No scaffold, no cherry picker
Using a drone for a simple, routine roof check eliminates the need for an access kit - so the most significant expense is taken off the job.
CAA Operational Authorisation · £5M aerial cover
Drone Roof Surveys & Commercial Roof Inspections
A drone roof survey shows you the state of your roof without anyone having to climb on it. We fly every slope, valley, gutter line and skylight, take sharp photos and video, then tell you what we found in plain words: moss, lichen, blocked gutters, rusted runs, slipped tiles, or water pooling on flat roofs. Free when it scopes a commercial cleaning quote.
No One on Your Roof
Free on Commercial Quotes
CAA Authorised & Insured
Photos & Notes You Keep
30-60
Minutes on site, most surveys
5-7
Working days to fly, commercial
£5M
Aerial public liability cover
CAA
Operational Authorisation
One thing first, stated plainly
We are not chartered surveyors, and this page will not pretend we are. We are an exterior cleaning company that uses drone survey systems for specific reasons: to scope a job before quoting, to document a roof’s condition before and after our work, and to give owners a clear view when the roof is too high, too fragile, or too risky to walk on. A drone survey isn’t a structural report but a visual check - we won’t present it as such.
Why Survey by Drone
For a routine roof check, the drone eliminates the need for an access kit - which is typically the biggest expense for the job. Plus, it’s faster and safer, and it doesn’t disrupt activities below.
No one at height, no one on the sheets
Walking on metal and fragile roofs is risky. Nobody is at risk with a drone survey as it never touches the roof.
Your building keeps working
Activities in offices, schools, and warehouses won’t pause - we won’t need access through the building to get a clear view of the roof.
You see what we see
We provide photos or video frames behind any of our findings, so the product is the proof - not something we’ve claimed from the ground.
When a Drone Survey Earns Its Keep
On large sites, we start with surveying and quote afterwards, because we cannot quote what we can’t see - nobody can, in all honesty. The survey is free when it scopes a commercial cleaning quote.
Before commercial cleaning or biocide
We survey first and quote afterwards. This is the only fair way to quote on large sites - based on what the roof really needs.
Commercial roof checks
For warehouses, schools, care homes and offices, a scheduled survey of the flat roofs, gutter lines and skylights will reveal small issues before they turn into insurance claims.
Flat roof surveys
From the ground, nobody can see the pooled water, debris and blocked outlets on flat roofs - they can be clearly recorded from above.
Gutter line checks
On one Northampton job, the survey revealed rust holes in the gutters, so the client was able to budget accordingly - and that’s the point.
Listed & heritage buildings
Where the roof cannot be walked on, the drone is the safest way to check it out.
Commercial solar arrays
On large flat or pitched roofs, before and after a solar panel clean, the drone helps assess the panel condition and soiling.
After storms
A rapid check of slipped tiles or loose flashing, with timestamped photos to present to your insurer.
Before & after work
We record the roof before and after we clean or treat it. As the biocide remains active for 6-12 months, a follow-up flight will reveal the true result.
When the roof is out of reach
Too high, too fragile, or too unsafe to be walked on - the drone gives owners a clear picture with none of the risk.
What You Get
- Clear photos of every roof section, organised so that you know which side you are examining.
- Video of the full flight, if showing the run of the gutter or the whole slope is helpful.
- Plain notes on what we’ve found, the placement, and how urgent it looks to us.
- If work is needed, we quote on what the roof needs - we don’t guess the ground.
- Should we discover something beyond our trade - a damaged roof membrane or signs of structural movement - we’ll inform you and guide you to the right specialist.
How It Works
Send the postcode
Send us the postcode and a photo or two. Before we agree on a date, we examine the area and the airspace.
We fly the survey
We fly a DJI Mini 4 Pro. Typically, a site survey takes 30-60 minutes; we’ll need more if it’s a multi-roof site. The drone doesn’t fly on windy or rainy days, and we’re transparent about timing.
You get the results
Typically, we’ll give you photos and the notes within a few working days.
