NRT bans drone photography in northeastern US
Teke Wiggin
The nation’s largest real estate brokerage is warning agents who work out of more than 200 offices in the northeastern U.S. not to commission drone photography from vendors until the Federal Aviation Administration issues “clearly defined rules” governing the commercial operation of drones.
Until that happens, Realogy subsidiary NRT LLC says it won’t even process or distribute images captured by drones that are provided to it by sales associates in the affected regions.
The warning — sent by NRT LLC attorneys to presidents and the marketing team of NRT’s Eastern Seaboard and Northeast regions — was obtained by Forbes contributor Gregory McNeal, who covers law and policy for the publication.
It was sent to executives who oversee more than 12,000 agents who work at eight Coldwell Banker-branded operations in Connecticut; Westchester, New York; Long Island; New England; New Jersey; Rockland County, New York; Pittsburgh; and the Greater Philadelphia area, and NRT’s ERA-branded operation in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
In the July 1 memo, NRT attorneys Mark Daaleman and Bob McCauley warned that even though the FAA is still in the process of drafting rules that will govern commercial drone operators, it “has issued fines and penalties” to people operating drones for commercial purposes or in restricted airspace, and “continues to take an aggressive stance regarding the use of drones specifically for real estate marketing” purposes.
http://www.inman.com/2014/07/24/nrt-bans-drone-photography-in-northeastern-u-s/
