Over the past few years, the use of drone technology in the commercial sector has seen massive growth, with drones being used for everything from agriculture to law enforcement.
In the commercial real estate (CRE) context, the value of drone technology is also rapidly becoming apparent. Drones can be deployed for many uses including property showcasing and site inspections. At NAI Harmon Group, we utilize our in-house drone pilot to highlight listings. This allows us to not only add value to our listing clients but also allows the potential buyer/tenant to have a “big picture” view of the property/listing.
A second technology that brings great value to our clients is the 360-degree camera. With this specific camera, the marketing team at NAI Harmon is able to create life-like walk-throughs of any property. This allows prospective buyers/tenants to have a virtual walk-through of a property no matter their physical location. For example, if an international company is looking for office space in Toledo, Ohio, they can “walk-through” the property on their computer and do a preliminary evaluation before incurring travel expenses to see it in person.
What’s important to bear in mind is that these technologies don’t negate the need for human intervention. Rather, they shift the human element to the controller’s seat.
The photographic surveys undertaken by drones, for example, still need to be interpreted by human experts. Similarly, the photographs from the 360 camera are taken by a team member, edited, and uploaded to the software.
The drone footage and the 360 link are then added to property/listing websites and email blasts.
Instead of replacing human expertise, these technologies supplement it by providing the means to optimize routine operations.
For CRE professionals, these technologies offer another useful tool and some extra options for making deal negotiations as smooth and seamless as possible.