Real Estate Businesses

1. UPair One Plus 4K Video Quadcopter | Best Budget

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Editor’s Rating: 4.3/5

The UPair One Plus is the cheapest 4K quadcopter on this page but don’t let that put you off. This quality camera quad still comes equipped with features usually found on pricier quads.

• Best feature 1: Real-Time WiFi transmission
• Best feature 2: Panasonic 4K 16-megapixel camera + gimbal
• Plus points: Easy to use, one-key-return, headless mode, altitude hold, flight route planning
• Minus points: Low average flight time, no obstacle avoidance

The Upair One has lots of fun and practical use when it’s not busy recording real estate. It’s a capable, quality camera quadcopter that’s ideal for recreational drone flying and filming. One of its standout features—at the consumer level—is the follow me mode. That’s appealing for those who want to capture footage as they run, swim, cycle, or whatever else they get up to.

Main Benefits for Real Estate

UPair’s One Plus camera quadcopter checks a lot of the right boxes as a real estate drone. It even has 7” monitor and mobile app control. It has a durable, reasonably crash-resistant build. The range is a decent 0.6 mile or 1 km. That’s usually ample distance for recording properties from above. The high-quality 16MP 4k gimbal-stabilized camera guarantees clear, smooth video and stills every time.

The flight route planning is a brilliant tool that lets you set a path for the drone to follow. That leaves you free to concentrate on filming from the ground. There are many features to make piloting easy for newbies too. There’s the one-key-return, low-battery and low-signal warnings, altitude hold, and headless mode. Headless mode means you don’t have to worry about the craft’s orientation to fly it.

The Not So Good

It’s not fair to be too critical of the UPair One Plus when you consider what you get for the money. However, there are a couple of drawbacks worth a mention. It doesn’t have a collision avoidance system. That means you must be vigilant when flying this quad near obstacles. The other con is the low 15-minute flight time. The guide states 18 minutes, but they’re being overly optimistic.

2. DJI Phantom 4 Quadcopter Camera Drone | Best Value

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Editor’s Rating: 4.4/5

DJI’s Phantom 4 Quad is a much-loved classic for all kinds of reasons—including real estate. The camera alone makes it a Best Value drone, but it has much more to offer than just quality optics.

• Best feature 1: 12MP 4K Ultra-HD video with gimbal stabilization
• Best feature 2: Easy control with GPS technology
• Plus points: DJI director software, app/smartphone control, high-speed flying, long range
• Minus points: Takeoff/landing shaky, overwhelming app

DJI drones are not the cheapest options, but they’re leading camera quads that sell well. They’ve stood the test of time and gained a reputation for excellence among enthusiasts and professionals.

Main Benefits For Real Estate Services

The Phantom 4’s 12MP stills and 4K video can deliver eye-catching property presentations. The quadcopter is easy to fly and has some excellent advanced features to help realtors. A live feed direct to an Android or iOS device screen makes aerial filming enjoyable and easy. The DJI app has also come a long way in recent times to make it easy to navigate for anyone at any level.

The quad can fly for around 25+ minutes on a single charge. That’s plenty of time for most real estate projects. Battery charging time is about 60 minutes, which is short compared to some models. Extra batteries are available if you need more. The drone has front-facing obstacle avoidance to prevent it from hitting things. Side avoidance would have protected it further, but at least it has something.

The range is an incredible 4.3 miles (6.9 km), not that any realtor is going to need it. DJI’s Director software is also worth a mention. It’s a dedicated and easy-to-use video editing program for finetuning your property footage. There’s an option to work with different color profiles and effects filters, etc. The drone comes packed with features and autonomous flight modes to make flying this bird easy.

The Not So Good

Takeoff and landings can be a tad on the shaky side at times because of the subpar landing gear. Always try to take off from a flat surface and bring the drone down carefully. The only other gripe is with the DJI app. It’s intuitive and easy to navigate, but there’s a lot to it. The app can be a tad overwhelming for newbie pilots until they become familiar with it.

3. Autel Robotics X-Star Premium 4K Drone | Top Pick

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Editor’s Rating: 4.8/5

The Autel Robotics X-Star Premium came out of nowhere—almost overnight. It’s been a favorite camera quadcopter ever since and continues to sell well.

• Best feature 1: 4K camera w/ 3-axis gimbal
• Best feature 2: Dual GPS/GLONASS outdoor navigation
• Plus points: Decent range, high-average flight time, controller w/ phone clamp, 1-touch actions
• Minus points: No collision avoidance, no lens cap for camera

The reason for this guide is to highlight easy-to-fly drones that can help to showcase your properties. You get to do exactly that with the Autel Robotics X-Star Premium.

Main Benefits For the Real Estate Business

Some compare this 4K 3-axis gimbal camera quadcopter to the Phantom 4 Pro. It does share a lot of the same and similar features but without the price tag. Its camera’s sensor lets in plenty of light. That’s helpful because it allows you to shoot more flattering footage with the sun lower in the sky. The X-Star Premium has a range of 1.2 miles (1.9 km) and a flight time of at least 20 minutes.

