Fast, Professional Drone Roof Inspections

From large central London sites
to smaller
residential properties.

Book a drone roof survey
Call now 0203 051 6403
Logo for ATP Roofing Solutions Ltd
Logo of The Diocese of Southwark with a shield and a cathedral silhouette.
Logo for Friends of Hornsey Church Tower featuring the abbreviation 'FoHCT' and the full name below
Haringey London logo in black text on a white background

What we do

  • We provide professional drone roof inspections for residential, commercial, and heritage buildings across the UK and Europe.

    Using high-resolution aerial imagery, we inspect pitched and flat roofs, chimneys, gutters, parapets, and hard-to-access areas safely and efficiently.

    Our surveys deliver clear visual evidence and concise reporting to support maintenance planning, condition assessments, insurance queries, and professional surveys—without the cost or disruption of scaffolding or access equipment.

  • We carry out thermal roof inspections using calibrated thermal imaging to help identify potential heat loss, moisture ingress, and insulation defects.

    Thermal surveys are typically used on flat and complex roof structures and are carried out in suitable conditions to support maintenance planning, defect investigation, and insurance or technical reporting.

    Findings are presented alongside visual imagery to provide clear context for surveyors, property managers, and building owners.

  • We support leak detection investigations by combining high-resolution drone imagery, thermal imaging (where appropriate), and visual inspection to help identify likely points of water ingress.

    Surveys are used to narrow down defect locations, support further investigation, and inform maintenance or repair decisions.

    All findings are presented with clear visual evidence and appropriate caveats for professional and insurance-led workflows.

  • Pre-purchase roof surveys provide an independent visual assessment of roof condition prior to property purchase. Using drone imagery and, where appropriate, internal roof-space inspection, we identify visible defects, signs of deterioration, and areas requiring further investigation.

    Surveys are designed to support buyers, surveyors, and conveyancing professionals with clear visual evidence to inform decision-making—without invasive access or disruption.

  • Internal loft inspections are carried out where safe access allows, providing a visual assessment of roof structure, timbers, insulation, and signs of moisture ingress.

    These inspections complement external drone surveys and help build a clearer overall understanding of roof condition for surveyors, property owners, and managing agents.

  • We support insurance inspections and claims by providing independent visual roof assessments using drone imagery and supporting photography.

    Surveys document visible damage, defects, and roof condition following storm events, water ingress, or reported issues.

    All findings are presented with clear visual evidence to assist insurers, loss adjusters, surveyors, and property owners during the claims and assessment process.

  • Aerial property photography provides high-resolution imagery to document buildings, sites, and surrounding context from above.

    This service is used to support surveys, planning applications, marketing, reports, and general site documentation for residential, commercial, and heritage properties.

    All imagery is captured safely and in accordance with UK aviation regulations, delivering clear, accurate visuals without the need for access equipment.

  • Condition and defect reports provide a clear visual record of roof condition, highlighting visible defects, deterioration, and areas requiring further attention.

    Using high-resolution drone imagery and supporting photography, reports are structured to support maintenance planning, professional surveys, insurance reviews, and conservation or funding decisions. Findings are presented clearly and objectively for surveyors, property managers, and building owners.

What our clients say

Full Roof Survey - Residential Property, Wimbledon

I recently employed the services of CAV Aerial to give me a thorough assessment of my roof and chimney brickwork. With the high resolution imagery provided we were able to detail problem areas and make accurate assessments on what For those of us who need good images of inaccessible places, I would highly recommend CAV for such projects.

Adrian, Professional Landlord, Wimbledon

Tower Survey: The Friends of Hornsey Church Tower

“Many thanks for the terrific job you did for us all. We are extremely grateful to you for the time and effort you gave to create such a detailed survey."

Peter Sanders, Chair

Church Roof Survey: Holy Innocents, Norwood

I found the drone survey most helpful. I was able to set up drawings indicating the rooftiles we need to work on. I loved the detail you captured.

Paul Jackson RIBA CA AABC IHBC EASA, P B Jackson Architecture

Services


A top-down aerial view of the top of a tall historic stone tower surrounded by trees and pathways.
Brick building with a decorative crest on the roof and a weather vane at the top.
View of rooftops and cityscape from a rooftop, featuring a small tower with a greenish, weathered, conical roof and vented sides, under a clear blue sky.

Church & Heritage
Roof Inspections

We work with surveyors, heritage architects and community groups to inspect Grade I and II listed buildings, churches, and sensitive heritage sites.

