People frequently inquire about my equipment for obtaining those stunning aerial photos of homes and properties. In reality, it isn’t just about having expensive gear. It’s all about having the ability to use equipment for real estate aerial photography to showcase a property in its best light! After 25 years of photographing real estate on the ground and in the air, I have learned which gear is really important and what gear is simply heavy in the bag.
This is what I actually use (and why).
The Drone—my main sky camera in the sky.
The drone is what I would consider the centerpiece of any aerial shoot. I typically fly with the DJI Mavic 3 or Air 3, both of which I trust and are easy to fly level and have 4k or higher cameras. What I like about both of these drones is that they have good image quality and are very stable, even if the wind starts to pick up. Both have built-in sensors and flight functions that allow me to be more concerned with framing the shot than worrying the drone will drift away.
I typically carry a minimum of three batteries, as a good property shoot can take some time, especially if you are trying to follow good light, and nothing kills a creative moment faster than a dead drone battery.
Ground Camera for the Details
Aerial views are perfect for establishing the layout and context of a site, and the real magic happens when you combine aerial views along with ground shots. I shoot interior shots with my Sony A7 IV paired with a 16-35mm lens and shoot exterior shots with a 24-70mm lens. The 16-35mm lens will allow you to capture an entire room without distorting any of the parts, and the 24-70mm lens will provide you with plenty of options with outdoor shots.
Having both ground and aerial footage allows potential buyers to comprehensively understand the property: where it sits from an aerial perspective and the general feeling once you step into the property.
Use a Filter That Will Save the Shot
If you have ever shot on a bright day, you know that harsh, unwashed sunlight can take away some of the controls over the sun, which is why I always have ND filters in my kit. ND filters control exposure values so you can maintain a natural and cinematic feel to the motion.
Polarizing filters are also absolutely necessary—they reduce reflections off of windows and pools and make the sky and green scenery that much richer. It’s one of those little details that make a difference when you’re going into post.
Gimbals, Controllers, and a Clear Screen
A smooth shot is everything in real estate video. The gimbal on my drone makes sure the footage is steady, but I also have a remote controller that has a nice, bright screen, or I attach a tablet so I can see what I’m actually shooting out in the bright sun.
If I can, I like to have the ability to preview every angle I shoot while I’m up there flying—sometimes you just find a completely different angle you didn’t expect that becomes the hero shot of the day.
The Extras That Keep Everything Going
Over time, I’ve learned to always be packed for a few things that seem to save the day:
- Spare propellers: they break more often than you think.
- Landing pad: to keep the dust and gravel out of the drone
- SD cards: you can never have too many SD cards; high-quality 4K footage fills them fast.
- Lens cloths and wipes: nothing is worse than finding out you have a touch of a smudge after you’ve gotten done and looking at your footage back in your office.
Editing Gear and Software
Once the shooting ends, the actual work begins. I use Adobe’s Lightroom for stills and DaVinci Resolve for video. I prefer to do edits as clean as possible—just a slight bit of color correction, which looks natural and inviting, but never gaudy.
When it comes to good editing, it’s all about balance: you want it to look its best, but you also want to be honest.
Safety and Legal Stuff
Before every shoot, I check local drone regulations, as well as the weather (using DroneAssist and others), which takes just a few minutes but keeps you safe and compliant. I check that my insurance and flight permissions are also current. This is all part of being professional.
Final Thoughts
All in all, aerial real estate photography is part art and part discipline. The gear does matter, but your eye matters more. Some of the best images come from waiting—waiting for the right light, for the right angle for perfect shoot, and for knowing what story you want the photograph to tell.
At the end of the day, it is simple: you want someone to look at a property and think “I can see myself living there.” If my camera and drone can do that, then I have done my job and the gear has done its job.
