Using Drones for Roof Surveys

[Road Pest]

Hi Everyone,

Just interested in finding out if anyone out there is using drones to identify roofing problems or maybe just using them to take aerial shots and if the quality would be good enough to identify roofing problems.

We are thinking of using them to get a better view of the roof to identify potential tile/roof issues earlier in the process of installing solar.

Would be interested to hear from anyone who has had any experience.

Thanks,

Phil

[andyr30]

It's something I will be offering once all the licensing is sorted out. However I have done some at my house and my parents already.

Picture quality is fine and I will be able to provide video or stills with my current setup. With the future setup I will have live HD monitoring for the client to watch in real time....I currently have live view but it is just on my phone and quality is reduced.

You have to be a confident pilot as you do need to get quite close.

[rpguk]

IIRC there are paper work/licencing issues to deal with when you do anything with drones commercially in this country. That and insurance are what put me off going through with a drone based venture last year.

I'd be keen to hear how this goes if anyone else has practical experience though.

[Road Pest]

Just spoke to two people, someone with a survey company and a supplier. Both have said that even with a license you are not allowed to fly within 50M commercially, and as said above to not cause damage you have to be a good pilot, but also lucky as there can be complications with interference of radio signal.

[JABB]

Where are you? I know someone who does this sort of thing in Swindon, but may travel

[Road Pest]

We're based in the midlands so not a million miles away. Do you know how they get around the commercial 50M thing?

[JABB]

I don't. PM me and I will give you their details to make contact

[mattdaniels]

Road Pest said:

Hi Everyone,

Just interested in finding out if anyone out there is using drones to identify roofing problems or maybe just using them to take aerial shots and if the quality would be good enough to identify roofing problems.

We are thinking of using them to get a better view of the roof to identify potential tile/roof issues earlier in the process of installing solar.

Would be interested to hear from anyone who has had any experience.

Thanks,

Phil

I have a DJI Phantom 2 with a GoPro Hero3 camera on a gimball and an HD downlink to a 7" screen bolted to the controller and the picture quality is very good as long as you have a clear line of sight to the quad and the quad is rotated in the right orientation to point towards the receiver.

As mentioned above, you will need an appropriate licence to operate commercially and expect to uncover a few grey areas during your research as the legislation has not really caught up with the technology.

[eliot]

What about a hd cam mounted on the end of a carbon fibre pole ?

[simonrockman]

In my experience it's a two person job. One to fly the drone and one to operate the camera.

[bulldog5046]

You need a BNUC-S qualification and appropriate kit. It's by no means cheap, and you can't modify the copter after you submit your operations manual without having to do it all again.

Have a look here for a bit more info:

http://www.quadcopters.co.uk/unmanned-aerial-photo...

[sgrimshaw]

eliot said:

What about a hd cam mounted on the end of a carbon fibre pole ?

Mast photography is also much cheaper ....

http://www.ukinspectioncamera.co.uk/index.html

[simonrockman]

bulldog5046 said:

You need a BNUC-S qualification and appropriate kit. It's by no means cheap, and you can't modify the copter after you submit your operations manual without having to do it all again.

Have a look here for a bit more info:

http://www.quadcopters.co.uk/unmanned-aerial-photo...

Thanks, that's a useful link.

Here is what I did last weekend - I was driving the car: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rISZwB_5IA

[markmullen]

Road Pest said:

Just spoke to two people, someone with a survey company and a supplier. Both have said that even with a license you are not allowed to fly within 50M commercially, and as said above to not cause damage you have to be a good pilot, but also lucky as there can be complications with interference of radio signal.

It is 50m of a structure not in your control, eg 50m of someone else's building, if you're working with the owner you should be fine.

The licencing, as discussed below, is more of an issue.

As a photographer I have clients who'd kill for aerials at a fraction of the cost of a helicopter shot but the licencing is a pain so I use mine purely for my own fun.

[silent k]

A friend of a friend has a business doing aerial photography/ surveying using a drone, might be worth contacting him. This is his site here

[crackthatoff]

markmullen said:

It is 50m of a structure not in your control, eg 50m of someone else's building, if you're working with the owner you should be fine.

The licencing, as discussed below, is more of an issue.

As a photographer I have clients who'd kill for aerials at a fraction of the cost of a helicopter shot but the licencing is a pain so I use mine purely for my own fun.

it it not the done thing to give a free quad video and charge for the editing of it ?

[madbadger]

crackthatoff said:

markmullen said:

It is 50m of a structure not in your control, eg 50m of someone else's building, if you're working with the owner you should be fine.

The licencing, as discussed below, is more of an issue.

As a photographer I have clients who'd kill for aerials at a fraction of the cost of a helicopter shot but the licencing is a pain so I use mine purely for my own fun.

it it not the done thing to give a free quad video and charge for the editing of it ?

Or charge for a basic visual inspection from ground level with a free drone video as a bonus.

[wolves_wanderer]

We recently completed a contract for building inspections of several thousand schools shot from our helicopters. If you are still looking I can provide you with examples and a quote. PM if interested.

[Ean218]

madbadger said:

crackthatoff said:

it it not the done thing to give a free quad video and charge for the editing of it ?

Or charge for a basic visual inspection from ground level with a free drone video as a bonus.

Doing the filming would still count as "aerial work" from the CAA's point of view.

[Transmitter Man]

I also have a good mate that has I believe CAA licensing for higher level flying;

http://www.takeoffmedia.co.uk/

Phil