Drone Roof Survey FAQs · Sitesafe Drone ServicesAnswers,
Straight Up.

It's a detailed inspection of a roof carried out with an unmanned aircraft (a drone), flown entirely from the ground. We capture high-resolution 4K imagery and video of every part of the roof: the covering, upstands, flashings, gutters, outlets, penetrations and edge details. No one climbs onto the roof. That imagery is then reviewed and written up into a clear condition report.

Safety, speed and cost. Falls from height are the single biggest cause of workplace deaths in the UK, and a drone removes that risk entirely: no scaffold, no ladders, no one working at height. It's also quicker to mobilise, with no access equipment to erect, and usually cheaper than paying for scaffolding or a cherry picker just to take a look.

No. The whole survey is flown from ground level, so the hazard is removed at source rather than managed with harnesses and edge protection.

Yes. We operate as a CAA-registered drone operator with a registered pilot, and the lead operator is NEBOSH-certified in health and safety. Every flight is planned with a written risk assessment and method statement, and airspace restrictions are checked before we fly.

Yes. We carry public liability insurance for our drone operations.

Yes, when it's done properly. We fly within CAA rules for our category of operation, keep the drone within visual line of sight at all times, and check for airspace restrictions before each flight. We only ever survey a property on the client's instruction.

A drone survey is a visual inspection, and it's very good at spotting visible defects: split or lifting felt, cracking, ponding, blocked gutters and outlets, damaged flashings, cracked rooflights, failing seals and general wear. What it can't do is see beneath the covering or inside the structure. It doesn't assess the deck, insulation or structural condition, and it isn't an intrusive investigation. Where that matters, we say so and recommend the next step, such as a moisture survey or core samples.

The flight itself is usually well under an hour, depending on the size and complexity of the roof. Most of the work happens off-site: reviewing 150+ images, categorising every defect and writing the report. You'd typically have the finished report within a day or two.

Dry conditions with light wind are ideal. We can't fly safely in heavy rain or strong winds, and they harm image quality too, so occasionally a survey moves to the next suitable window. We'll always keep you posted.

Flat and pitched roofs, on commercial and domestic buildings, including larger or awkward structures where getting a person up safely would be difficult or expensive. We also work on listed buildings, where a non-contact inspection is often exactly what's needed.

Yes. Thermal and moisture-mapping surveys are available on request, and you can read more on our Thermal Imaging page. Get in touch and we'll talk through whether it's the right tool for your building.

A clear, professional condition report. It sets out the overall condition of the roof, a schedule of every defect found, each rated by priority (immediate, within three months, or monitor), annotated photographs and practical recommendations. Video footage and full-resolution photographs are available on request.

No, and that's deliberate. We're an independent survey service, so our findings aren't influenced by winning repair work. The report gives you a clear, categorised picture of the roof's condition with indicative recommendations, which should be confirmed by a competent roofing contractor before any work is priced or carried out.

We keep the survey focused on the roof in question. Incidental capture of people or neighbouring property is minimised and reviewed before anything is issued, and all imagery is handled in line with UK GDPR. Footage is shared privately, never published.

Surveys start from £150, with the price depending on the roof size and the scope of the work. See our Pricing section for the current options, or get in touch for a fixed quote. Most jobs are priced up front, with no VAT to add.

We cover the whole of the UK. Our base is in Warwickshire and the West Midlands, which is where most of our surveys are, but distance is rarely a problem, so if your site is further afield just ask and we'll be glad to travel for the right job.

Call 07356 259212, email lawrence@sitesafedrones.co.uk, or use the Get a Quote form on the website. Tell us the address, the roof type and what you're trying to find out, and we'll come back with a price and a likely date.