Drone Flare Stack Inspection
The alternative to inspecting a flare from the air is shutting it down and building access to it. That comparison is not close, which is why flare inspection is one of the few applications where aerial became standard practice almost immediately.
- Free to post
- No commission on the job
- Part 107 certified pilots
117 inspection pilots ready to quoteAcross 37 states & regions
No shutdown to look
A survey while the flare is lit and in service replaces a decision that previously cost a turnaround slot. The economics are so lopsided that the inspection question becomes how often rather than whether.
The tip, actually seen
Tip condition, pilot burners, igniters, steam and air injection rings, the flare seal and the upper structure are all things nobody has looked at closely since the last turnaround. From the air they are a zoom lens away.
Plan the turnaround from evidence
Knowing the tip's condition months ahead changes a turnaround from a discovery exercise into a planned one — parts ordered, scope agreed, and no surprise when the scaffold goes up.
Free to post
Posting and receiving quotes costs nothing, and SkyLog takes no commission and adds no markup. You pay the pilot you hire, at the price the two of you agree.
What this settles
- The tip: erosion and burn-back, cracking, missing or damaged sections, wind shield and flame retention devices.
- Pilot burners and the ignition system including thermocouples and cabling — one of the most common findings and least visible from anywhere else.
- Steam or air injection rings and nozzles, and whether they are blocked, eroded or missing.
- The supporting structure: stack or derrick, ladders and platforms, guy wires and terminations, coating and corrosion, instrumentation and cabling.
What it does not
- Fly through or above the plume. A burning flare produces strong, unpredictable updraughts, and that is how aircraft are lost.
- Set a standoff in advance. It is determined on the day by flaring rate and wind, and the plan changes if the rate changes.
- Assess the flare's internals, or anything requiring contact.
- Get on site quickly. Permit to work, hazardous area classification, escort, induction and often a formal management-of-change come first.
Ask a prospective pilot how they intend to handle the plume. The quality of that answer tells you most of what you need to know.
How it works
Three steps, no account needed to start, and nothing to pay at any point in it.
- 1
Describe the job
The form opens with this page's answers already filled in — service, deliverable, site access. Add the location and anything specific to your site.
- 2
Pilots quote it
Every pilot whose service area and services match is notified. You get itemised quotes back with their credentials, kit and sample work attached.
- 3
Compare and hire
Pick on price, proximity or portfolio, and pay the pilot directly. SkyLog takes no cut and adds no markup to what you agree.
Inspection pilots with published profiles
Real published profiles. Open any one to see credentials, kit, service area and sample work before you post.
chris aldridge
Texas, United States
20 work samples
I’m a commercial drone pilot providing aerial mapping, property line overlays, topographic mapping, construction site data, radiometric thermal inspections, 3D modeling, real estate listing photography and video, property marketing, and professional aerial imagery for businesses and landowners.
Real estateWeddingEventInspectionMapping / surveyFilm / TVConstructionOther- George Benes
Oregon, United States
13 work samples
I've been a Part 107 drone pilot since 2019, working with Pacific Northwest clients on Real estate, construction progress, mapping, telecom inspections, architectural photography and events. I am very flexible and can provide deliverables within 24 - 48 hours. I take great pride in my work and having a photography business, my delivered photos are edited and culled to the best of the best. I worked for 30+ years as a commercial construction Superintendent, managing multi-million dollar construction projects and this experience allows me to be very safety oriented and knowledgeable on construction sites, providing the construction companies with usable deliverables that they can share with all stakeholders involved in their building project.
Real estateEventInspectionMapping / surveyConstruction 
Andy Jones
California, United States
12 work samples
FAA Part 107 Certified Remote Pilot based in Southern California, specializing in construction documentation, infrastructure inspections, mapping, orthomosaics, and aerial imagery. With more than two decades of experience managing complex federal construction projects, I understand the importance of accuracy, safety, and delivering actionable data—not just photos. I operate professional DJI Enterprise aircraft, including the DJI Matrice 4E, DJI Matrice 4T, as well as the DJI Air 3S for high-resolution imaging and the DJI Neo 2 for specialized close-range operations. My services include construction progress documentation, roof and property inspections, land development, infrastructure photography, photogrammetry, mapping, and custom aerial imaging. I also conduct search operations for lost pets using aerial search techniques and thermal imaging. Every mission is conducted in compliance with FAA regulations, with careful mission planning, clear communication, and a commitment to delivering high-quality results on schedule. Whether you need a single inspection or recurring project documentation, my goal is to provide reliable aerial data you can confidently use to make decisions.
Real estateEventInspectionMapping / surveyConstructionAgricultureOtherFilm / TVWedding
George Colonna
Maryland, United States
12 work samples
Started flying drones for General Dynamics Robotics Systems in 2009 as the subject matter expert and lead test engineer for RCTA and a program called the Soldier Machine Interface. We developed leader/follower code for up-armored autonomous assets a full decade before Google fielded their driverless car "train" and a UI that let soldiers/marines plan missions on the ground and in the air. My job was to ensure the software worked, more importantly, met customer requirements. Working in the field afforded me a wealth of experience regarding process and implementation, but also how to think critically and resolve issues on the fly. If interested in learning more about my credentials, please see my website. My current fleet is primarily DJI and Autel. I have RTK capability and a complete field kit to sustain remote operations for several days.
