Drone Inspection Services — Sioux City & Tri-State Region
Aerial roof inspections, solar panel analysis, and infrastructure assessment across Iowa, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Minnesota — safer than sending workers up, faster than traditional methods, same-day results.
What we inspect
- Residential & commercial roofs
- Solar panel arrays — thermal + visual
- Power lines & transmission infrastructure
- Bridges, towers, and tall structures
- Storm damage documentation for insurance
- FAA Part 107 certified — fully insured on every flight
Why Use a Drone for Inspections?
Traditional inspections require ladders, scaffolding, bucket trucks, or rope access — all of which put workers at height and add significant time and cost. Drone inspections eliminate that risk entirely while delivering higher-resolution imagery than a person standing on a roof could capture.
Our drones capture 4K video and high-resolution stills from multiple angles, including oblique approaches that reveal damage hidden from straight-down satellite views. For solar arrays, we can also deploy thermal imaging to identify underperforming panels that look normal visually but show a thermal signature indicating cell degradation or wiring faults.
All inspection reports include GPS-tagged imagery, annotated findings, and a written summary suitable for insurance claims, contractor bids, or maintenance records. Turnaround is same-day to next business day depending on report complexity.
Inspection Types
Roof Inspections
Residential and commercial roofs — shingles, flashing, gutters, penetrations, and drainage. Ideal for pre-purchase inspections, storm damage claims, and annual maintenance documentation.
Solar Panel Analysis
Visual and thermal imaging to identify cracked cells, delamination, soiling, and hotspots. Thermal analysis pinpoints underperforming panels that standard visual inspection misses.
Infrastructure & Power Lines
Transmission towers, power lines, bridges, grain bins, and tall structures. Eliminates the need for rope access or bucket trucks while capturing detailed close-up imagery.
Storm Damage & Insurance Documentation
Post-storm aerial documentation with GPS-tagged imagery, annotated damage reports, and video suitable for insurance adjusters. Faster and more complete than a manual adjuster walkthrough.
How It Works
Inspection to report in as little as one business day
Book & Brief
Tell us the property address, inspection type, and any specific areas of concern. We confirm airspace clearance, check local ordinances, and schedule the flight — usually within 3–5 business days. No access to the roof required from you.
Drone Flight
Our FAA Part 107 certified pilot systematically flies the structure, capturing 4K video, high-resolution stills, and — for solar or HVAC inspections — thermal imagery. Most residential roofs take 20–45 minutes on-site. Commercial properties vary by complexity.
Analysis & Annotation
We review all footage, annotate areas of concern with GPS coordinates and descriptive notes, and compile the inspection report. For thermal inspections, we overlay thermal and visual imagery for side-by-side comparison.
Report Delivery
Your full inspection report is delivered via your secure client portal — or by email if preferred. Reports include the annotated PDF, full-resolution imagery archive, and raw video. Insurance-ready formatting available on request.
What You Get
All deliverables delivered same-day or next business day
4K Inspection Video
Full walkthrough video of the structure from multiple angles, including close-up passes on problem areas.
Annotated Photo Report
GPS-tagged, annotated high-resolution stills identifying specific damage locations, severity, and recommended action.
Written Inspection Report
Detailed written summary of all findings, condition ratings by area, and prioritized recommendations. Insurance-adjuster ready.
Thermal Imagery (Solar)
Side-by-side thermal and visual overlays identifying hotspots, underperforming cells, and wiring anomalies. Optional add-on for all inspections.
GPS-Tagged Imagery
All photos embedded with GPS coordinates so contractors or adjusters can locate every finding precisely on-site.
Contractor-Ready Summary
One-page executive summary formatted for sharing with roofing contractors, insurance adjusters, or property managers.
Starting From
Flat-rate pricing for most residential inspections — no surprises
Residential Roof
- ✓ 4K video walkthrough
- ✓ Annotated photo report
- ✓ Written summary
- ✓ Client portal delivery
Residential + Thermal
- ✓ Everything in Residential
- ✓ Thermal moisture overlay
- ✓ Leak / wet insulation ID
- ✓ Insurance-ready formatting
Commercial Standard
- ✓ GPS-tagged imagery
- ✓ Full annotated report
- ✓ Contractor-ready summary
- ✓ Insurance-adjuster ready
Additional Tiers
Commercial + Thermal: $600–$1,100
Post-Storm Rapid Assessment (24hr, insurance-ready): $175 residential / $425 commercial
Return Inspection (same site within 90 days): $75 residential / $175 commercial
Infrastructure inspections (towers, bridges, power lines) quoted on scope. Contact us for a custom quote →
Why Drone Inspections Cost Less Than Traditional Methods
- Drone inspections deliver 30–50% cost savings compared to traditional inspection methods. A roof or structural inspection that costs $500–$1,000 with scaffolding or a lift can be completed for half that — with higher-resolution imagery and no risk to personnel. — Birds Eye Aerial Drones, 2025
- Eliminating on-roof access removes up to 75% of the safety hazards associated with traditional inspections. — Birds Eye Aerial Drones, 2025
- Crane rentals alone cost $1,000–$2,000 per day, not counting labor, traffic control, and equipment setup. Drone inspections eliminate this overhead entirely. — Birds Eye Aerial Drones, 2025
- Post-storm insurance documentation from drone imagery is time-stamped, GPS-tagged, and objective — supporting faster claims resolution than manual inspection reports. — Green Attic Roofing / UAV Coach, 2025
Ready to Schedule an Inspection?
Most inspections can be scheduled within 3–5 business days. Tell us the property type and address and we'll confirm availability same day.
Inspection Questions
Will my insurance company accept a drone inspection report?
Most major insurers accept drone inspection reports, especially after storm events. Our reports are formatted to include GPS-tagged imagery, annotated damage descriptions, and a written summary consistent with what adjusters expect. That said, acceptance ultimately depends on your insurer and policy. We recommend confirming with your adjuster before ordering if your sole purpose is a claim — we're happy to provide a sample report format on request.
Do you need access to my property or roof to do the inspection?
No roof access is required from you. Our pilot operates from the ground and keeps the drone within visual line of sight at all times. For inspections on private property, we do need your permission (or the property owner's permission) to fly over the structure. For commercial or municipal properties, we handle any required site access coordination with you in advance.
How is a drone inspection different from a traditional roof inspection?
A traditional inspector physically walks the roof, which carries fall risk and can miss areas that are difficult to reach safely. A drone captures every square foot from multiple angles — including steep pitches and valley areas — without any physical contact. We also capture video, not just photos, so you get a complete visual record. The main tradeoff is that a drone can't press on flashing or lift shingles — for structural concerns requiring physical manipulation, a follow-up ground inspection may be recommended.
What types of solar panel issues can thermal imaging detect?
Thermal imaging identifies hotspots caused by cell degradation, bypass diode failures, soiling patterns, delamination, and wiring faults. A panel with an internal fault typically shows a temperature differential of 5–20°C above neighboring panels — clearly visible in thermal imagery but completely invisible in standard visual inspection. Early detection of hotspots prevents further degradation and helps prioritize which panels need replacement to restore array performance.