Drone roof inspections

Our Newest Inspector…ED-E.

For years, really tall chimneys and hidden valleys on big roofs have been a thorn in my side.  I really do try to get to every square inch of the roof with my own two eyes, but sometimes it’s not feasible.   I am as close to Spiderman on a roof as it comes, but I am no Superman.  On more than one occasion I have climbed to the summit, only then to have to figure out how to get down.  When inspecting a house with a roof like this, I joke to everyone I am no good to them dead.  But there is a bit of truth to that.  If I fall from a three story roof…cancel Christmas. 

Say Hi ED-E

ED-E  is Phantom Vision Drone.  He boast GPS Flight Mode that makes it quite simple to use.  He has hands-free hovering, which means you can let go of the sticks, and he stays put.  This helps the pilot/videographer (that would be me) film what he needs to without concentrating on keeping the robot in the air.  With a maximum range of over 1000 feet and 30 minutes of flight time on a battery, he is more than well-equipped to check out your roof, chimney, or anything else that is just too high for a person to reach safely.  Wifi and Blu-tooth help link his HD camera to my phone, so I can see what the camera is seeing in real time.

A cool shot from high above a clients neighborhood.
A cool shot from high above a clients neighborhood.

On The Job

ED-E has only been on the job for about a month.  While I do not need his help on every home inspection, when he has been called in, he has proven himself invaluable.  Here is a short video shot during a recent inspection where the chimney was too tall to reach with a ladder. It was really windy that day, so please forgive the jerky footage.

I have been asked several times about a cost of using ED-E when looking at houses. I do not charge extra to use any tool I own.  I invest in the tech to the be the best possible inspector I can be.  For me to  look at a client and say for extra money I can use this really great tool and find more problems for you is just not fair.  There is no extra cost for using ED-E, or any other tool I carry.  We all come as a package.

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