Drone Roof Inspections: Best Drones and Software

From insurance adjusters to home inspectors, roofing companies to acreage owners, using drones for roof inspections has gone from niche to mainstream quickly.

Inspecting a roof with a drone is typically much safer than having to send up a human on a ladder. No longer do you have to worry about anchoring yourself to the roof and  slipping or falling. No longer do you have to set up safety tethers, safety nets, temporary walls etc.

But what kind of drones are best for inspecting roofs? Which software is the best for storing and analyzing the roof inspection data that you do capture? How much money can you make inspecting roofs with a drone?

We explore all these topics in more in this blog post….

What Are the Benefits of Using Drones for Roof Inspections?

The benefits of inspecting roofs with your drone are many. A few of them are:

1. No longer having to physically set up and climb a ladder yourself (or having to send up one of your employees)
2. Eliminates the risk of you or your employees falling off of the roof and risking serious injury or death
3. Much quicker inspections than having to set up/take down a ladder, having to put on safety harnesses, set up anchor points etc
4. Being able to get the entire roof in one shot vs having to take many photos using a handheld camera.
5. Decreases risk of property/vehicle damage as you no longer have to carry ladders, tools, or cameras past vehicles in a driveway. Also removes chances of bumping into sides of homes or gutters with your ladders and inspection equipment
6. Allows for much higher volumes of roof inspections due to the shorter turnaround time. This can be very significant especially for roofers trying to capture a large share of customers needing repairs after hail storms or due to wind damage.
7. Initial roof inspections are easily repeatable after the work has been completed. Using pre-programmed flight plans and GPS built into the drones ensures that your pre and post work inspections closely match, providing more accurate reporting for your customers.
8. Highly accurate: most roof inspection programs stitch photos together with greater than 99% accuracy.

Best Drones for Roof Inspections (updated 2021):

Although we are often asked this question, it is a bit like asking “what are the best shoes?”, or, “what is the best car?”.

Depending on your needs, this answer will vary.

For example, if you have a strict budget limitation of $500 this will give you different options than having a $10,000 budget limit for your drone. Do you require thermal imaging? Do you require automated flight plans? Do you live near an airport and have restrictions on drone size and weight? Are you inspecting commercial buildings (where you may need longer flight times) or smaller residential buildings, where flight time is not really an issue?

All of these questions are important to explore prior to purchasing a drone for your roof inspection business.

Here is our list of drones we recommend for roof inspections along with their strengths and weaknesses. Please note, these drones are not ranked from best to worst as they all have their own strengths and weaknesses.

• DJI Mini 2: The DJI Mini 2 is probably a drone that every roof inspector should have in their tool bag, regardless of whether they use a different drone for the bulk of their inspections. As this drone is incredibly compact and light weight (under 250g) it is often able to fly without registration or restrictions (be sure to check local laws in your area). Despite being so small it still packs a stabilized 4K video camera and can shoot 12MP still photos.
  • Pros: Very affordable and so small that it falls outside of restrictions and regulations in most areas
  • Cons: Being very light weight the Mini 2 will struggle in higher winds. The camera is only 12MP which is not very high resolution, especially if you need detailed images of the whole roof in one shot. The lower camera resolution also means you will tend to fly closer to the building to get the detail you need, which can place your drone at risk, especially if the wind picks up or a gust slams it into the house.
  • Who is it for? As mentioned, this drone should be in every roof inspector’s tool bag, even if simply as a backup in case a larger drone can not fly due to restrictions. Learn more about the DJI Mini 2 by clicking here.
• DJI Mavic 2 Pro: The big brother to the DJI Mini 2, the Mavic 2 Pro is a larger and more powerful drone. It also has an incredible 20MP camera sensor developed in conjunction with one of the world leaders in camera technology, Hasselblad. It produces incredibly sharp and clear images, and it’s larger size, weight and more powerful motors means that it can handle higher winds. It also has a great obstacle avoidance system built in that uses cameras and sonar to detect when it flies close to objects. It is much pricier than the Mini 2 but a well rounded option that should pay for itself quickly.
  • Pros: Excellent obstacle avoidance system, one of the better drone cameras in this list. Compatible with automated roof inspection software such as DroneDeploy’s Roof Report
  • Cons: Pricey, lacks a thermal imaging option that higher end drone models have
  • Who is it for? This is one of the most popular drones in the world, and will be a great machine for the average inspector. Learn more about the DJI Mavic 2 Pro here: DJI Mavic 2 Pro
• DJI Mavic 2 Enterprise Advanced: Now we are getting into some more serious drone inspection equipment. The Mavic 2 Enterprise is somewhat similar to the Mavic 2 Pro above but also includes a high resolution radiometric thermal camera, ideal for “seeing” what is under the surface of a roof, such as water leaks or insulation gaps. It also has a 48MP ultra-high resolution camera sensor that has a 32x digital zoom option, great for flights where you can not get very close to a building (such as an inspection around a ventilation system or communications antenna). The Enterprise edition also allows for attachments such as spotlights, speakers and more. It also includes GPS timestamping on all photos and video, ideal for detailed inspection reports.
  • Pros: Incredibly high resolution RGB camera, top of the line thermal camera. Enterprise grade image tagging and optional RTK positioning system. Integrates well various roof inspection software programs.
  • Cons: Very high cost (around $7500-$10,000 USD)
  • Who is it for? The Mavic 2 Enterprise Advanced is for the roof inspector needing very detailed and accurate reports and where thermal imaging is an important part of their workflow (typically important for inspections of commercial buildings with flat roofs where sub-surface leaks or standing water would not be visible on a regular camera). Definitely geared towards users doing high volumes or high value inspections. Learn more about the DJI Mavic 2 Enterprise Advanced here.