An aerial view of a house with a large, multi-gabled roof surrounded by green lawns and pathways, with parked cars on the street nearby.
Aerial view of a house with a tiled roof in a green neighborhood, surrounded by trees and a lawn, with a car parked on a driveway.
An aerial view of a flat roof with various vent structures and black cables, bordered by a balcony with potted plants and seating area.

Residential & Commercial Blocks

We support block managers, property managers, surveyors and roofers with fast, accurate roof inspections.

Aerial view of a neighborhood showing houses, backyards, and a street with parked cars.
An aerial view of a residential backyard and street, showing a rooftop in the foreground, a small garden with hedges, trees, and two people walking on the sidewalk.
Close-up of a brick chimney with weathered bricks, mortar, and stone foundation, shown alongside grey and black roofing materials.

Private Homes & Estates

We work with homeowners, landlords and estate agents to provide quick, affordable roof surveys.

Hand holding a yellow infrared thermometer measuring 17°C on a rusty metal surface underside of a wooden structure.
Interior of an attic with exposed wooden framing, insulation on the floor, and a hatch in the ceiling.
A construction site showing a dirt floor, a concrete wall with visible cracks, and a gray electrical conduit pipe on the ground.

Internal Attic
Inspections

Internal roof-space inspections are carried out where safe access allows, supporting external drone surveys and identifying signs of moisture ingress, timber condition, insulation issues, and historic repairs.

Close-up of a chimney with four red clay chimney pots on a mossy brick chimney stack against a suburban neighborhood background.
Close-up of a small puddle with fallen dry leaves and small rocks surrounded by wet stone pavement.
Close-up of a weathered chimney on a roof, with moss and signs of aging, surrounded by other rooftops and trees under a cloudy sky.

Roof inspections carried out to support insurance claims, providing clear photographic evidence and condition reporting following damage or defects.

Insurance Roof Inspections

Annotated aerial view of a city block with buildings labeled from A to G in various colors, including red, blue, green, purple, yellow, and gray, with streets and parked cars surrounding the buildings.
A technical drawing of a rooftop with a leak indicated at the roof junction, showing parked cars around the building.
Close-up view of a roof with damaged and missing shingles, and an inspection report overlay showing the severity level as 'A1' for a slipped and displaced slate.

Condition Reports & Defect Documentation

We provide clear photographic condition reports highlighting defects, deterioration, and areas requiring attention. Reports are used to support maintenance planning, surveys, pre-purchase, and funding or conservation decisions.

Our reports are designed to be clear, visual, and easy to understand.

  1. We begin with an aerial overview image to divide the roof into clear sections.

  2. Defects are then labelled using architectural-style references (e.g. A1, A2) and supported with high-resolution images and close-ups.

  3. The final report provides clear visual evidence to help surveyors, contractors, and property owners understand condition and prioritise repairs.

Recent jobs


case study

Haringey Council: Bruce Castle Roof Inspection

We carried out a full roof inspection on Bruce Castle Museum and Archive. The deliverables included a 67 page report, A 3D photogrammetry model of the roof, a short promotional film and edited images for print and web.

Read our case study
View of rooftops with brick and tile roofs, a crest with a dragon and shield in the foreground, and a white watchtower with a weather vane in the distance under a clear blue sky.

Book a professional roof inspection

External drone surveys and internal inspections for residential, commercial, and heritage buildings.

We work across London and the South East and can often attend site within 24 hours.

Complete the form and we’ll be in touch shortly to confirm next steps.

Or you can speak to us directly:

Phone: 0203 051 6403
Email: info@cavaerial.com

FAQs

  • No — as long as we have access to the property and permission to take off and land, you don’t need to be there. We’ll handle everything and send you the results.

  • Yes — we are fully qualified to fly in congested areas. For properties in central London or near sensitive sites, we’ll take care of airspace checks and permissions.

  • Most inspections start from £199 (+VAT), depending on location, size, and complexity. Send us the postcode and a brief description and we’ll quote within the hour.

  • You’ll receive a folder with:

    • 4K images (angled, top-down, and close-ups)

    • Annotated observations (e.g. blocked gutters, tile movement, masonry cracks)

    • Optional 3D models or elevation diagrams if requested

  • Within 2–4 working days depending on scope. If you’re working to a grant deadline or urgent repair timeline, let us know — we can often prioritise.

  • Yes — we hold CAA Operational Authorisation, are fully insured for £2m+, and have specific training in thermal inspections and heritage documentation. We’ve already surveyed Grade I and II* listed properties across the South East.