Why Are Roofing Companies Using Drones?

by Apr 2, 2018

 

WHY ARE ROOFING COMPANIES USING DRONES?

Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS), or commonly referred to as drones, have been a hot topic in the roofing industry. Using drones has numerous advantages, especially for roofing contractors. Here are just a few reasons why we use drones:

Inspections & Evaluations

Drones quickly capture precise data that you can use to make accurate estimates. Drones offer roofing contractors the ability to do a survey of the site, which may prove useful when establishing points of entry and exit to the jobsite, as well as identifying the best placement for material and parking. Once the drone inspection occurs, you can use this information to review with the homeowner or building owner any problems and explain how you can fix them.

Safety

Aerial inspections can be performed from the ground; which means inspectors no longer have to risk climbing up steep, tall, dangerous, or dilapidated roofs. This is especially important following major storm damage, when there is the possibility of structural damage, as could be the case with flying debris or falling branches.

Imaging

Using the technology with drones we’re able to give the homeowner or building owner a different view of their roof. Drones are a tool for us to show a customer the current state of their roof.

Insurance Documentation

Close-up and detailed imagery of a roof system can protect homeowners during the claims process if insurance is involved. Hard-to-access areas of a roof, such as tall chimney flashings or coverings, cornice roof sections, mansard roofs, steeples, etc. are often both the most expensive part of a roof to repair/replace as well as the most challenging to document well during insurance claims because of limited access.

Large & Commercial Roofs

Gaining a comprehensive view of a large commercial roof is challenging. On all projects, we use satellite reports for accurate measurements, but the satellite images are usually several years old, which is perfectly sufficient for measurements as long as there have been no additions, but do not provide up-to-date condition or the surface or may not provide enough detail to evaluate the overall condition of the roof system.

Efficiency

During bidding and preparation for larger projects, such as multifamily & apartment complexes, HOA communities, patio homes, or senior living complexes, a roofing team will have to evaluate dozens of individual buildings. This process, which could take several days with manual inspection and gaining roof access, can be reduced to a single day with the assistance of a UAV drone.

Drones are a tool for us to use to evaluate and inspect a property in a safe and timely manner. We can take a high-resolution photo of a roof to show a customer the current condition. At Rhoden Roofing we implemented our drone technology in late 2016 and now have 3 certified UAV pilots on our team.

 

This article is part of our ‘What to Expect’ Series. Learn more about:

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