Is it a good idea to use a drone for roof inspection?

Using a drone to do a job that’s been done for years through old-fashioned “boots on the ground” will seem like a stretch, but it can hardly be argued that it’s the better alternative. Here are just some of the best reasons to do a roof inspection job with a drone:

1. Safer

The number one reason to use a drone is that it no longer makes it necessary to put human lives in peril to do a roof inspection. Surveys have shown that a huge majority of injuries and deaths suffered in the roof inspection industry happens because of falls (no surprise there). By using drones instead, roof inspectors can reduce the risk to human life to virtually zero.

2. More efficient

If you were an insurance adjuster who had to visit ten homes in a single day and inspect each roof manually, then you might not even enough time. Aside from the time and effort spent to climb a roof, you will have to make lots of manual measurements and snap several photos – all with the tentativeness of someone walking in a high-altitude, possibly damaged, roof.

According to roof inspection companies, using a drone allows them to finish jobs three times faster than if they did them using traditional methods. This capability also lets them offer more premium services because they can commit to shorter turnover times and more detailed roof inspections reports.

3. Can inspect inaccessible areas

Another disadvantage of walking around on top of a roof while taking measurements is that there are simply areas that cannot be accessed by people. Whether it’s an overhanging feature or a small recessed section, drones are more equipped to get up close and personal with these inaccessible areas. If you’ve been having your roof inspected the old-fashioned way for years, then these areas might have been neglected for the longest time.

4. Less equipment and manpower needed

A professional roof inspection crew will come with a van full of ladders, cameras, ropes, harnesses, and measuring tapes to do a detailed inspection job. A drone-based roof inspector will arrive on-site with just the drone – nothing else. Doing a roof inspection using a drone is logistically simpler. In turn, it is also faster and cheaper. Even an ultra-portable drone that fits in a small backpack can do a roof inspection job according to professional standards.