Training Your Team for Drone Roof Inspections: Best...

If your roofing business has embraced EagleView Assess™, congratulations! You've taken a vital step toward improving your efficiency, sales, and competitiveness. Your new drone solution will transform your operations, but it's crucial to implement best practices to maximize its benefits.

This guide will help you get the most out of your drone solution. Read on to learn about necessary training, keeping drones ready for flight, safety protocols, and more.

Stay Compliant With the FAA

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requires anyone operating a drone for commercial use to obtain Part 107 certification, which grants you a Remote Pilot Certificate. This certification shows that you understand the regulations, operating requirements, and procedures for safely flying drones. Passing the Part 107 exam is straightforward with these five steps. Studying for and taking the exam during your off-season allows you to dedicate the necessary time to this certification.

It's also essential to stay updated on the FAA's regulations and compliance requirements regarding where and when you can fly your drones. Once you have your Remote Pilot Certificate, familiarize yourself with what's allowed under Part 107 rules in 14 CFR Part 107 Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems. Remember, the FAA continuously updates its regulations for commercial drone flights. For example, the Operations Over People rule, implemented on April 21, 2021, allows drones to operate over people and moving vehicles without a waiver, provided certain conditions are met. If you need to request a Part 107 Airspace Authorization or a Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability (LAANC), learn more about them here.

Set Up Your Assess Drone for Flight Success

EagleView provides a setup guide to help you get started with your Assess drone. It's crucial to review this guide to familiarize yourself with the equipment, accessories, and safety information. The guide covers:

• Verifying your drone kit's contents

• Charging your drone

• Setting up your Assess iPad, the EagleView drone app, and your controller

• Basic drone safety

• Procedures in case of a crash

After reviewing the setup guide, create a pre-flight checklist to reference every time you fly your drone. The checklist should include:

• Checking your drone's battery level

• Cleaning the drone's camera lenses

• Inspecting the propellers for damage

• Surveying the property for obstacles or hazardous conditions

• Ensuring the weather is suitable for flight (avoid flying in rain, snow, fog, or high winds)

• Checking if any authorizations or permissions are needed for the flight

The inspection route should enable the drone operator to know:

• How to approach the route from the ground

• The direction to take along the flight path

• The required flight altitude

Knowing these parameters before flight is essential for obtaining accurate data and operating the drone efficiently.

Optimize Your Post-Flight Data Review

After completing your drone's flight and uploading the imagery to apps.eagleview.com, you have several options in Assess. You can review the roof conditions captured during the flight, access a roof report, or make determinations to guide your claims report. Post-flight, you can:

• Select a property to review in the software

• Zoom in to see anomalies, peaks, and gutters in greater detail

To obtain a roof report, navigate to the "Details" tab on the left side of the software view under the property's address. Scroll down and select "Roof Report." The report will open in a new tab as a PDF. Even if the report is all you need, you still have access to all the imagery captured by the drone.

Regularly Review Safety Protocols

Implementing best practices around drone operation is crucial for safety. Your team should prioritize:

• Keeping fingers away from moving propellers

• Operating the drone cautiously around reflective surfaces (e.g., still water) and small or thin obstacles (e.g., utility lines or leaves off branches)

• Launching and landing on a dry surface

• Avoiding flights in low light or poor visibility conditions

A fully autonomous drone like Assess eliminates many safety concerns, but it's still important to follow these basics. Assess drones mostly fly themselves and offer built-in obstacle avoidance to prevent crashes.

If you experience a crash, contact [email protected].

Schedule Ongoing Training

Continuous education in drone operation, safety, and regulations should be part of your regular off-season schedule. Winter months are ideal for catching up on any evolving laws or expiring certifications. Use this time to attend workshops, webinars, and other refresher courses on drone technology to maximize your drones' use and stay informed on the best inspection practices.

Leverage EagleView as Your Resource

For questions about using Assess, check out our online resources here. Don't hesitate to contact our experts if you have additional questions or concerns.

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