InspectionMapping / surveyConstructionOtherFilm / TV- K Enagonio
Tennessee, United States
10 work samples
I've been flying since 2015 and specialize in both cinematic filmmaking as well as surveying, construction, sensitive infrastructure capture, and music videos and events.
Film / TVConstructionInspectionEventAgricultureReal estateMapping / surveyOther 
Casey Jones
Arizona, United States
9 work samples
FAA Part 107 commercial drone pilot specializing in RTK mapping, aerial photography, thermal imaging, property documentation, construction progress, and detailed site capture. I operate professional DJI aircraft including the Matrice 4E and Matrice 4T, with RTK capability for repeatable, high-quality data collection. I approach each assignment as a complete mission, from airspace and site planning through safe flight operations, field verification, data handling, and final delivery. I serve clients throughout the California, Nevada, and Arizona tri-state region and am available for both individual assignments and multi-site projects.
Real estateEventMapping / surveyConstructionAgricultureOtherInspection
Inspection pilots by state
What the survey looks at
The flare tip itself: erosion and burn-back of the tip material, cracking, missing or damaged sections, and the state of any wind shield or flame retention devices. The pilot burners and ignition system, including thermocouples and their cabling, which is one of the most common findings and one of the least visible from anywhere else. Steam or air injection rings and nozzles, and whether they are blocked, eroded or missing. The flare seal where visible. Then the supporting structure: the stack or derrick, ladders and platforms, guy wires and their terminations on guyed flares, coating condition and corrosion, and the condition of instrumentation and cabling running up the structure. On many sites the pipe rack and knock-out drum get documented on the same visit because the aircraft is already airborne.
Flying near a lit flare
This is the part that makes it a specialist job rather than an ordinary tall-structure inspection. A burning flare produces a substantial thermal plume with strong and unpredictable updraughts directly above it, and flying through that is how aircraft are lost. Approaches are made from upwind and to the side, at a standoff determined on the day by the flare's rate and the wind, and the plan changes if the flaring rate changes. Radiant heat is a limit on how close an airframe can go. Wind direction shifts move the plume. The practical consequences: the pilot needs to be able to see and judge the plume, someone with operations knowledge should be involved in the plan, and there needs to be an agreed way to communicate if flaring rate changes mid-flight. Ask a prospective pilot how they intend to handle the plume; the quality of that answer tells you most of what you need to know.
Site rules on a live process plant
The airspace is the simple part. A refinery or petrochemical site brings a permit to work, a hazardous area classification that governs what equipment can be taken where, an escort, a site induction and often a formal management-of-change or risk assessment before an aircraft is allowed on site at all. Some operators require the aircraft to remain outside a defined boundary or restrict overflight of particular units. Radio protocols and a stop-work channel matter here more than on almost any other kind of site. All of this takes longer to arrange than the inspection takes to fly, so post early and state your requirements — a pilot who has worked a plant before will expect every item on this list.
Scoping it
Give the stack height and type — self-supported, guyed or derrick — and whether it will be lit and flaring during the survey, since that decides the whole flight plan. Say what needs documenting: tip only, tip plus ignition system, or the full structure. State the resolution you need in terms of the smallest thing that must be visible, because tip erosion is judged on detail. Ask for a report indexed by component with severity classifications, and ask for the imagery to be captured consistently enough to compare against the next survey — flare tips degrade progressively, and two comparable surveys are worth more than four incomparable ones. Say whether thermal is wanted; it can be informative on the structure and around the tip, though the flare itself dominates any thermal image.
Common questions
Can the flare stay lit during the inspection?
Yes — that is the main reason to do it this way. The pilot works around the thermal plume, approaching from upwind and to the side at a standoff set by the flaring rate and the wind on the day.
Is it safe to fly near a flare?
With a pilot who understands the plume, yes; without one it is a way to lose an aircraft. The updraught directly above a lit flare is severe and the radiant heat limits standoff. Ask specifically how they plan the approach.
How much does it cost?
More than a general asset inspection, because of the site requirements and the skill involved. Inspection quotes on SkyLog have ranged $100 to about $1,550 with a $300 median across 13 quotes spanning all inspection types — a refinery flare survey sits well above the middle of that. Post the stack for real numbers.
How often should a flare be inspected?
That is set by your own integrity and reliability programme. What aerial inspection changes is the cost of looking, which is why many sites moved from inspecting at turnaround to inspecting annually or more often.
Can it replace a physical tip inspection?
It replaces the need to build access in order to see. Anything requiring contact — measurement, testing, or the repair itself — still needs the turnaround. The value is knowing what the turnaround will involve before it starts.
What about hazardous area classification?
It is a real constraint and it is yours to specify. Some sites restrict where standard equipment may be taken and require the aircraft to remain outside a boundary. State it in the post so pilots can quote against your actual rules.
Related drone services
Post your flare inspection free
Give the stack height and type, whether it will be flaring, and your site's permit requirements.
- No commission, ever
- Part 107 certified pilots
- No obligation to hire
Prices and guidance on this page were last reviewed .