The survey feeds the quote
On one recent job, we did the survey two weeks before the work and set the scope, so nobody had to go up just for quoting.
If it’s a commercial survey, we usually fly within 5 to 7 working days, and even faster for urgent jobs. On tight schedules, we can offer a same-week window, as long as the airspace and site allow.
Recent Surveys & the Jobs They Scoped
The survey is not the final product - it is how we scope, price, and record the job, without having anyone on the roof.
- Globus Medical, Northampton (NN1 2PT). The drone survey on 14 May scoped three roof sections and revealed rust holes in the gutters; the work took place later on 28 May with no one walking on the roof sheets.
- Farmfoods Supermarket, Plymouth. Drone shots captured the entire roof and cladding before and after cleaning.
- View all projects →
“He used a certified drone to capture professional before-and-after shots. I definitely recommend Exterior Cleaning Solutions.”
Our Credentials
Our drone work is fully licensed and insured, and the documentation isn’t a badge on a website but real. We carry the level of authorisation that allows us to work closer to buildings and people than basic registration does - this is important when we survey busy, occupied sites.
CAA Operator IDRegistered operator
A2 CofCCertificate of Competency
GVCGeneral VLOS Certificate
Operational AuthorisationSpecific Category flights
£5M aerial PLIPublic liability cover
Per-site RAMSPre-flight risk assessment
On commercial contracts, we manage the flight documentation, and you get the footage as timestamped evidence for the project file. We fly a DJI Mini 4 Pro. We do not offer thermal imaging, LiDAR or 3D models - contact a specialist survey firm if your project needs those; instead of selling you a camera flight dressed up as one, we’ll tell you so.
Pricing
Free
On commercial cleaning projects
If you ask us to quote roof cleaning, biocide treatment, gutter clearing, or cladding cleaning on a commercial site, we quote based on the survey - so you don’t pay for it. Whether you continue or not, you get to keep the photos and our notes.
Per site
Standalone surveys
If there’s no cleaning work involved, we quote for the survey based on roof area and airspace. For straight pricing, send us the postcode.
Book a Drone Roof Survey
Call 07307 358765 for a free, no-strings-attached chat, or send Peter the postcode and a photo or two on WhatsApp - he'll take a look at the site and the airspace and tell you what a flight would show.
Where We Fly
First, we fly Northampton and Northamptonshire, and commercial sites throughout the wider Midlands, where we already take jobs. Some sites are in controlled airspace - near airports, for example - so we check this for each site and tell you from the start if lead time or extra permission applies.
Typically, a drone survey pairs with the work that follows. Check out our roof cleaning, gutter cleaning, solar panel cleaning, and commercial exterior cleaning in Northampton.
Frequently Asked Questions
30-60 minutes on-site for most surveys. We will need more time for commercial sites with multiple roof sections. You will get the photos and findings within a few working days.
No - that's the point. A view of the roof from a safe take-off spot is all that is necessary for the survey. We'll know from the survey if an access kit will be needed for later work. Nobody has to hire anything before the survey.
No. We don't need access inside the building, so the drone survey doesn't disrupt activities for businesses, schools and residents.
A drone survey differs from a structural roof survey. It's a detailed visual check that reveals valuable information on the state, growth, blockages, visible damage, and records. However, it doesn't replace the report from a structural engineer or chartered surveyor, when needed - for a mortgage, for example - and we'll let you know which one is in place for you.
Nothing if it is for quoting commercial exterior cleaning work, such as roof cleaning, biocide treatment, gutter clearing, or cladding cleaning. Either way, you can keep the photos and findings. If the survey is standalone and there is no follow-up work, we will quote per site.
We don't fly the drone in wind and rain, so we schedule based on the weather forecast. If conditions turn, we reschedule for free. It's not worth paying for photos made on a rushed flight in bad light.
Typically, yes, but we still need to control airspace and sometimes even ask for permission. This extends lead time. Before confirming the flight, we check the airspace for every postcode.
Get Your Free Quote
Send us the postcode and a couple of photos, and we'll get back to you within 24 hours.