Drone Roof Inspection Software

Now, doing a drone roof inspection does not require software. Anyone can pop up a drone and take a few photos of a roof without having to rely on third party software. The benefits of doing an inspection via an app however is that inspections are repeatable, tracked and they typically make sharing the results with your customers very easy and seamless. Here is a list of currently available inspection software (in no particular order):

• Roof Report: This is a 3rd party app available inside of the DroneDeploy marketplace. DroneDeploy remains at the top of the heap when it comes to anything to do with drone mapping. We discuss DroneDeploy in general in this blog post, however this particular post covers DroneDeploy Roof Report, a sub-service of DroneDeploy that focuses strictly on roof measurements and data collection for roof inspectors. If you use their recommended settings for performing roof reports they state the results are 99.4% accurate, much higher than most standard inspection reports.
• EZ-Roof: Another great option for performing roof inspections, EZ-Roof charges only $60/house for processing roof inspection data. Like Roof Report, they provide and easy to share PDF or direct link to the report.
• EZ-3D: EZ-3D includes precise, automated measurements and detailed reports with every inspection. It also includes Xactimate integration to allow you to quickly generate pricing quotes for your roofing customers
• IMGING: This software by Loveland Innovations is one of the pricier ones of the bunch ($3299/year) but includes a lot of enterprise grade tools such as photo-realistic 3D models, bidding tools and more. See more pricing and plans at https://www.lovelandinnovations.com/annually/ or learn more about the company and software at https://www.lovelandinnovations.com/drone-inspection/
• Pix4D : Pix4D is another pricey option, but the software is incredibly reliable and the company has a track record of developing top-notch drone apps. Pix4D starts at $291/month (free trial available.
• RoofSnap: One of the cheaper options on this list, RoofSnap starts at only $99/month. They also offer an additional service that draws perimeter and pitch lines on the image generated by the drone. For pricing and other details please visit http://roofsnap.com/Home/Products

Drone Roof Inspection Costs

Roof inspection prices can vary greatly, with some roofers offering a basic inspection for free (typically as a lead magnet to sell new roofs) to companies charging thousands for a high resolution thermal inspection for commercial buildings.

Most companies charge a square foot roof inspection price, with smaller residential homes going for $0.05/sqft to $0.10/sqft for larger or more difficult to access properties.

We’ve been flying the DJI Inspire 2 since it launched. Over the years we’ve experienced pretty much all of the quirks and oddities that the Inspire 2 has.

Make no mistake, it is still one of our favorite machines to operate, it just needs a little coaxing from time to time.

Tips and Tricks to fix some common issues on the DJI Inspire 2:

• Help, my Inspire 2 Controller screen stays black, and camera feed won’t show. What do I do?
  • This is a common issue with the Inspire 2, especially in older models. Some things that may cause this issue:
    • Firmware mismatch between the different components: remember, there are many components on the Inspire 2 that require updates, not just the drone. Be sure that your camera, batteries, drone, controller and mobile device app have all been updated to the latest version of the software
    • Clean the connectors on the Zenmuse camera: using a Q-tip with some rubbing alcohol will usually do a great job cleaning the contacts between the camera and the drone. Also make sure that all the contacts are straight and unbent or you won’t have a good connection
    • Replace your vibration absorbing board (part 23): probably THE most common cause of not seeing a camera feed on your Inspire 2 controller. There is a ribbon cable that runs under this board that occasionally gets pinched or worn out. The only option is to replace the whole vibration absorbing board (bit of a pain to replace to be honest!).
• The camera gimbal on my Inspire 2 suddenly resets mid-flight, how do I fix it?
  • This is similar to the issue above, typically caused by a worn or faulty Vibration Absorbing Board. If your camera feed also cuts out at the same time it is almost guaranteed to need a replacement board.
• Getting random “Obstruction” or “Obstacle” notices on my Inspire 2 controller (even though there are none!)
  • One of the main reasons this occurs is that you are getting indirect sun in the front obstacle sensor. Typically flying into the sun is not an issue, however flying at an angle towards the sun can cause some flare in the obstacle sensors that can trigger this warning. If you switch to Sport mode this disables the front sensors and will ensure smooth flight (but you lose any obstacle avoidance of course!)
• Getting the warning “Video Format not supported with the current activation key. Cannot record by SSD”
  • Another annoying DJI error, typically due to a firmware glitch. Restarting the Inspire 2 will usually fix this error. If not, you may need to connect your tablet, phone or CrystalSky to WiFi or to a hotspot so that DJI can verify the license against it’s database

