MIAMI—Amazon and Facebook recently made headlines with drone plans, but could these flying vessels give commercial real estate agents an edge? They may, if success in the residential real estate world spills over.

Joe Janson of Stirling Sotheby's International Realty is proving the point. He's using drones to cover the Brevard, Indian River, and East Volusia markets. Specifically, he uses the remote-controlled aircraft to take pictures and photos of the homes he's listing.

“Most home buyers never see an aerial view of the home they are about to buy,” Janson says. “But an aerial view can add an impression that stays with you. A home owner can view an entire property. It's much more impressive than just a photo of the front of the home.”