For homeowners & property owners
Drone Roof Inspection for an Insurance Claim
Drone inspections from $175 near you
Free to post · Usually a reply the same day
229 inspection pilots listed · Pay the pilot directly, no commission
Independent FAA Part 107 pilots who cover your area quote and fly the job.
Free to post
Two minutes, no card, no commitment.
Pay the pilot directly
No commission or markup on their price.
FAA Part 107 pilots
The license all paid drone work requires.
Usually a reply the same day
From a pilot, or from our team if no pilot has answered.
How it works
Three steps, and the first one is free
Describe the job
The form opens with this page's answers already filled in. Add the location and anything specific to your site.
A pilot near you sends a price
Pilots whose service area and services match are emailed. Usually a reply the same day, from a pilot or from our team.
Book them and pay them directly
Check their certificate, kit and sample work, then pay the pilot. SkyLog takes no cut and adds no markup.
What to know before you book
Talk to your adjuster before you commission the flight
Carrier requirements are not uniform and they are not stable. Some accept third-party drone imagery as supporting documentation without comment; some want their own inspection first; some have their own aerial programme and will send it. A five-minute call establishing what your adjuster will actually look at is worth more than any general advice on this page, and it is free. Ask two things: whether they accept independent aerial documentation, and what format they want it in.
What the imagery should contain
Establishing shots that show the whole property and locate the roof in its surroundings, so nobody can argue about which building this is. Then each elevation captured square-on at consistent height, with enough resolution to resolve individual shingles or tiles. Then close detail on every area of concern, with something in frame for scale where possible. Flashing, valleys, ridges, penetrations, vents and gutters photographed specifically, because those are where failures concentrate. And the undamaged areas too — a set that only shows the bad parts invites the question of what the rest looks like.
Where thermal helps and where it does not
For hail and wind damage on a pitched residential roof, high-resolution visual imagery is what a claim normally turns on: an adjuster is looking for bruising, granule loss, creased or lifted shingles, and thermal adds little to that. Where thermal earns its place is water that has already got in — moisture sitting in a flat or low-slope roof build-up, or wetting a ceiling below. If your claim is about the consequences of a leak rather than about impact damage, a post-sunset thermal pass is worth adding.
What a drone survey cannot settle
It cannot tell you the condition of the decking under the covering, it cannot feel for soft spots underfoot, and it cannot lift a shingle to see what is beneath. Causation is frequently the contested part of a roof claim — whether damage is storm-related or the end of a long decline — and that is an argument about the roof's history, its age and its installation, not about how sharp the photographs are. Independent imagery makes the argument better evidenced. It does not decide it, and a pilot who tells you it will is not doing you a favour.
What the file should contain
- Establishing shots that locate the roof in its surroundings, so nobody can argue about which building this is.
- Each elevation square-on at consistent height, at enough resolution to resolve individual shingles or tiles.
- Close detail on flashing, valleys, ridges, penetrations, vents and gutters — and on the undamaged areas too.
- Original unedited files with metadata intact, delivered alongside any annotated set rather than instead of it.
What a survey cannot settle
- Tell you the condition of the decking, or feel for soft spots underfoot.
- Establish causation — whether damage is storm-related or the end of a long decline. That is an argument about the roof's history, not about photograph sharpness.
- Guarantee your carrier accepts it. Some want their own inspection first; some run their own aerial programme.
- Add much on hail and wind impact if it is thermal. Thermal earns its place where water has already got in.
Call your adjuster before commissioning the flight and ask two things: whether they accept independent aerial documentation, and what format they want it in. It costs nothing and it is worth more than any general advice.
Why post it on SkyLog
Dated evidence, early
The single most useful property of independent imagery is its timestamp. Damage that is documented the week it happened is much harder to attribute to something that came later, and a roof deteriorates while a claim queue moves.
Nobody walks a damaged roof
A roof that has just taken hail, wind or a fallen limb is the worst possible surface to send someone onto. Getting the imagery without a ladder removes the part of this process most likely to hurt somebody.
Ask for the raw files
Keep the originals, not just the report. Unedited files with their capture metadata intact are what a carrier or a second opinion will want to look at; an exported PDF of cropped images answers fewer questions than the folder it came from.
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.
Pilots who list insurance and claims work
Real published profiles. Open any one to see credentials, kit, service area and sample work before you post.
Carey Daveler
Pennsylvania, United States
10 work samples
Aerial photos! I'm Carey Daveler, the pilot behind Shockwave Design LLC, serving agents and homeowners across the Susquehanna Valley, from Pittsburg to Philly and Williamsport to Winchester VA. I specialize in aerial photos for houses, land, and construction in progress as well as roof inspections and storm damage. The goal is to overdeliver clear, well-composed images to show your home or project the way you want to see it. Cinematic videos are also available to showcase your property.
