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Key takeaways:

  • Drone inspections allow you to take high-definition photos and video footage of roof surfaces.
  • They help to reduce risks to employees and help companies save on liability insurance.
  • Their speed spares companies from downtime and money spent on traditional inspections.
  • Regular checkups become more accessible, promoting greater safety and success.

 

Drones are quickly becoming a popular option for commercial roof inspections. There are many benefits to employing drones for this purpose, which is why it’s gaining ground with inspectors.

In this blog post, we outline all there is to gain with drone inspections and how they can help you decide whether you need roof repair. For more on this exciting new technology, read on!

How Does It All Work?

Drones are becoming increasingly popular for various commercial applications, including roof inspections. But before we jump into the advantages of using this tool, we should first understand how it all works.

A drone inspection involves flying a drone over the area of the roof in question. We equip the drone with a high-definition camera, which takes pictures and video footage of the roof surface. This footage is then analyzed by a trained roofing professional to identify any potential problems.

It’s Not Always Visual

Surprisingly, visual inspections aren’t the only tasks that drones can perform. For example, thermal imaging can detect leaks in the roof system. We can achieve this by flying the drone over the roof and taking thermal images of the surface. We then analyze these images to identify areas of heat loss or moisture infiltration.

You can equip drones with special sensors that can measure the thickness of the roof membrane. This procedure helps us determine whether to provide roof repair or replacement.

This versatility is one of the reasons why drones are becoming more popular for commercial roof inspections. For more on these advantages, continue reading.

No. 1: Risk Reduction

Commercial properties are often large and complex, making them dangerous to inspect. Drones can help reduce the risk to workers by performing roof inspections without anyone having to leave the ground.

In some cases, drones can even inspect hard-to-reach areas that would otherwise be inaccessible. This is especially helpful for properties with steep roofs or other hazardous conditions.

By turning to drone inspections, you can keep your employees safe while still getting the information you need.

No. 2: Liability Loss

Any company that sends workers to inspect a roof is liable for their safety. If something goes wrong, you could be served a lawsuit. This issue means that many companies are reluctant to send workers up on a roof, even if it is necessary.

Drones can help you avoid this liability by performing the inspection for you. If anything goes wrong, you won’t be held responsible.

In addition, drones can also help you save money on insurance. Liability insurance isn’t exactly cheap, and it’s something that you must pay for every year for roof repair. If you can avoid it, your bottom line will look much better.

 

No. 3: Structure Skip

With extremely tall buildings, some inspectors turn to temporary structures like scaffolding or cherry pickers to do their job. But these structures can be expensive to erect and take time to dismantle. They also need to be inspected themselves, which takes even more time. Your roof inspection might suffer setbacks because the inspection team is waiting for the all-clear from the scaffolding company.

Drones can help you avoid all of this by giving you a bird’s eye view of the building without having to set anything up. You can fly them as high as you need to get a clear roof view.

This is especially crucial if you have multiple buildings to inspect. You can cover more ground in less time, and you don’t have to worry about the cost or safety of setting up temporary structures.

No. 4: Downtime Departure

Suppose your company possesses assets like nuclear power plants or pressure vessels. In that case, you’ll need to shut them down for periodic inspections. This downtime can cost your company a lot of money.

Drones can help you reduce the time your assets are out of commission by giving you a more efficient way to inspect them. You can fly them into hard-to-reach places and look closely at the structure without disassembling it.

This way, you can identify potential problems early and prevent them from becoming costly repairs. And even if you didn’t require roof repairs, you won’t lose as much money from downtime.

No. 5: Safety Solution

Drone inspections are low cost and risk, so you can employ them more frequently than traditional methods. This can help you catch problems early on before they have a chance to cause severe damage.

Drones are also much safer than traditional methods. You don’t have to put your employees at risk by sending them up on the roof. And if there is an accident, it’s less likely to be fatal because the drones are so small.

So, consider using drones if you’re looking for a better way to inspect your commercial roof. It’s a safe, efficient, and cost-effective solution that can save you money in the long run.

No. 6: Record Revolution

Nothing beats visual data when it comes to analyzing a commercial roof. Drones can provide you with high-quality images and videos that you can use to assess the condition of your roof. This is especially helpful if you have a large or complex roof.

As a result, your company’s records will be more accurate, and you’ll be able to make better-informed decisions about roof repair and maintenance.

No. 7: Solar Surveys

Before investing in solar energy, your property must go through several requirements and checks. Unfortunately, these make for excruciatingly long roof inspections that might last hours. You no longer need to stress over that, as drones can do it in a fraction of the time.

Not only will this cut down the time your employees spend on inspections, but it will also improve safety by reducing the need for them to be on the roof.

Forbes offers enlightening details if you’d like to know more about using drones to capture physical environments.

Conclusion

As you can see, drones are revolutionizing your typical inspection in many ways. From timesaving to safety improvements, there are plenty of reasons why you should consider using drones the next time your business needs an inspection. We hope this article has helped you understand some of those reasons!

If you’d like to learn more about commercial roof inspections, check out our article on the five most essential steps.

We at Roof Experts are proud to serve University Park, TX, with our years of experience and expertise in roofing. We offer a wide range of services, from residential to commercial roofing, so please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Get your free estimate today!

Sam