Quick answer
Real estate drone flights are commercial, so the pilot needs an FAA Part 107 certificate. Near Boston Logan (Class B) and Hanscom Field (Class D) the pilot also needs FAA authorization, usually through LAANC, up to the altitude shown on the FAA UAS Facility Map. Grids marked 0 feet cannot be approved through LAANC, so drone may not be possible at some city addresses.
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Drone photos sell suburban homes, waterfront condos and anything with land. But much of Greater Boston sits under some of the busiest airspace in New England. Here is how the rules actually work near Boston Logan (BOS) and Hanscom Field (BED) in Bedford, and what that means for your next listing. This is a practical overview, not legal advice; the FAA's own guidance always wins.
The short version
- Anyone flying a drone for a real estate listing is flying commercially and needs an FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate. A hobby drone flown by a friend or the seller is not legal for listing marketing.
- Near Logan, Hanscom and other towered airports, the airspace is controlled. A Part 107 pilot needs FAA authorization before flying there, usually through LAANC.
- Some locations close to the runways cannot be authorized through LAANC at all, so drone shots there may not be possible on a normal timeline.
- Your photographer should check the exact address before the shoot and tell you up front whether drone is possible.
The airspace around Boston
Boston Logan: Class B
Logan is surrounded by Class B airspace, the most restrictive type. The Class B surface area covers the airport and a ring of neighborhoods and nearby cities, which is why downtown Boston, East Boston, Charlestown, the Seaport, South Boston, Winthrop, Chelsea and Revere are tricky for drone work. Farther out, parts of Boston, Cambridge, Somerville, Brookline and the inner suburbs are still under the Class B surface area, but allow low-altitude authorization at many addresses.
Hanscom Field: Class D
Hanscom Field in Bedford has a control tower and Class D airspace around it. It touches parts of Bedford, Lexington, Lincoln and Concord. Authorization is needed there too, and grids close to the runways have low or zero altitude limits.
Other airports that matter for listings
The same idea applies around other towered airports in our service area, including Beverly Regional, Lawrence Municipal and Norwood Memorial (Class D), Nashua's Boire Field (Class D) and Manchester-Boston Regional in New Hampshire (Class C). Many other North Shore, Merrimack Valley and Southern NH towns are in uncontrolled Class G airspace, where no authorization is needed for flights under 400 feet.
How LAANC works
LAANC (Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability) is the FAA system that lets Part 107 pilots request access to controlled airspace through FAA-approved apps. The FAA publishes UAS Facility Maps that split the airspace around each airport into grid squares, each with a maximum altitude: 400, 300, 200, 100, 50 or 0 feet.
- If the grid over the listing allows, for example, 100 feet, the pilot can request authorization up to 100 feet and usually gets an automated approval within minutes.
- If the grid shows 0 feet, LAANC cannot approve it. The pilot would have to apply through FAA DroneZone for a further-coordination authorization, which can take much longer and is not guaranteed.
- Authorization is for a specific area, altitude and time window, so it is requested close to the shoot.
Other rules that affect real estate drone shots
- 400 feet maximum above ground level in uncontrolled airspace, and lower wherever the facility map says so. Real estate shots rarely need more than about 200 feet.
- Visual line of sight: the pilot (or a visual observer) has to keep the drone in sight the whole flight.
- Remote ID: drones flown under Part 107 must broadcast Remote ID, either built in or with an add-on module.
- Flying over people: Part 107 limits flights over people who are not part of the operation, which matters on busy city streets.
- Night and twilight flights are allowed for Part 107 pilots who have completed the current training, with anti-collision lighting on the drone.
- Temporary flight restrictions (TFRs) can pop up for VIP visits, major events and stadium games at Fenway Park and Gillette Stadium. The pilot checks for TFRs on the day of the flight.
- Local and property rules: some parks, beaches, campuses and condo associations have their own rules about taking off from their property.
What this means for agents
- Ask early. Tell us the full address when you book so we can check the facility map and Class B, C or D boundaries before the shoot.
- Plan a backup. If the address is on a 0-foot grid, we plan strong exterior and roof deck photos from the ground or a high vantage point instead.
- Weather counts. Wind, rain and low clouds can push drone shots to another day, especially near the coast.
- Never hire an uncertified pilot. Unauthorized flights in Logan's airspace can bring FAA enforcement, and the listing is the one that ends up with the photos.
How Sham RE Media handles drone
Our pilot is FAA Part 107 certified. For every drone order we check the address on the FAA facility maps, request LAANC authorization where it is needed, check for TFRs on the day, and tell you ahead of time if a location is not flyable. Learn more on our drone photography and video page, or see neighborhood notes for Charlestown, the Seaport, Jamaica Plain and Bedford.
Official sources: the FAA's Part 107 guidance, LAANC and UAS Facility Maps.
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