Tampa Bay · Aerial
Drone photography for Tampa listings
Tampa Bay is a waterfront market, and water is the one thing a ground-level photo cannot show. Aerials are flown under FAA Part 107, with LAANC authorization where TPA and MacDill airspace requires it, and delivered next day with the rest of the shoot. $150 on its own, or already included in the Pro and Elite packages.
A canal, a bay view or Gulf access is the whole value of the listing, and it does not exist in a photo taken from the driveway.
Ground photos cannot show where a property line runs. One aerial does it in a single frame.
Communities that are still half-built photograph badly from the street and well from 120 feet.
Walking distance to the water, to downtown St. Pete, to a golf course — an aerial proves it faster than a paragraph.
Questions about flying in Tampa
How much is drone photography for a Tampa listing?
$150 as a standalone add-on to any package. It is already included in the Pro and Elite packages, so on most listings it costs nothing extra.
Can you fly near Tampa International?
Yes. Most of Tampa sits under TPA's controlled airspace, and parts of the Bay are also under MacDill. Those flights need LAANC authorization, which we request before the shoot — usually approved in minutes, occasionally requiring a manual request a few days out.
Is it legal to use drone photos in a listing?
Yes, flown commercially under FAA Part 107. Real estate marketing is a commercial purpose, so a hobbyist flight — including an agent's own drone — does not qualify.
What weather stops a flight?
Sustained wind over about 20 mph, rain, or a storm cell overhead. Summer afternoons in Tampa Bay build thunderstorms almost daily, which is why aerials get scheduled in the morning between June and September.
How long does it take?
Fifteen to twenty minutes on site, flown alongside the regular photo shoot. Delivered next day with the rest of the set.