As effective tools for collecting data, improving safety, and increasing efficiency, drones have been increasingly used in the real estate, insurance, and retail applications (with giants like Amazon and Walmart competing to be the first to roll out air deliveries). Earlier this year, ASTM International publishedF3411-10(Standard Specification for Remote ID and Tracking) to meet theneedfor a standardized identification and tracking system for the unmanned aircraft systems.
The commercial use of drones hasexpandeddue to the Covid-19 pandemic, and has fundamentally changed the way business is being conducted, particularly in the due diligence process in large corporate mergers & acquisitions (M&A) and increasingly in smaller scale commercial real estate transactions. “Drones have been used to conduct virtual tours of everything from shipping ports and railroads to chemical factories, warehouses and big-box retail locations,” says中国广播公司, with more than 95% of Goldman Sachs’ transactions being conducted via drones since the start of the pandemic. Given CDC health recommendations, resourcing constraints, limited facility access, and travel restrictions, the technologies have served as a bridge between groups.
现代无人机携带先进的传感器，用于捕捉高清图像、视频，甚至制作建筑物和场地地形的3D模型。在并购领域实施无人机使用可以减少当面访问所需的人员数量，在某些情况下，甚至优于当面访问。使用无人机对建筑物、设施、设备和其他现场资产进行详细检查，即使在难以到达的地方，也很容易且安全。这些图像和模型可以让买家更清楚地了解资产价值，提高双方的流程效率，加快谈判。
The commercial drone market will influence change in a variety of other industries: energy, agriculture, construction, and mining to name a few. The real estate industry is the second-highest user of drone technology, with aerial data aiding in site reconnaissance, higher rates of conversions, and redevelopment projects for smaller scale transactions (with real-time data, visuals, and interaction). Drones may be particularly useful in evaluating larger undeveloped tracts where ground access is limited or inefficient, and where an aerial overview can illuminate conditions not as visible from ground level. Along with the industry’s increasing use of 360-degree cameras and live video, drone technologies have become more widely used as most negotiations have become virtual.
虽然无人机相关技术的适应在各行业中逐渐正常化，但并非所有情况下都适用。无人机无法取代与利益相关者建立关系和参与的过程。此外，有关无人机飞行和财产检查的规定可能需要进行传统的现场视察。
Strict FAA regulations limit drone flights in a variety of areas, prohibit flights over people, roads, and other hazards, and require that an FAA-certified pilot is within visual sight of the drone at all times. Consultation with an experienced drone operator is critical to ensure that a drone flight can be conducted safely and legally at a site.
Although drones may eventually prove to be valuable in conducting environmental site assessments, the well-established requirements for property inspections necessitate experienced environmental professionals to have boots on the ground and eyes wide open. The site visit is a core requirement of theASTM E 1527-13standard and attempting to satisfy this component using drones may not be accepted by third-party insurers and lenders or be sufficient as a defense to Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) liability long-term.
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