Whilst there are benefits to using a ladder or scaffolding, drone roof inspections are often easier to set up and are significantly safer if there are major roofing issues that affect the roof’s structural stability.
In the past, if you needed to check your roof for any issues, irrespective of its type, the only option was to go up a ladder or erect a scaffold, both of which could take time to safely prepare for larger industrial roofs.
In recent years, therefore, the use of drones in the roofing sector has become far more commonplace, as they can provide high-quality, detailed imagery far more quickly and safely than would be possible through other methods, making them useful for early diagnosis.
Why is this the case? What should homeowners know about drone inspections? And when is a drone roof inspection not only useful but necessary?
What Is A Drone Roof Inspection?
A drone inspection is when a roofing expert uses an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV or drone) to survey an entire roof in far less time than it would take to climb up onto the roof by hand and examine the roof manually.
As drones typically have highly detailed cameras, they can capture visual data that can be used to help plan repairs and diagnose defects, as well as check the overall condition of a roof without putting any additional weight onto it.
Whilst in some cases a physical follow-up using a ladder or a scaffolding system is necessary, in most cases the information gathered by a drone operator is enough to begin planning work or to determine that a roof does not need any.
What Information Can A Drone Roof Inspection Gather?
- Close visual images of roofs, including hard-to-reach places that are not easily accessed manually
- Missing or damaged components
- Inspection of chimneys, roof valleys and guttering
- Roof measurements
- Thermal imagery to determine heat loss or moisture ingress
When Is A Drone Inspection A Requirement?
Using drones has become the standard in roofing because of just how much faster and safer it is than the alternatives, but there are cases where drones are not just an important part of roof repairs but are absolutely necessary to ensure the safety of a roofer and anyone living in the building.
Unstable Roof
The most obvious reason to use drones is when a roof is so unstable and at risk of collapse that a roofing inspection is too dangerous to undertake.
As it can be difficult to truly determine a roof’s condition from ground level, this is a significantly safer and faster option, particularly if tiles or mortar are already falling off.
Large Roof
Warehouses, larger residential buildings and huge infrastructure projects such as stadiums often have gigantic roofing systems that are difficult to properly examine manually, but can be properly measured and inspected in a very short time through the clever use of drone photography.
Heritage Sites
A listed building sometimes has limitations on the types of work that can be safely undertaken, and if the roof has weakened with age, targeted inspections using drones can ensure work is undertaken safely and securely.
