Aerial Photos of a House and Plot: When a Drone Flight Is Allowed and How to Prepare It

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An aerial photo shows in one frame what would take three photos from the ground: plot boundaries, garden, roof, neighbourhood, access. That is why good property listings lead with one. The first question, though, is not photographic but legal: may a drone fly over this property at all? This article answers that, and then shows you what drone flight preparation involves so the flight time goes into images rather than into clarification.

What an aerial photo actually does for a listing

An aerial photo answers the questions that stay open at ground level: How big is the plot really? Where does it end? How close is the neighbour? How much of the garden gets sun? How good is the access? For buyers, those are the questions that decide whether they drive out for a viewing.

What an aerial photo does not do: it does not replace interior shots, and it does not improve a location. If the property sits on a four-lane road, the aerial photo shows exactly that — honest, and it saves both sides an appointment, but it is not a selling point. So plan the aerial as part of a complete series rather than its highlight.

First question: are you allowed to fly over the property?

For residential properties, Section 21h(3) no. 7 LuftVO sets out three routes to a lawful overflight:

1. Consent. The affected owner or other authorised user has expressly consented to the overflight. For a photo assignment this is the normal case — and the simplest.
2. Small drone without sensors. Take-off mass up to 0.25 kilograms, and neither the aircraft nor its equipment can record or transmit images, sound or third-party radio signals. For aerial photography this route is out by definition: a drone without a camera takes no photos.
3. Flight at 100 metres or above — but only if the overflight is necessary for a legitimate operational purpose, public areas cannot be used instead, consent cannot reasonably be obtained, privacy safeguards are in place, affected parties are informed in advance, the flight is not between 22:00 and 06:00, and noise limits are respected.

In practice: route 1 is the route. Get consent in writing before the date is fixed. In a let property the owner is not automatically the only authorised user — clarify the tenants too. And remember that the flight path often crosses neighbouring plots. If it does, you need consent there as well, or a route that avoids them.

A consent form that holds up includes

• address and location of the property being overflown
• date and time window of the flight, including the fallback date
• purpose of the images and intended use (listing, portal, website, social media)
• name of the operator and a reference to the liability insurance
• signature of the owner or authorised users

An informal document is enough. What matters is that it exists before the flight, not after.

Geographical zones: places where take-off is off the table

Besides the residential property itself, the surroundings count. Section 21h LuftVO names a range of geographical zones with their own conditions, among them:

• airfields (1.5 kilometres lateral distance) and airports (1,000 metres, plus extended runway centrelines)
• industrial plants, energy installations, military sites, prisons (100 metres, operator consent required)
• premises of constitutional bodies, authorities and police (100 metres, consent required)
• federal highways, federal waterways and railway installations (100 metres, with their own exceptions)
• nature reserves and national parks (consent of the nature conservation authority)
• hospitals (100 metres, operator consent)
• control zones (air traffic control clearance required)

You do not have to memorise which of these apply at a given address: the Digital Platform for Unmanned Aviation provides a map tool and also publishes temporary operating restrictions, which apply during large events, for example. Check this afresh for every appointment — last quarter’s check is not a check for tomorrow.

Who may fly: registration, competency, insurance

Three duties apply regardless of the property:

• Operator registration. Anyone operating a drone with a camera, or above 250 grams take-off mass, must register as an operator. Registration produces an electronic identification number that has to be affixed to the drone.
• Qualification. In the open category the subcategory decides what is needed: A1 (up to 900 grams) requires the EU proof of competency via online training and an online exam; A2 requires the EU remote pilot certificate and a minimum 30 metres distance from uninvolved persons; A3 allows up to 25 kilograms but requires at least 150 metres distance from residential, commercial, industrial and recreational areas.
• Liability insurance. Operating a drone requires liability insurance.

That qualification point explains why aerial photos of homes are not taken with a large A3 aircraft: 150 metres distance from a residential area and a photo of the roof do not go together. For property work, the smaller class is the right one.

If you commission the flight, these duties sit with the service provider. On its aerial photography page PM STUDIOS states that it holds the required permits and insurance for commercial drone flights in and around Munich and that it handles the review of legal conditions and the necessary permits as part of the planning. Ask about it in the briefing and have it confirmed — not out of distrust, but because as the client you may have to explain on what basis the images were produced.

Data protection: what does not belong in the frame

A wide angle from 50 metres up captures more than your property. Neighbouring gardens, patio furniture, number plates, people on balconies, views through roof windows — all of it lands on the sensor if nobody pays attention. Three measures usually do the job:

1. Plan the route and angles so the neighbouring plot is not in the centre of the frame. Nadir shots over your own plot are less problematic than low oblique shots across the street.
2. Inform the neighbours in advance. It is considerate, and it reduces the chance that someone interrupts mid-flight while the flight time runs down.
3. Review the selection before publishing. Remove identifiable people and number plates before upload. That belongs in photo retouching, not in the flight.

Timing: light, season, wind

Time of day. Soft light works best for exteriors — mid-morning or late afternoon. Midday light creates hard shadows under roof overhangs and on south-facing walls; that looks harsh on the building, though it matters less in a nadir shot.

Season. In summer foliage hides the building but the garden is green. In winter you see plot boundaries and roof surfaces clearly, but the garden looks bare. If you only get one appointment, decide by what is being sold — the plot or the garden.

