How do insurance drone roof inspections work?
On claims
A drone lets the adjuster or a contracted pilot capture every slope at close range, measure the roof, and document missing shingles, lifted tabs and debris impacts. Commercial drone pilots fly under the FAA's Part 107 rules. The weak spot is hail: an adjuster confirms a hail hit partly by touch, feeling the soft spot where the shingle mat fractured. Light colored or weathered shingles also hide hits in photos. If your hail claim was decided from drone images and you disagree, ask for a hands-on inspection.
On renewals
Many insurers now review roofs with aerial imagery and no visit. The images can flag dark streaks, patches, tarps, debris or missing shingles, and lead to a repair request, a coverage change or a non-renewal. Images can be outdated or misread, for example algae streaks taken for damage. If a decision rests on an image, ask for the image date and what exactly it showed, and respond with current photos and a roofer's condition report.
Protecting yourself
- Keep your own dated roof photos, especially after any repair or replacement.
- Ask for copies of any drone or aerial images used in a decision.
- For hail, pair drone overview shots with on-roof test square photos.
Related reading: what adjusters look for and roof age and insurance. Robust Roofing covers the limits of the technology in its guide to drone roof inspections.