Business: Cape Cod drones still up in the air
By ROBERT GOLD
A bright white drone, with four arms jutting from its center, whirs to life.
John Ciluzzi, armed with a remote complete with GPS tracker and video screen, navigates the battery-powered drone into the air in an empty parking lot near a property he is marketing via his real estate company, Premier Commercial.
Weighing just a couple of pounds, the device lifts about 20 feet into the air and projects video back to his screen on the ground.
Ciluzzi purchased his drone in June and formed a new venture, Altitude Films, to provide aerial video and film for clients of Premier Commercial.
“I really think it provides a competitive advantage for us,” he said.
But hovering over all real estate agents who consider using the devices are the objections of the Federal Aviation Administration. The government agency states that commercial use of drones is not allowed, including for real estate purposes.
A National Transportation Safety Board administrative judge ruled in March that the FAA did not have authority over small unmanned aircraft.
The FAA has appealed the decision. It restated its view last month that it can ban use of commercial drones.
Congress is requiring the FAA to come up with specific rules regarding commercial drones.
In an email statement to the Times, the FAA stated, “A flight that is not for hobby or recreation requires a certified aircraft, a licensed pilot and operating approval. Using a UAS (unmanned aircraft system) in connection with a business, including real estate, cannot be classified as being for hobby or recreational purposes, so it would need FAA authorization. To date, two operations have met these criteria, and authorization was limited to the Arctic. The FAA is continuing to review applications from UAS operators as they are received.”
Ciluzzi said he’s tracking the FAA developments and will comply with whatever guidelines the agency ends up releasing.
In the meantime, Ciluzzi said he doesn’t fly over any occupied properties, near high-density areas or utilities. He uses a GPS function that doesn’t let the drone fly near airports.
Ciluzzi said the device allows him to show off clients’ properties from new angles and viewpoints.
“This technology is revolutionizing the way we view real estate and our relationships with it,” he said
Jenny Werwa, a public issues media manager for the National Association of Realtors, said many of its members have inquired about using drones.
“It is something people have been very interested in,” she said.
But the organization is telling its members to refrain from using the devices until the FAA releases specific guidelines.
“We tell them that the FAA has not finalized guidelines for the commercial use of drones. Until that time, we discourage their use of drones for commercial purposes and we discourage using vendors that use drones for commercial purposes,” she said.
David Cox, owner of The Mac Guru, a computer support business in Provincetown, started taking photos with drones last year and is selling prints and postcards of the images. Very occasionally, Cox has used it for real estate purposes.
Cox said he makes sure no people are in the area and asks for permission from any property owners.
“I understand very well it’s a hot-button topic. If there are people in it, I always ask permission,” he said.
Cox said he’s supports detailed regulations regarding drones being used for commercial purposes.
“Luckily, I’m responsible, but it’s the other people I’m worried about,” he said.
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