Updated July 2026 · Reviewed by Adams, Cameron & Co.
Yes. Flying a drone to capture photos or video of a listing you’re marketing, even a home you own yourself, counts as commercial use under FAA rules, not recreational flying. That means the operator needs a Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate, which requires passing a 60-question knowledge test (roughly $175) and registering the drone with the FAA. Many Florida agents skip the exam altogether and simply hire a licensed drone photographer for listing shoots instead.
- Using a drone to market any listing counts as commercial use under FAA rules, not recreational flying.
- Commercial use requires a Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate: a 60-question knowledge test, roughly $175, plus drone registration.
- Flying without certification, or hiring an uncertified pilot, creates real FAA enforcement risk for you and your brokerage.
- Many agents skip the exam entirely and hire a licensed drone photographer per shoot instead of getting certified themselves.
- Once you're certified, Part 107 requires recurrent online training every two years to stay current.
Is drone real estate photography actually "commercial" use?
Yes, and this is the part agents most often get wrong. The FAA doesn’t care whether money changes hands for the drone flight itself. What matters is the purpose of the flight. If you fly a drone over a property to capture photos or video that will be used to market, list, or sell that property, in an MLS listing, on social media, in a flyer, anywhere, the FAA classifies that as commercial ("Part 107") operation. It doesn’t matter if it’s your own listing, a friend’s house, or a property you personally own and are selling yourself. The moment the footage supports a real estate transaction, casual recreational-flyer rules no longer apply.
What is the FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate?
Part 107 is the FAA’s rulebook for small commercial drones (under 55 lbs), and the Remote Pilot Certificate is the credential that lets someone legally operate under it. To earn one, you have to pass a 60-question aeronautical knowledge test covering airspace classifications, weather, drone regulations, and safe operating procedures, administered at an FAA-approved testing center. The test itself costs roughly $175. Beyond passing the exam, the operator also has to register the specific drone being flown with the FAA separately, and keep that registration current.
How much time and money does certification really take?
Budget for the test fee (around $175), plus whatever study materials or prep course you use to get ready for the knowledge test; free FAA study guides exist, but many people supplement with a paid online prep course to feel confident walking in. Add in drone registration fees, which are minor, and the time to actually study and sit for the exam. It’s not an overnight process, but it’s also far less involved than earning a real estate license: no hours-long pre-licensing course, just one knowledge test to clear.
What happens if you fly listing photos without Part 107?
Operating commercially without certification exposes the pilot, and potentially the brokerage whose listing benefits from the footage, to FAA enforcement action, which can include civil penalties. It’s a real compliance risk, not a technicality nobody enforces. If you hire someone off a marketplace app or a friend with a drone to shoot a listing, ask directly whether they hold an active Part 107 certificate. "I fly drones all the time" is not the same as being legally cleared to fly commercially, and if something goes wrong on that flight, you want the person holding the controls to be properly certified.
Should you get certified yourself, or just hire it out?
This is where most working agents land on the practical answer: hire a licensed drone photographer rather than becoming a certified pilot yourself. Between the knowledge test, drone registration, equipment costs, and staying current on airspace rules near airports (which matters a lot in a coastal area with regional air traffic), it’s usually more efficient to pay a specialist per shoot than to maintain your own certification and gear. Getting certified yourself can make sense if you shoot a very high volume of listings and want full creative control over every flight, but for most agents, outsourcing the drone work is the lower-friction, lower-risk path to great aerial listing photos.
What should you check before booking a drone shoot?
Before hiring anyone to fly over a listing, confirm they hold an active Part 107 certificate, carry liability insurance for drone operations, and are aware of any local airspace restrictions near the property (coastal areas and anything close to an airport often have extra rules). A quick conversation up front protects you, your seller, and your brokerage if a flight is ever questioned.
Where this fits as you build your listing marketing
Drone photos and video are a small but real piece of a bigger marketing package that helps listings stand out and sell faster, and the brokerage you’re with should make it easy to plug in vendors like this without you having to figure out compliance details alone. Adams, Cameron & Co., the area’s largest brokerage since 1963, has built relationships and marketing support around exactly this kind of listing presentation for agents in Volusia and Flagler counties. Start a conversation if you want a brokerage that helps you market listings at a higher level without adding compliance headaches to your plate.
FAA rules, testing fees, and enforcement policies can change; confirm current requirements directly with the FAA before flying commercially. Educational only, not legal advice.
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