Roof inspection is a process of maintaining the conditions of the roof. And to make the inspection process, there is a technology innovation. Here, it’s great to know that there are drones that can make roof inspection easy. Also, these drones provide information about the conditions of your roofs. They provide an exact view by analyzing and scanning each specific roof area in detail. Generally, people used ladders in late times to reach the roofs and inspect their condition. But now it is all easy as there are drones for inspecting your roofs.
Here in the given below review, we have discussed all about the best drones for roof inspection. These drones are some of the best picks that you can opt for inspecting your roofs. Each drone has its unique features and also its drawbacks. Moreover, these drones will be discussed below in the review:
What will you see here?
Potensic ATOM
The Potensic Atom drone is one of the best budget-friendly and user-friendly drones. It's one of the best options if you are searching for a drone for your roof inspection. The drone is famously known for its small and compact design. Also, it is famous as a roof inspection drone. Here, the drone just weighs 249 grams and is foldable, which is enough for you to take the drone wherever you travel. The drone has a 1/3-inch CMOS Sony sensor and can shoot 12 MP photos and 4K HD videos. This suggests that the drone can easily provide high-quality and clear footage of your roof. It's impressive to know that you can have enough time to inspect your roof, as it comes with a maximum of 62 minutes of flight time. Further, the drone has GPS positioning, which allows it to fly accurately. Also, it has a GPS auto-return, which allows the drone to return when the signal is lost or the battery is low. Moreover, the Potensic ATOM drone consists of different flight modes that you can use while inspecting your roof. The features are as follows:
Follow Me: The drone will follow the operator automatically, keeping them in the center of the frame. This can be useful for filming the roof from different angles.
Waypoint Flight: The operator can create a flight path for the drone to follow. This can be useful for inspecting large roofs or roofs with complex structures.
Circle Flight: The drone will circle a point of interest, taking photos or videos from all angles. This can be useful for getting a complete view of the roof.
- Beginner-friendly: Easy to learn and fly, suitable for newcomers.
- Excellent GPS navigation and safety features enhance flight security.
- Versatile flight modes for creative photography and video opportunities.
- Relatively quiet operation minimizes disturbance during flights.
- Battery life, while reasonable, could be improved for longer flight sessions.
- Limited camera controls
DJI Air 2S
Secondly, the DJI Air 2S is also one of the best drones you can opt for. The drone has many amazing features, which make it suitable for the roof inspection task. It is lightweight and compact, so it can easily fit into your carry-on bags. Moreover, the Air 2S comprises a 1-inch CMOS sensor with a 20MP resolution. This sensor is capable of capturing high-quality images and videos of rooftops. Also, it has a 4x zoom lens, which gives a closer view of every specific space. There is an obstacle avoidance sensor present in it, which avoids obstacles while inspecting the roofs. It avoids obstructions such as trees, birds, chimneys, and power lines. Unfortunately, it's sad to know that the flight time is a maximum of 30 minutes, which is less than what the Potensic Atom drone has. But this much flight time is enough if you need a drone that has a roof inspection feature. Moreover, there are many other features that you can use for inspecting your roof. These features are listed below:
ActiveTrack 4.0: This feature allows the drone to follow a specific subject, such as yourself or roof damage, while you are inspecting the roof.
Point of Interest 3.0: This feature allows the drone to circle a specific point, such as a chimney or a vent while taking photos or videos.
Spotlight 2.0: This feature allows the drone to keep a spotlight on a specific subject, such as roof damage, while you are inspecting it.
- Powerful camera
- Easy to fly
- Compact and lightweight
- Quite expensive
- Flight time is shorter.
Autel EVO II Dual 640 T
Moving forward, the Autel EVO II Dual 640 T is a high-end thermal imaging drone that is ideal for roof inspection applications. The drone best in the market of thermal Imaging drones. Talking about its specialty, it has a dual camera system. Here the camera system includes an 8K visual spectrum sensor and a 640x512 radiometric thermal sensor. These sensors allow the users to capture detailed images and videos of roofs from both the visible and infrared spectrums. Also, these sensors identify defects, leaks, and other problems on the roofs. Here the Autel EVO II Dual 640 T also has a limited flight time of a maximum of 38 minutes which is less but enough for roof inspection. It's great to know that now you do not need to wait for hours for the drone to be charged as this drone gets charged in just 90 minutes. There is an obstacle avoidance sensor that can avoid the objects that come in the way. Moreover, it consists of a 13mm lens and 16x digital zoom which is capable of recognizing problems easily. Also, there are other features that make the drone one of the best options. The features are as follows:
High-resolution thermal sensor: The EVO II Dual 640T's thermal sensor has a resolution of 640x512 pixels. This allows inspectors to see small details and temperature differences, even in low-light conditions.
Radiometric thermal sensor: The EVO II Dual 640T's thermal sensor is radiometric, which means that it can measure absolute temperature. This allows inspectors to generate accurate temperature maps of roofs, which can be used to identify potential problems such as heat loss or leaks.
Waypoint navigation: The EVO II Dual 640T can be programmed to fly a pre-determined route, which can save time and ensure that the entire roof is inspected thoroughly.
