What to Do Before a Drone Shoot: FAA Rules, Weather, and Prep

Part 107, and why you should ask about it

Any drone flight taken for a business purpose — including photos of a home that will be listed for sale — requires the pilot to hold an FAA Part 107 remote pilot certificate. It's a knowledge test and a registered aircraft, not a formality, and it's a different rule from a hobbyist flying in a park.

It's a fair question to ask before booking, and worth asking for a practical reason: if a listing's media is ever disputed, or your brokerage's compliance team reviews how aerials were captured, the answer needs to be documented rather than assumed. I'm Part 107 certified and fly registered equipment.

Airspace: why some addresses need extra lead time

Much of the north end of the valley sits under approach paths into Salt Lake City International Airport, which puts those addresses in controlled airspace. Flying there legally requires LAANC authorization for that specific flight, at that altitude, in that time window.

Most requests clear quickly. Some don't clear at all, and a few come back with an altitude ceiling low enough to change what the shot can show. That's why the address matters at booking time, not on shoot day — if the airspace needs a request, I'd rather know two days early than stand in the driveway waiting on an approval.

Weather cutoffs, and why reschedules happen

Sustained wind above roughly 20mph grounds the flight. So does active rain or snow, and so does fog or smoke thick enough that the aircraft can't stay in visual line of sight. These aren't preferences — they're safety and regulatory limits, and along the Wasatch Front canyon winds can turn a calm morning into an unflyable afternoon in under an hour.

When a shoot gets weathered out, the interior work usually still happens and the aerials get rescheduled. Practically, that means building a day or two of slack between the shoot and a hard MLS go-live date, especially November through March.

Light matters too. Midday sun flattens a roofline and blows out light-colored siding. Mid-morning or the last two hours before sunset give the elevation and the landscaping actual shape.

The aerial-specific yard checklist

From above, the whole property is in frame at once. What to handle the day before:

• Clear the driveway completely, and the street directly in front if you can — cars are the single most distracting thing in an aerial

• Move trash and recycling bins out of the side yard, not just off the curb; they're visible from overhead even tucked against the house

• Put away trampolines, above-ground pool covers, kiddie pools, and outdoor toys

• Coil hoses, store yard tools, and stash the mower in the garage rather than beside it

• Mow and edge, and rake leaves — patchy or leaf-covered lawn reads much worse from 100 feet than at eye level

• Pull the pool cover and skim the surface if there's a pool; a covered pool photographs as a blue tarp

• Close the garage doors and any shed doors

• Take down seasonal decorations and flags, which date a listing instantly

• Straighten patio furniture and umbrellas — from above, an off-angle table set is obvious

On shoot day

Keep people and pets out of the yard during the flight; both end up in frame and both make a takeoff or landing less predictable. If neighbors are outside, a quick heads-up avoids the conversation happening mid-flight.

I need about ten feet of flat, clear ground for takeoff and landing — a driveway apron or a patio works. Nothing else is required of you.