This quad guarantees stunning aerial scenes that add a holistic view to any property portfolio. It’s a superb choice for real estate agents as it checks many of the right boxes. The Starlink app for iOS and Android devices make flying child’s play. It has autonomous flight modes and Dual GPS/GLONASS satellite navigation. There’s a lot built in to ensure safe and stable flying, even at lower altitudes.

The remote controller (RC) has an intuitive design, one-touch buttons, and a handy LCD panel. The controller also has a clamp to accommodate all modern smartphones.

The Not So Good

Where this drone falls short is that it doesn’t have any collision avoidance system. Obstacle avoidance can be especially useful when flying low around buildings and outbuildings. Another thing to be aware of is there’s no lens cap for the camera, though that’s typical of many drones. But it does mean you need to take extra care to protect the lens from dust, moisture, and scratches.

4. Parrot Bebop 2 FPV Camera Quadcopter

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Editor’s Rating: 4.3/5

Parrot’s Bebob 2 is a capable drone that comes with a high-resolution 14MP camera. It shoots video at 1080p through its wide-angle lens. Wide angle lenses are invaluable for filming in restricted spaces.

• Best feature 1: 14MP 1080p camera w/ wide-angle lens
• Best feature 2: Controller w/ clamp for compatible smart device
• Plus points: FPV, Compact/lightweight, long flight time, long range, rear LED, virtual tracking
• Minus points: No collision avoidance

This camera drone is unique as a property quadcopter. There’s now a special version they call the Bebop 2 Real Estate Edition. Its primary purpose—as the name suggests—is for real estate marketing.

Main Benefits for Real Estate Services

The Parrot Bebob 2 can fly, take photos, and film inside as well as outdoors with a little practice. The Bebop 2 Real Estate Edition comes with a dedicated app and 3D rendering software. That means realtors can showcase footage in spectacular 3D representation. The ergonomic controller is smart, easy to use, and accommodates any compatible smartphone, phablet, or tablet.

The FreeFlight Pro app gives users plenty of easy, one-touch controls to fly the Bebob 2. Pilots can also save flight routes, video, and photos directly to the app for safe storage and easy retrieval. Realtors can get a real First Person View (FPV) immerse experience using the Parrot Cockpitglasses. FPV is invaluable as it helps you to get the footage you need on the first flight.

This drone checks all the crucial boxes as a real estate camera quadcopter. These include 1.24 miles (2 km) range, 25-minute flying time, and fast 60-minute charging. There are other in-app features that realtors can exploit. These include Follow Me (GPS & Virtual Tracking), Flight Director, and Flight Plan.

The Not So Good

The shared gripe with this agile quadcopter is the lack of any collision avoidance system. Obstacle avoidance isn’t essential for real estate, but it does give pilots a little more confidence.

5. DJI – Mavic Pro Quality Camera Quad Starters Bundle

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Editor’s Rating: 4.5/5

The DJI Mavic Pro is a cracking little quadcopter for busy realtors on the move. It’s so easy to pack and travel with. It’s also quiet when compared to other drones in its class.

• Best feature 1: Easy to pack/unpack and transport
• Best feature 2: Wide angle lens invaluable for property interiors
• Plus points: Small & quiet, gesture controls, agile, UHD camera, collision avoidance, flight time
• Minus points: Lens angle too narrow for some, learning curve

DJI’s Mavic Pro camera quad is ideal as a real estate tool. It’s packed with plenty of useful features despite its compact design and affordable price tag.

Main Benefits For Real Estate

Speed is not something that all realtors need, but the Mavic Pro is fast. There are times when its 40 mph (64kmh) top speed can be useful though. For example, gathering footage on larger properties like farms or industrial units. The speed, long transmission range, and a pair of DJI Goggles can be a godsend in such cases. It means you can quickly reach a destination—and back—without taking a step.

DJI have stabilized the high-quality 12MP 4K wide-angle camera using a 3-axis mechanical gimbal. That ensures shake-free footage of your property stills and video every time. And the drone’s GPS and GLONASS positioning provides precision navigation inside as well as outdoors.

Here’s a breakdown of seven more standout features for real estate aerial photography/videography:

1. Quiet flyer compared to rival models
2. Acceptable 27-minute maximum flight time
3. Obstacle Avoidance Flight Autonomy
4. Sport Mode
5. First Person View (FPV) capable
6. Gesture Controls (useful working within proximity)
7. Fast 60-minute charging

The drone has many other great features geared toward travel, action, and other recreational uses.

The Not So Good

Some real estate agents need wider lenses than others depending on their property types. Always consider the angle of a lens when choosing a camera quadcopter. Some agents find the 78.8°, 28mm field of view (FOV) too narrow for their needs. There’s no way to swap the lens as its fixed. There’s also a learning curve with the Mavic Pro, but that’s nothing a little practice and patience can’t solve.