Real estateInspectionMapping / surveyConstructionAgricultureOther
Jeremy
Texas, United States
9 work samples
I’m Jeremy, a certified Part 107 aerial operator based in Spring, Texas. I specialize in delivering clear, accurate, and high‑quality aerial data for real estate, roof inspections, insurance claims, and property marketing. With a background in collections, accounting and operations, I bring a detail‑driven, business‑minded approach to every project. I have owned Aerial Depictions & Recordings for over 3 years now. I enjoy creating images and discovering views from an aerial perspective. To me, these are more than just images - they are Aerial Depictions. Capturing life's moments and movements you will never see from the ground.
Real estateWeddingEventInspectionMapping / surveyConstructionOtherAgricultureFilm / TV
David Medina
Texas, United States
6 work samples
FAA Part 107 certified remote pilot specializing in detailed aerial asset and roof inspections. Utilizing the DJI Air 3S, I leverage its dual-camera system (1" wide and 3x telephoto) to capture sub-inch structural details and defect data safely from a distance. Equipped with obstacle sensing and forward LiDAR, I deliver precise, professional, and repeatable aerial datasets for insurance, property management, and structural evaluations.
InspectionConstructionReal estate
Jake Griffith
Missouri, United States
2 work samples
FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot based in Warrensburg / Kansas City. I fly a DJI Matrice 4T and DJI Air 3 for roof, siding, gutter, and solar inspections, hail and moisture documentation, and thermal search for deer and lost pets. Clients get labeled RGB and thermal stills, often the same day, plus a short findings note they can send to an adjuster, contractor, or landowner. Occupied-site work is normal. Licensed and insured. Master’s of Business Administration in Airport Management.
Real estateInspectionMapping / surveyConstructionFilm / TVOtherWeddingEventAgriculture
Stanley T Parker
North Carolina, United States
6 work samples
I’m an FAA Part 107 Certified Commercial Drone Pilot and the owner of True North Aerial Imaging, serving Alexander, Iredell, Catawba, Davie, and Rowan counties. My work blends technical precision with a storyteller’s eye, delivering aerial and ground visuals that help clients see their projects, properties, and events from a higher perspective. Over the years, I’ve flown in a wide range of environments — real estate, construction progress, community events, public‑works projects, and heritage sites. Whether navigating tight spaces, adjusting to fast-changing weather, or coordinating with on‑site teams, I bring a disciplined, checklist-driven workflow to every mission. Safety, clarity, and professionalism are non‑negotiable.
Real estateConstruction
Douglas Gustafson
Minnesota, United States
1 work sample
Founded by a US Army veteran and licensed FAA Part 107 pilot, Dustoff Drone Services provides actionable aerial intelligence for commercial developers, general contractors, and facility managers. We deliver sub-inch 2D georeferenced orthomosaics, repeatable milestone progress tracking, and inspection-grade optical telephoto captures. You receive full-resolution datasets, GeoTIFFs, and marketing-ready media delivered via secure cloud link within 24 to 48 hours. Flown with strict site-safety discipline, active airspace clearance, and full commercial liability insurance.
Mapping / surveyConstruction
Inspection pilots by state
Before you post
Will my insurer accept drone photos?
Many adjusters accept dated drone imagery as supporting documentation, and drone inspection is now widely used by carriers themselves. But requirements genuinely vary by carrier and by claim, so ask your adjuster what they will accept before you pay for a flight rather than after.
Should I get my own inspection or wait for the adjuster?
They serve different purposes and are not mutually exclusive. Independent, dated imagery captured soon after the event protects you against the roof changing while the claim moves. It does not replace the carrier's own inspection, and nothing here is legal or claims advice — if the claim is large or contested, a public adjuster or attorney is the right person to ask.
How much does it cost?
A standard residential drone roof inspection generally runs $150 to $400, with a thermal pass adding roughly $100 to $200. On SkyLog, quotes across all inspection work have ranged from $100 to about $1,550, median $300 — a spread that mostly reflects how much reporting is included. Posting the job costs nothing and gets you real numbers for your roof.
How fast can someone come out?
In normal conditions, within a few days. After a widespread storm, every roof in the region is asking the same question at once and availability is the constraint rather than price. Post as early as you can and say the job is claim-related, because pilots who do this work prioritise it accordingly.
What should I keep?
Everything: the original unedited image files with their metadata, the report, the date, and a note of who flew it and when. Compressed copies emailed around lose the information that makes them useful.
Can the pilot deal with my insurer for me?
No, and be wary of anyone offering to. A drone pilot documents the roof. Negotiating a claim on your behalf is regulated work in most states and is the province of a licensed public adjuster.
From a job poster
The jobs nobody else would quote
“I was not expecting to have a response so quickly after calling countless different companies.”
Document your roof damage free
Post the job with the date of loss and what you need captured. Pilots who do claims work will quote you directly.
Free to post
No commission · about 2 minutes