• Tried calibrating the Inspire 2 vision system but DJI Assistant is showing “device not supported”, what do I do?
  • This is typically an issues that Mac users encounter. If you’ve confirmed your Mac is updated and you’ve already tried reinstalling the Assistant software it may be time to try a Windows laptop. It seems DJI, although they seem to design their drone apps around iOS, they seem to prefer Windows devices when it comes to updating software or calibrating sensors.
• Help, my DJI Inspire 2 arm twisted and now the propeller hits the drone!
  • We’ve experienced this problem ourselves (luckily happened when about only 2 feet from the ground resulting in minimal damage). This is caused by the middle arm clamp (the clamp that holds the arm at a specific angle) wearing out and not holding the ribbed arm mount in place. This problem manifests itself especially in cold weather when vibrations are higher (due to a stiff airframe) and on Inspire 2 drones that have a lot of flight hours. There are several fixes for this but the easiest one (and the one that we’ve used for the past few years without issues) is simply wrapping a single strip of black electrical tape around the ribbed portion of the arm and tightening the clamp back up again. This eliminates any slack in the clamp and it holds tight. BE SURE TO DO BOTH SIDES!

The DJI FPV drone is an incredibly well rounded FPV drone, perfect for those getting into the hobby. It does have a few shortcomings (very easily wrecked, expensive, camera isn’t quite as good as the GoPro etc) but overall it is a great machine.

Here is a list of tweaks, tips and tricks to get the most out of your FPV drone.

DJI FPV Drone Tips, Tricks and FAQs

• “My FPV drone constantly drifts even though I’m not touching the sticks”
  • This is typically due to one of two things:
    • A) You haven’t yet locked onto enough satellites. You’ll want a minimum of at least 7-10 satellites prior to taking off (unless of course you are flying in manual mode). To properly figure out its position the DJI FPV drone needs enough satellites to get an accurate GPS lock
    • B) You need to do an IMU calibration. The IMU is the little sensor inside the drone that sorts out which way is up and how the drone is moving through the air. If you are experiencing drift issues it may be worth calibrating the DJI FPV drone IMU.
• “My goggles stopped updating the OSD (On Screen Display) information and all the numbers are frozen”
  • Typically a goggle reboot fixes this issue. Keep an eye on the DJI update page (https://www.dji.com/ca/dji-fpv/downloads) as well as they do tend to push out frequent updates, especially for newer machines like the DJI FPV drone
• “Is there a better flight simulator than the DJI FPV flight simulator that will allow me to practice my skills?”
  • Yes, the Liftoff Flight Simulator (https://www.liftoff-game.com/) is widely regarded as the best, most realistic flight simulator on the market today. A recent poll inside of a FPV Facebook group gave the lead to Liftoff by a landslide, followed by Velocidrone.
• “How can I mount a GoPro to the top of my DJI FPV drone?”
  • As mentioned previously, the GoPro is still one of the preferred cameras for FPV. One of the main reasons is that the GoPro has a slightly wider field of view (making the footage even more immersive) as well as having accessible IMU sensor data. The reason the IMU data is important is because the IMU data can be used in conjunction with software call ReelSteadyGO (https://www.reelsteady.com/pages/go-details) to give you buttery smooth, cinematic footage. The built in DJI FPV camera is nowhere near as smooth as the GoPro/Reelsteady setup and can’t be effectively run through stabilization software without the IMU data. So, how do you mount the GoPro to the top of the FPV drone? Three options:
    • If you have access to a 3D printer you can download this file from Thingiverse: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4818068?fbclid=IwAR0luRkwuIGZ3ALNZM5nT6ZhY9OgA33aDrPyJFFNy1_g6Ewc1EuDEtk_1VU
    • Order a pre-made DJI FPV GoPro mount from a company like DroneCoProductions: https://www.dronecoproductions.com/?fbclid=IwAR0ffHoM_bgAviPO_KFiGL3wv8HI5iijATCT7_aNs_yTpMxuISulduB2puY
    • If you want a rear mount option (makes for some incredible footage!) you can order a custom printed one from eBay here: https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/203497317314?fbclid=IwAR0pnQldcfYU6kHZfTSGJnX8IzOUc7Fpt7lQbWIj9j-qmOAdLb-k0sn7i5g
• “Help, my DJI FPV drone gives me the error “Remote Controller Stick Error” when I switch into manual mode (and then it switches back to normal mode)”
  • Couple of reasons that may cause this annoying error message:
    • If your throttle stick (the left one if flying in Mode 2) still has the spring tensioner in place you may get this error if you go into manual mode and then accidentally let go of the throttle. The rapid “pop” of the stick back to center along with the subsequent bounce seems to confuse the flight controller and the drone may pop back into Normal mode
    • Recalibrating your controller sticks may fix the issue. If you’ve been flying your FPV drone a lot it may be worth doing a calibration to see if that fixes the error.
    • You may be flying too close to an airport or controlled airspace. If you hit the geofence around these areas you will have trouble staying in manual mode as the drone will automatically stop and revert to Normal mode.