The benefits of using a drone for conducting rooftop building surveys

Aerial photography can help to provide a unique perspective on most businesses, but an increasingly popular option is for drones to be used to conduct aerial rooftop surveys. TJS recently completed an instruction for a client where we were asked to focus on three structures that internally appeared to be suffering with damage following the winter weather. In discussing their requirements with TJS the client realised it was both cheaper, safer and quicker to conduct a roofing survey via our Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) approved drone services rather than deploying expensive (and often dangerous) scaffolding. We surveyed two warehouses and one water tower which revealed some extraordinary results. We discovered damage to the main asbestos warehouse roof which needed immediate repair due to the products that the company produced. They would not have been able to identify this issue without erecting expensive scaffolding - and we were able to identify this problem within a short 20 minute flight above the building. On our quick flight over the water tower we also discovered that large panels of the roofing were missing that would also need to be replaced. The imagery we recorded for our surveys was then sent on to the various contractors involved in repairing the buildings. This allowed the contractors to immediately diagnose the problems and identify how best to fix them - saving time and money on lengthy surveying jobs. We've found that drone surveys offer many benefits in comparison to a 'normal survey' for roofing or tall structures.

• It's much safer than traditional methods. With a drone survey no-one has to be on a slippery roof or climb up a wobbly ladder or scaffolding. Our drone surveys are a much safer option where the imagery can be reviewed safely on the ground in real time as well as saved to be reviewed at a leisurely pace. Whilst we do conduct extensive risk assessments before any flight we minimise any risks where possible.
• The imagery that is captured is very accurate. Our drone is capable is recording in 4K for videos and captures very high resolution images which provide as much detail as possible. It also means that whereas a roofing survey maybe completed by one individual, the results from a drone aerial survey can be passed around to more people to have a much clearer verdict on the results. We can also provide before and after imagery of areas based on an exact GPS location, useful for reports of any works completed.
• It's the more cost effective option. We don't need to put up scaffolding, employ cherry pickers (and operators) or put up ladders which saves money and time and therefore makes us a cheaper option. We can quickly survey the roof with your staff on-site so that you can see the faults firsthand - moving in then to capture more detailed imagery before rounding the flight off. All of this can take place in less than an hour on-site depending on conditions and the job complexity.
• There's less disruption to your company. There's less noise, people, equipment and risk assessment information required for a drone survey so can be completed with minimal disruption to your company.

TJS are fully licensed with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and have full permission for commercial flights, as well as the necessary insurance. This means that you can have peace of mind as we ensure every single one of our flights abide to the letter of the law. Our staff conduct detailed risk assessments, ensuring briefings are given to the relevant on-site staff members. We also conduct pre-flight and post-flight checks after each operation - these are just the things we do whilst we're on-site! Behind the scenes we'll be monitoring weather conditions, NOTAMs and completed pre-flight paperwork to ensure your job can be completely safely and efficiently. If you are interested in an aerial drone rooftop survey then please get in touch for a quotation. Contact Adam on 01507 525500 to discuss how aerial drone surveys can help your business.