Drone roof inspections, explained by a roofer

What happens at a drone inspection

1. We knock, say hello, and ask what you've noticed: a stain, a drip, missing shingles after a storm, or just the roof's age.
2. We check the FAA airspace rules for your address before we fly. Near an airport, that can mean getting FAA authorization first, and we take care of it.
3. The drone flies a set pattern over your roof. Software keeps it on track and away from trees and wires, so the pilot isn't steering it by hand the whole time.
4. It takes close photos of the shingles, ridges, valleys, flashing, vents and pipe boots on every side.
5. We go through the photos with you, on a tablet or on your kitchen table. You see what we see.

Most of the visit is the walk-through at the end. You don't need to be home for the flight, but we'd like you there for the walk-through.

What a drone sees well

• Hail hits on the slopes you can't see from the ground. Fresh hail bruises show as dark spots where granules got knocked off.
• Wind damage: lifted, creased, or missing shingles, especially on the edges and ridge.
• Flashing and boots: cracked rubber around pipes, loose flashing at chimneys and walls.
• Wear: granule loss, curling, cracking, and the algae streaks that humid Knoxville summers leave on north slopes.
• Debris and valleys: leaves and limbs that hold water against the roof.

What a drone can't tell us

A camera sees the surface. It can't feel. So we still use a ladder, carefully, when:

• the decking might be soft (you can only find that by pressure),
• shingles look fine but may have lost their seal and can lift by hand,
• we're tracing a leak that starts in one spot and shows up in another,
• a hail hit needs to be pressed to tell a bruise from a blemish.

When that's the case, we'll tell you why we're going up and what we found.

What the software does (and doesn't)

We use IMGING, drone inspection software from Loveland Innovations. It marks spots on the photos that look worth a closer look, and it can measure each section of the roof from the images. A person reviews every flagged spot and decides what's real. It doesn't decide whether your claim gets paid. Your adjuster makes that call. Our photos give them clear evidence to look at.

Is it really free?

Yes. No charge, nothing to sign, and the photos are yours whether you hire us or not. If your roof is fine, we'll tell you so and leave.

Who flies the drone

Flying a drone for a business takes an FAA remote pilot certificate (Part 107). We fly only over your property, with your permission, and point the camera only at your house.

Drone photos and insurance claims

Clear, dated photos of every slope help when you talk to your insurer. Your insurer still decides the claim. If you're thinking about a claim, read how a roof claim works in Knox County and hail damage versus wind damage.