Three Razors Media, a provider of industry-specific marketing and public relations services with an emphasis on multimedia storytelling, has announced that it has invested in drone technology and is anticipating the aerial photography and video needs of its real estate marketing clients, along with future demands in the industries of construction and manufacturing. The agency has outfitted its DJI Phantom 2 with the latest GoPro camera technology and state-of-the-art digital video accessories.
Todd Razor, president of Three Razors, said the company has been supportive of calls by Midwest real estate marketing professionals who have asked the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to establish a framework for the safe and acceptable use of drones. Razor last month applauded new rules proposed by the FAA and Department of Transportation as the potential widens for the safe, responsible and acceptable use of drones by certified operators.
“There’s a tremendous sense of potential floating around right now in regards to the use of drones in real estate, and it’s driving a lot of buzz in the farmland economy,” Razor said. “We see interest from companies entrenched in everything from agriculture to multifamily investments and transitional development ground. The potential for homebuilders will be enormous, alongside real estate agents, commercial builders, and developers of luxury homes or residential communities.”
He said Three Razors’ adoption of drone technology complements the company’s investment in employing powerhouse digital audio, photo and video recording equipment to capture compelling images of people, projects, properties and scenes on behalf of client organizations.
Razor, an active member of the Iowa Commercial Real Estate Association and Home Builders Association of Greater Des Moines, said the content produced is both educational, as well as inspirational, with the ability to impact the decision-making processes of buyers, sellers, business leaders and the community at large. He expects to see corporate entities, local governments and real estate professionals embrace the use of drones – commonly referred to as unmanned aerial vehicles, or UAVs – at a faster rate for marketing purposes as the FAA’s rulemaking process is clarified.
Entire regions or economic development corridors could benefit from the appropriate use of drones, he said, in regards to both marketing and public relations points-of-view. “We already see how drones can help dealmakers get through their due-diligence while taking in some undoubtedly unique or extraordinary scenes,” Razor said. “They’re widening not only the outlook for site selectors and real estate agents, but regional economic development organizations with established goals of earning greater media attention or drawing in potential investors for a closer look.”
“Farms. Ranches. Hunting ground. Contemporary buildings. Regional shopping centers. High-end or new construction homes,” said Three Razors industry partner and drone operator Jereme Thomas. “Just think how cool it would be if each project in your portfolio of professional work had its own drone video?”
Transparency Market Research, in its global analysis of the aerial imaging market published last fall suggested that civil engineers, commercial enterprises, municipalities and the military – as well as the sectors of forestry, agriculture, energy and insurance – were among the vertical markets most likely to make use of drones.
The FAA proposal offers safety rules for small drones weighing less than 55 pounds and conducting non-recreational operations. Razor said he is committed to maintaining a safe altitude and distance from trafficked areas or occupied buildings, as well as incorporating best practices in UAV aviation that include limiting flights to daytime hours and keeping the craft within direct line-of-site at all times. The agency’s DJI Phantom 2 is equipped with a long-lasting battery pack, and features a “return to home” flight control system that – in the event that the drone ever exceeded its communication range – would direct the vehicle to go back and land where it took off, preventing injury or damage.
“Our friends in the industries view this technology as a cost efficient, and environmentally sensitive way to produce some awesome marketing collateral,” Razor said. “Our investment is 100-percent focused on meeting the needs of the company’s most innovative clients and future customers operating in diverse real estate, construction and manufacturing oriented fields.
“The widespread use of advanced digital camera systems and the popularity of GPS location-based services are helping to propel awareness of this relatively inexpensive tool. We see this an enormous opportunity to augment our existing suite of video production and editing capabilities, extending both the perspective and the reach of our ag, real estate and construction clients. We’re peeking over the horizon.”