6. DJI Phantom 3 Professional 4K Quadcopter

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Editor’s Rating: 4.6/5

In the sixth slot is another capable camera quadcopter from DJI. This time it’s the Phantom 3 Professional. It’s a flying robot that sports a quality 12MP 4k Ultra-HD stabilized camera.

• Best feature 1: 12 megapixel 4k UHD w/ 3-axis gimbal
• Best feature 2: Real-time HD video display
• Plus points: Beginner mode, mobile control w/ app, Vision Positioning, landing pads
• Minus points: No obstacle avoidance, 16GB card, firmware updates awkward

As the name suggests, this is a camera drone for professional use. By that, I mean professional flying skills. It does come with a beginner mode to help wean in less experienced pilots.

Main Benefits for Real Estate

The Phantom 3 Pro lets you take complete control of its eye in the sky. You get to view all the recorded video in real-time as the drone flies overhead. That means more accuracy with little waste of your property footage. Seeing what the camera sees in real-time HD video also saves time and error.

This drone has a useful Beginner Mode that teaches new pilots how to fly. It’s still a good idea to have someone more experienced at hand if you’re a raw novice. Realtors get a lot of use from DJI’s powerful app. All you do is download the app to your mobile device to access its fingertip controls. The app lets you take full control of the camera and change all the vital flight settings.

Indoor property shots and filming are safe and doable thanks to the Vision Positioning Modules. Vision Positioning lets you keep the drone steady and fly low to the ground when there isn’t a GPS signal. The quad comes with four handy landing pads. The pads are ideal for when it’s time to bring the Phantom 3 Professional down, especially on uneven surfaces.

The Not So Good

The Phantom 3 Professional doesn’t have obstacle avoidance (OS). It’s an excellent drone for real estate—indoors and out—but it takes a little more flying skill without an avoidance system. Another disadvantage is the included 16GB memory card. It’s good that they provide some memory, but 16GB is not enough if you plan to shoot a lot of videos. It’s better to get bigger SD cards.

The final shared gripe are the firmware updates. There are reports that they can be awkward and frustrating at times. It’s not an issue shared by all, but it’s reported by enough people to make the list of potential cons. Expect a few failed attempts, and then rejoice if it updates the first time.

7. Yuneec Typhoon H Pro Bundle 4K Hexacopter

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Editor’s Rating: 4.7/5

The last real estate drone on this page is a hexacopter that has six rotors instead of four. The Yuneec Typhoon H Pro has an incredible 12-megapixel built-in 4K camera with stabilizing gimbal.

• Best feature 1: 12.4 MP 360-degree 4K gimbal camera
• Best feature 2: Eight advanced flight modes
• Plus points: Collision avoidance, retractable landing gear, long flight time, all-in-one controller
• Minus points: Heavy, front-only obstacle avoidance, long charging time

Most people today start their real estate search online. It’s why property advertising must attract the eyeballs of web surfers from the outset. The Yuneec Typhoon H can help you to stand out.

Main Benefits for Real Estate

This Yuneec Typhoon H bundle includes everything in the box a realtor needs. Don’t let its sophistication and extra rotors put you off. The hexacopter is robust and has a reassuring 5-rotor failsafe mechanism. It comes with eight autonomous flight modes that make flying easy at any level.

The most useful modes for the real estate business are Sonar Collision Prevention, Curve Cable Cam, and Point of Interest. Curve Cable Cam lets you program a predefined flight route for the craft. The Typhoon H then follows the route between your pre-set coordinates while controlling the camera position. Point of Interest has the drone orbit around a selected property with a fixed camera position.

Aerial Footage Made Easy with the Yuneec Typhoon H

Safe, simple flight modes follow the users requests on autopilot. That makes filming and photographing property quick and easy, even for beginners. There’s also the anti-vibration 360-degree gimbal that ensures full coverage in sharp eye-catching detail. And the drone’s landing gear retracts so that it doesn’t get into the footage. Not all drones have this option.

The ST16 Ground Station all-in-one controller is worth a mention. It’s an integrated transmitter/ receiver with an Android platform. There’s nothing you can’t control from the ST16. It’s where you program the autonomous flight modes to capture stunning real estate. You don’t need a smartphone as there’s a bright 7-inch built-in screen from where you can view everything.

The maximum flight time is around 25 minutes on a calm day. The range—though not spectacular—is far enough for most real estate projects at one mile (1.6 km).

The Not So Good

The Yuneec Typhoon H is no lightweight at almost 4-pounds. The controller is also heavy compared to other models. The weight of the drone is both a blessing and a curse. It’s good because it helps to keep the craft stable, especially in winds. It’s a hassle because it’s heft makes it less portable than some of the smaller models.

The obstacle avoidance is welcome, but it’s only front facing so be wary of that. The final con is the reasonably long battery charging time of two hours. That’s double the DJI drones in this guide.