Best drone for inspections

I have been looking around and the market seems to have many brands ranging from cheap to very expensive. But keeping in mind I will only be using it for roof inspections and pictures, the question is what is suitable that anyone here actually has experience with?

Minimum would be the DJI Spark, but the Mavic Pro is much better for inspection work. Don’t forget insurance and Part 107 license before you use it on an inspection.

Whatever you buy will be obsolete in 1 year. Don’t waste a bunch of money. I would’t buy one at all. Use disclaimers and do the best you can with standard methods. They can hire a roofer if they want.

Spark is a great tool for the money - good stuff! :slight_smile:

Gregory,

I use the DJI Phantom 3 Standard. I bought it shortly before the announcement of the Mavic Pro coming out. Not saying that I would have purchased the Mavic Pro, as it is almost twice as much in cost, but I do like the compact size and additional features.

The Phantom 3 does an adequate job, and honestly, your clients probably won’t know the difference in which drone you use. It takes great pictures and maneuvers well. The bigger issue is making sure that you get lots of practice in before using it near someone’s home. They are easy to fly when you have open space, but get it in near a home with trees and power lines, and things can go bad quickly. Also keep in mind that if your client is present, they are going to be interested and distracting you the whole time you’re flying the drone.

Don’t forget about what Bradley mentioned as far as getting your Part 107 through the FAA and, at the very least, liability insurance. The FAA test is no joke. I studied with remotepilot101.com and aced all of their tests, but the FAA throws in tricky questions.

Also, take a look at aeronautical charts in your area. You may not be able fly your drone in many areas without prior authorization from the FAA, which can take up to 3 months to obtain. I’m in an area of Class D airspace and I applied for an authorization on October 11, and still have not heard back from them yet.

Good luck!!

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The best way to inspect a roof is walking it and putting your hands on it. You cannot see every detail with a drone. Either walk the roof or the realtors will recommend the other guy who does.

I agree 100%, but there are times when the roof is extremely steep and wet, which I then consider it a safety hazard to climb onto. So I guess you see why I am looking at drones now,lol

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Thanks everyone for your advice and input, now its time to compare prices and see who has the phantom the cheapest.

Since it is only suitable for roof inspection, you can buy a cheaper and better pixel camera drone, such as ZEROTECH DOBBY. Its pixels are clearer than DJI Spark, and it is a pocket-sized drone that weighs only 199 grams.

I use the Hubsan Zino. It has a 4K camera and it is very similar to the Mavic. Has great reviews.

As you are looking for drones ranging from cheap to expensive. Out of my personal experience, I will suggest you Cheap Drones.