Wednesday , 6 November 2024

How To Perform Drone Roof Inspections For Construction

Drone aircraft have revolutionized the field of measuring and inspecting roofs. Traditionally roof inspection involved workers getting a roof and measuring it. This process was time consuming, physically dangerous, and hard to do. A drone can do the same work without danger in a fraction of the time. Drones are one of the many technology solutions to eliminate daily struggles. As the head of a company who inspects roofs, moving to drones could change your entire business. Yet, the technology involved might seem daunting. However, a drone inspection can be done in just a few simple steps. Read below to learn how to perform drone roof inspections.

Buy A Drone

The first move to start a drone inspection is, obviously, to buy a drone. While the market for drones is wide and varied, there are a few things your drone will need to have to do inspections. The drone will need to be able fly up to 400 feet to accurately scan buildings. It will also need a camera with and HD uplink that can be pointed directly down in flight. It also needs GPS guidance for the roof scan. Finally, since the inspection process takes some time, the drone needs a battery capable of 20 minutes of flight time. A drone with these features will serve well for any roof inspection.

Check Regulations

Before you can conduct an inspection, make sure you’ve read and follow any drone regulations. According to FAA regulations, to operate drones for commercial purposes you will need to get a remote pilot airmen certificate. You also need to follow the FAA drone guidelines. This includes where and under what circumstances you can fly, as well as preflight checks. You should also check for additional state and local rules on drone use for commercial operations. As you start using a drone for business, make sure you are not breaking the law.

Find A Flight APP

The most effective way to fly a drone for data collection is to program your computer to do it for you. Data collection flights need to be very precise. There is a wide range of existing apps that will program your drone with a ten-minute inspection flight. Once your drone is in the air, the computer takes over and collects all the data you need. This process usually takes ten minutes. You might benefit from purchasing a wireless charging coil for guaranteed charging accessibility. An automated program will ensure that you will get a perfect scan of every roof, every time.

Build A 3D Model

With the scan of the roof complete, you can take the data collected by the drone and create a 3D map of the roof. The same app that provided the automated scan flight should do this as well. This process takes all the high resolutions pictures and drone telemetries to recreate the roof in the computer. These apps guarantee that this model will be highly accurate. Such scans have proven roughly 99% accurate. This means your 3D rendering is more accurate than any estimate you could achieve with traditional measurement.

Export Data

With an accurate 3D model and measurements for the roofing process, you will export that data for your project needs. The best apps will export this data in any way you wish. You can print the information to a .pdf to share with an insurance company you are doing a claim for. You can also export the measurements to CAD tools if you are measuring to install equipment. This step is important since the data is only useful if it can interact with your other programs. Exporting data correctly ensures your project succeeds without any misunderstandings about the data.

With a few easy steps you can inspect any roof with a drone. Buy a drone capable of doing the job. Ensure you are complying with all federal, state, and local drone regulations. Find a scanning app that will automate your drone’s scanning flight. Use the scanning software to build an accurate 3D model in the computer. Export this data in the format that will best assist your project. These steps will let you inspect roofs with speed and safety.

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