Weather. Wind, rain and visibility decide whether a flight happens at all. So every booking should include a fallback date. Giving the photographer a single date with no alternative means buying the risk of ending up with no aerial photo at all.

Preparing the property: a checklist for flight day

• Clear the driveway and parking spaces. Move cars, trailers and bike racks. Nothing says "unprepared" like three cars in front of the façade.
• Bins, washing lines, garden hoses out of sight.
• Lawn mowed, hedge trimmed, leaves swept. Lawn edges are more visible from above than from a garden chair.
• Garden furniture arranged, parasols open or closed — either works, as long as it is consistent.
• Pool and trampoline covers either neatly closed or removed entirely.
• Building debris, pallets, sacks removed — or deliberately shown, if this is construction progress documentation.
• Shutters consistent. All open or all closed; mixed looks uninhabited.
• Markers for boundaries. On large plots or building sites, cones or flags make it clear on the image what belongs to the property.
• A contact on site. Someone with keys who can open gates and answer questions.
• Neighbours informed. See above.

Which perspectives to order

An aerial job is not one photo but a small series. These five cover most listings:

1. Nadir, straight down. Shows plot boundaries, the layout of the area, the roof footprint. This is the image that answers "how big is the plot?".
2. Oblique from mid-height, around 45 degrees. House and garden in one frame, with depth. The classic cover shot.
3. Low oblique just above façade height. Shows the building in its setting without making the neighbourhood the main subject.
4. Panorama or wide shot of the location. Access, green space, distance to the centre.
5. Detail from low altitude. Roof condition, solar array, terrace, carport — whatever matters in the listing.

Clarify in advance which aspect ratio your property portal requires and have the series shot accordingly. Cropping later costs image area, and on the nadir shot you lose it exactly at the plot boundary.

Plan aerial and ground photography together

An aerial photo alone is not enough for any listing. Real estate photography delivers the interior and exterior shots, the architectural perspective and HDR processing for difficult light; the page explicitly lists drone shots as a premium feature that can be integrated into a booked package on request. In practice that means one appointment, one team, one visual language. Shooting the aerial and ground series on two different days in different weather gives you two visual worlds that do not match in the listing.

For developers, repetition pays: a series at quarterly intervals documents construction progress and later becomes part of project communication.

What aerial and property photography cost

The packages are published on the service pages and are reproduced here unchanged (as of 5 October 2026):

Digital optimisation and colour adjustment are included; images are delivered digitally. All prices plus 19 % VAT.

Current figures are always on the aerial photography, real estate photography and prices pages.

Common mistakes – and how to avoid them

• Getting consent on flight day. If the neighbour says no while the drone is already set up, the appointment is lost. Settle it beforehand.
• Offering only one date. Weather-dependent services need a fallback.
• Confusing flight time with time on site. The packages distinguish the two. Tidying the property during the appointment uses up time on site and shortens nothing but your own selection of images.
• Arriving without a shot list. Without one you get five similar images instead of five different ones.
• Making the neighbouring plot the centre of the frame. You notice it in the selection, not during the flight — and by then the flight is over.
• Uploading images unchecked. Remove number plates and identifiable people before publishing.

FAQ – drone flight preparation

Can you simply fly over a residential building?

No. Section 21h(3) no. 7 LuftVO requires the express consent of the affected owner or other authorised user. Exceptions exist only for drones up to 250 grams without recording capability and — under narrow additional conditions — for flights at 100 metres or above.

Do I need the neighbours’ consent?

If the flight path crosses their residential property, yes. If the route can stay over your own plot and public areas, you do not — but you should still inform them.

How long does a drone appointment take?

Depending on the package, 30 to 90 minutes on site, of which 15 to 75 minutes is actual flight time. Set-up, safety checks and repositioning count as time on site.

What happens if the weather does not cooperate?

The appointment is moved. Wind, rain and poor visibility are disqualifying, not negotiable. Plan a fallback day from the start.

Can I book aerial photos together with interior shots?

Yes. According to the service page, the real estate photography packages can be extended with drone shots on request. One appointment for both produces a consistent series.

Do aerial photos work for commercial property and building sites?

Yes — industrial sites, logistics areas, construction phases. For construction progress, a series at fixed intervals keeps the images comparable.

May I use the images on property portals and social media?

Usage rights are agreed with the assignment. Say in the briefing where the images will appear — listing, portal, website, advertising — so the scope matches.

How many images do I get?

That depends on flight time and the agreed perspectives. A shot list is more reliable than a number: it defines which images have to exist at the end.

Your aerial photography appointment in Munich

If you are marketing a property in Munich or the surrounding area and want the location to be visible, we clarify airspace, consents and perspectives in the briefing — and then we fly.

• Aerial and drone photography: services and packages
• Real estate photography for agents, developers and landlords
• Book an appointment online
• Send an enquiry
• Location and directions
• Product photos for online shops: requirements and studio workflow

Sources for the legal statements

• Section 21h of the German Aviation Regulation (LuftVO), rules for operating unmanned aircraft in geographical zones: https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/luftvo_2015/__21h.html
• Digital Platform for Unmanned Aviation (dipul), "Erste Schritte" and "Offene Kategorie": https://www.dipul.de/homepage/de/informationen/allgemeines/erste-schritte/ and https://www.dipul.de/homepage/de/informationen/kategorisierung-des-drohnenbetriebs/offene-kategorie/