What a drone survey is
A drone survey uses a camera drone to photograph and film a roof from above and at close range. It is quick, it avoids putting anyone on a steep, fragile or very high roof, and it produces clear images of areas that are otherwise hard to see from the ground.
What it can show
- Broken, slipped or missing roof tiles and sheets
- Ridge, hip and verge condition
- Flashings at walls, parapets and roof penetrations
- Blocked or sagging gutters and debris in valleys
- Ponding on flat roofs after rain
- The condition and mounting of solar panels
What it can’t show
A camera only sees the surface. It cannot see under tiles, test whether a membrane is watertight, take moisture readings, check falls with a level, or look inside the roof void at staining, insulation and ventilation. Many of the faults that actually cause leaks — membranes that stop short, upstands that are too low, outlets not dressed into the waterproofing — need hands-on inspection.
That is why a drone survey is best seen as a supplement to a proper roof and drainage inspection, not a replacement for one. Our guide to roof drainage explains what a full check covers.
When a drone survey is worth it
Drones earn their keep on large, steep or high roofs where safe access is difficult, on complex roofs with many valleys and junctions, and where you want a photographic record of a roof’s condition at a point in time — for example at handover, or before a warranty runs out. They are also useful for checking solar arrays without walking on the panels.
Rules in Thailand
Drones in Thailand must be registered with the relevant authorities and flown within aviation rules, which restrict flying near airports and over people. Anyone offering drone surveys should be able to show their registration and insurance. Phuket’s airport and busy beachfront areas make this particularly relevant.
How we use drones on villa inspections
Every villa pre-handover inspection includes a drone assessment of the roof and the surrounding grounds. We use it for what it does best — a clear, close view of the whole roof and its fittings — and combine it with hands-on checks of gutters, flashings and drainage from accessible positions, the roof void where it can be reached, and moisture and thermal testing of the ceilings below wherever anything looks suspect.
That way the report shows the roof from the outside and the inside, and anything the camera can’t confirm is checked another way. For the most common roof-related faults, read damp in villas, and see fees for what each villa inspection includes.