Description
Show Notes: https://retipster.com/297-mike-apke/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=podcast&utm_content=lQ84cRxO9OI
Droners: https://go.retipster.com/droners/yt-lQ84cRxO9OI (REtipster Affiliate Link)
Would you buy a piece of vacant land without knowing what's actually on it?
Satellite imagery and GIS maps can tell you a lot about a property, but they can also leave out some VERY expensive surprises.
In this episode of the REtipster Podcast, I'm talking with Mike Apke, a land investor, former software engineer, and the owner of Droners.io, a platform that connects property owners and investors with professional drone pilots across the country.
Mike has seen firsthand why drone photography can be one of the most valuable tools in a land investor's due diligence process.
In one deal, a drone pilot discovered that a property was covered in water, even though the maps looked fine.
In another, drone footage revealed THOUSANDS of discarded tires scattered across a property. Instead of abandoning the deal, Mike used the discovery to renegotiate the purchase price by approximately $10,000–$15,000.
But that's only part of the story.
Mike also shares how he and his brothers acquired Droners.io after its parent company went bankrupt, the challenges of bringing the platform back to life, and how they're making professional drone photography easier for real estate investors.
We also get into the practical side of using drones for land investing: what footage to order, how to screen drone pilots, when aerial imagery isn't enough, and whether professional photos and videos actually help sell properties.
If you're buying vacant land, flipping land, or trying to improve your real estate marketing, this conversation offers some important lessons about seeing the full picture before you invest.
0:00 - Why drones matter for land investing
0:52 - Mike Apke's land investing background
2:30 - Discovering Droners.io
3:09 - How Droners.io's parent went bankrupt
4:20 - Buying the business through bankruptcy
5:33 - The challenges of taking over
8:42 - Rebuilding the Droners.io platform
10:12 - Integrating drones with CRMs and AI
12:00 - Who uses professional drone services?
13:17 - The done-for-you drone service
15:15 - Marketplace vs. managed service
16:34 - Why drone footage matters before buying
17:15 - Thousands of tires uncovered on a property
19:40 - What drones can't reveal about land
22:46 - Property access and flight permissions
24:10 - Finding pilots across the country
26:05 - Drone imagery vs. satellite images
27:59 - When drone flights are restricted
29:42 - How Droners.io screens its pilots
32:30 - When should you photograph land?
34:26 - Photo editing vs. misrepresentation
36:48 - The problem with property boundary overlays
38:16 - The essential land photography shot list
40:39 - Should you order photos or videos?
43:41 - Do better drone images help sell land?
45:10 - How to choose the right drone pilot
46:24 - Why some land listings won't sell
48:06 - What happens when drone footage is bad?
49:16 - Can AI safely enhance property photos?
51:29 - What if a drone pilot can't complete the job?
53:05 - Drone photography turnaround times
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