Drone Inspection Basics Reference

Why this matters

Drones (UAVs) are transforming roof + exterior inspections - safer than climbing, faster, more thorough. Some service trades use drones routinely; others should consider it. The tech who understands drone use can offer better service + safer operations. This is the field card.

Why use drones

Safety:

• No climbing on dangerous roofs
• No ladder accidents
• No falls

Speed:

• 10-15 minutes vs 60+ minutes for roof inspection
• Multiple homes per day possible

Quality:

• High-resolution photos of every shingle
• Video of overall condition
• Customer can see what you see (their roof too high)

Documentation:

• Time-stamped, geotagged
• Insurance-grade evidence
• Before/after comparison over years

When drone inspection is appropriate

Yes:

• Initial inspection (estimate)
• Storm damage documentation
• Roof + gutter inspection
• Solar panel site assessment
• HVAC rooftop unit assessment
• Chimney + flashing examination
• Hard-to-access areas (multi-story, steep slope)

No / limited:

• Tactile inspection needed (touch / probe for soft areas)
• Inside details (drone can't go inside)
• Close-up wiring inspection
• Very precise measurement (better hand tools)

FAA regulations

In US, commercial drone use requires:

Part 107 license (commercial drone operator):

• Pass FAA knowledge test
• Background check
• Renewable
• Required for any commercial use

Drone registration:

• Drones over 250 grams must register with FAA
• Mark drone with registration

Operating limits (without waiver):

• Below 400 ft AGL (above ground level)
• Within visual line of sight
• Not over people (unless qualified)
• Not at night (unless qualified)
• Not near airports
• Daylight + sufficient visibility

Recurring training:

• 24-month online recurrent training (Part 107)

Pre-flight checklist

Before each flight:

• Weather (wind, precipitation, visibility)
• Drone battery (charged + spare)
• Controller battery
• Storage card (formatted, sufficient capacity)
• Visual inspection (props, motors, body)
• Calibration (compass, IMU)
• Airspace check (B4UFLY app OR similar)
• Customer authorization (signed if formal)

Don't skip steps; small issue grows into crashed drone.

Customer authorization

Before flying:

• Inform customer about flight
• Explain what you'll capture
• Get verbal OR written consent

Privacy:

• Don't fly over neighbor's property without their consent
• Some customers concerned about being recorded
• Camera off until over their property

Weather limits

Wind:

• Most consumer drones: max 20-25 mph
• Manufacturer specs differ
• Even at limit, instability + risk

Rain:

• Most drones NOT rated for rain
• Water damage common
• Don't fly in rain

Cold:

• Battery performance drops below 32°F
• Below 0°F: significant battery loss
• Don't fly very cold

Hot:

• Above 100°F may stress equipment
• Long flights = motors overheating

Site assessment

Before flying, walk around:

• Power lines (clearance)
• Trees (obstacles)
• People (avoid overflying)
• Pets (don't startle)
• Wind direction + speed
• Sun angle (photo quality)

Flight patterns

Roof inspection:

• Orbit around perimeter (low altitude, looking inward)
• Top-down photos of each slope
• Close-up of flashings, vents, valleys
• Video of overall condition

Site assessment (solar):

• Top-down full property
• Shading analysis at different times
• Roof orientation + slope

Storm damage:

• Detailed photos of damage areas
• Comparison to pre-storm if available
• Wide context shots

Photo quality

Best practice:

• Resolution maxed
• RAW format if possible
• Camera settings: ISO low, focus locked
• HDR for high contrast
• Multiple angles of damage

Video

Useful for:

• Overview circles around home
• Flyover for context
• Multiple slopes in one continuous take

Keep video short (battery + storage).

Common drones used

DJI Mavic series:

• Most-common service trade
• Folding; portable
• Good camera
• Reliable

DJI Mini series:

• Lighter (under 250g; no registration)
• Smaller camera
• Limited weather tolerance

Autel EVO:

• DJI alternative
• Similar specs
• Sometimes preferred for security concerns about DJI

Skydio:

• US-based
• Advanced obstacle avoidance
• Higher cost

Each has tradeoffs; specific to use case + budget.

Battery management

• Multiple batteries (3-5 typical for full inspection day)
• Charging schedule (between flights)
• Don't deeply discharge (damages cells)
• Cold weather = less flight time
• Old batteries (300+ cycles): replace

Storage + organization

Photos / video accumulate fast:

• Cloud storage (Google Drive, Dropbox, specialty)
• Local backup
• File naming by customer + date
• Organized for retrieval

Customer-accessible photos via your service software.

Showing customer

After flight:

• Review photos with customer
• "Here's what I found on your roof..."
• Customer sees what you see
• Builds trust
• Helps estimate decision

Some customers love the technology; some don't care. Adjust accordingly.

Reading drone photos

What to look for:

Roof:

• Missing shingles (visible underlayment)
• Lifting tabs
• Granule loss (lighter spots, gravel in gutter)
• Damaged flashing
• Cracked / curled shingles
• Algae / moss

Solar prep:

• Shading from trees / structures
• Roof orientation
• Available roof area
• Existing penetrations

HVAC rooftop:

• Equipment condition (corrosion, debris)
• Surrounding work area
• Access pathways
• Insulation condition on lines

Limitations

Drone shows visible only:

• Hidden damage (under shingles) not visible
• Underside of roof
• Inside attic
• Subsurface defects

Drone is one tool; not complete inspection.

Insurance + drones

Adjusters increasingly use drones:

• Adjuster comes with drone OR contracts
• Your photos may not match theirs
• Supplemental claims with documentation

Be familiar with adjuster's drone work; provide your photos for comparison.

Privacy concerns

Customer + neighbors privacy:

• Camera focused on customer's property
• Avoid neighbor capture
• Audio off (not recording conversations)
• Photos managed per policies

Some customers ask:

• "Where do these photos go?"
• "Will they end up on social media?"
• "Can I see them all?"

Provide direct answers.

Marketing use of drone footage

If using photos / video in marketing:

• Customer consent (per photo / video article)
• Anonymize address
• Generic context

Drones produce great marketing visuals; respect privacy.

Insurance for your drone

Commercial drone use:

• Liability insurance recommended (substantial per-occurrence coverage)
• Hull coverage for drone itself
• Drone-specific policies available
• May be added to general business policy

A drone strike on a person OR property = significant liability.

Common drone mistakes

References

• FAA Part 107 (Small Unmanned Aircraft)
• B4UFLY app (airspace check)
• FAA UAS registration site
• Manufacturer training (DJI Academy, etc.)
• Manuall internal: Reading Roof Age + Condition, Insurance Claim Work