- Obstacle avoidance
- Fast charging
- Expensive
- Can be complex to operate for beginners
DJI Mavic 3
Now let's discuss the DJI Mavic 3. It is an excellent choice if you are opting for a roof-inspecting drone. The drone is lightweight and foldable which easily sets in your backpacks. It has a high-resolution camera system including a 20-megapixel wide-angle camera. Also, it has a 12-megapixel telephoto camera with 56x zoom. Here the 56x zoom easily identifies potential problems with the roof, such as missing shingles, damaged flashing, and clogged gutters. Moreover, the drone is very easy to fly even if you are a beginner. It's great to know that it has a flight time of a maximum of 46 minutes which is more than that of Autel EVO II Dual 640 T and DJI Air 2S drones. Also, it has many flight mode features which you can use for inspecting your roofs. Such features are as follows:
Obstacle avoidance: The Mavic 3 Enterprise has omnidirectional obstacle avoidance sensors that help to prevent it from colliding with objects. This is especially important when inspecting roofs, as there may be obstacles such as chimneys, vents, and skylights.
Return to Home: The drone has a Return to Home function that automatically returns the drone to its takeoff point. This is a useful feature in case of a lost signal or low battery.
Advanced Pilot Assistance Systems (APAS): The Mavic 3 Enterprise has APAS, which helps the drone avoid obstacles while flying on a pre-planned route. This can be useful for inspecting complex roofs with many obstacles.
- High-resolution camera
- Return to Home
- Advanced Pilot Assistance Systems (APAS)
- Requires a pilot license in some jurisdictions
- Can be tough to fly in windy conditions
DJI Mini 3 Pro
Now here comes one of the best choices, the DJI Mini 3 Pro! The DJI Mini 3 pro is one of the best choices when it comes to roof inspection drones. The drone is mainly famous for its lightweight, compact size and for having many advanced features. Such features make the drone the best choice for professional and amateur roof inspectors. The DJI Mini 3 Pro features a 48MP camera with a 1/1.3-inch sensor. This camera is capable of capturing high-resolution photos and videos, even in low-light conditions. This makes it ideal for capturing detailed images of roofs, even from a distance and also in low light. Unfortunately, it also has a flight time of a maximum of 34 minutes which is quite the same as all the mentioned drones. Moreover for avoiding obstacles while you are inspecting your roof, the drone comprises tri-directional obstacle sensing and APAS 4.0. Through such type of obstacle-avoiding sensor, you can fly your drone without worrying about its damage. However, many other features make the drone one of the best choices. Such amazing features are as follows:
Zoom: The DJI Mini 3 Pro has a 4x digital zoom, which allows you to get closer to specific areas of the roof for more detailed inspections.
Vertical shooting: The DJI Mini 3 Pro can shoot video vertically, which is ideal for creating social media content or sharing with clients.
QuickShots: The DJI Mini 3 Pro has several QuickShots, which are pre-programmed flight patterns that allow you to capture cinematic footage with a single tap. This can be useful for capturing overview shots of the roof or for highlighting specific features.
- Affordable
- Fantastic design
- Good Camera system
- Can be damaged by extreme weather conditions
- Can be difficult to operate
Parrot Anafi Work
Last but not least, the Parrot Anafi Work is also an amazing drone for roof inspection. The drone comes with a small size and is lightweight along with a 4K camera. Here the 4K camera is good for taking high-quality images and videos. Also, the camera can be tilted to 180 degrees to inspect the underside of the roof without having to fly the drone directly over it. Moreover, the Parrot Anafi Work drone has a lossless zoom of up to 2.8x. This allows the users to get close-up images of specific areas of the roof without having to fly the drone too close. It has a hybrid image stabilization system that combines optical and electronic stabilization to produce smooth and stable footage. Moreover, many other features make the Parrot Anafi Work drone a great choice. The features are listed below:
GPS positioning: The Anafi Work has a GPS positioning system that allows you to accurately track its location. This can help plan and execute your inspection route.
Return-to-home function: The Anafi Work has a return-to-home function that will automatically bring the drone back to its take-off location if the battery runs low or if you lose signal. This can be a safety feature for roof inspections, as it ensures that you won't lose the drone if something goes wrong.
FreeFlight 7 app: The Anafi Work is controlled using the FreeFlight 7 app, which is available for both iOS and Android devices. The app includes several features that are useful for roof inspections, such as the ability to create flight plans, take photos and videos, and view live video footage from the drone's camera.
- 4K camera with lossless zoom
- 180° tilting camera
- Hybrid image stabilization
- No obstacle avoidance sensors
- Short flight time
Why do users opt for roof inspection drones?
Users opt for a drone for inspecting their roofs as these devices make the inspection process easy. Also, there are many other reasons why users opt for such drones. These reasons are as follows:
- Safety: Drones can inspect roofs without requiring a human inspector to climb up, which can be dangerous, especially on steep or high roofs.
- Efficiency: Drones can inspect roofs much quicker than humans, especially on large or complex roofs.
- Accuracy: Drones can capture high-resolution images and videos of roofs, which can be used to identify even small defects or damage.
Conclusion
Hence, the above review discussed the best drone for roof inspection. Here, above all, the drones are all best in one or another. If you are confused about what type of drone you need, the Potensic Atom drone is the best choice. The drone is all in one as it has many outstanding features. Also, it has a flight time of 62 minutes, which is relatively more than the other drones. With this much flight time, you can quickly inspect your roof for an hour without disturbance. However, it depends upon personal choices what type of drone you prefer. All the drones are the best, and the best one for you will depend upon your preferences and needs.
