Inform

Roof Surveys.

Drone roof surveys in London, planned around the answer you need. Vidda combines high-resolution aerial photography and video to create a detailed external visual record for property purchases, known defects, maintenance and condition records—without relying immediately on scaffolding, ladders or people walking on the roof.

What do you need to understand?

Select the reason for your inspection to see how aerial evidence can support the next decision.

Top-down aerial roof inspection for a property purchase

Buy with a clearer view of the roof.

Understand visible roof condition before you commit to a purchase. High-resolution aerial imagery can reveal details that are difficult to assess from ground level and give your surveyor or roofer useful evidence for further advice.

  • Inspect coverings, ridges, flashings, chimneys, gutters and difficult-access details
  • Identify visible damage, poor previous repairs and areas requiring closer investigation
  • Create an organised record to support decisions before exchange
Detailed aerial view of roof coverings, chimneys and junctions

Find the source, not just the symptom.

When damp, leaks or deterioration appear inside a property, targeted drone inspection helps narrow down likely external causes. Clear imagery makes it easier to focus repairs and obtain informed quotations.

  • Focus capture around the location and symptoms you have observed
  • Review adjacent roof areas to distinguish affected and unaffected sections
  • Share clear evidence with roofers, surveyors, insurers or property managers
Roof condition before neighbouring construction work
Roof condition after neighbouring construction work

Create an evidence-led condition record.

Document the roof at a specific point in time for maintenance planning, third-party works, party-wall matters or ongoing asset records. Repeat capture can show what changed and when.

  • Create a dated visual baseline before neighbouring or planned works begin
  • Compare repeat imagery after works or at scheduled maintenance intervals
  • Support an organised schedule of condition with detailed aerial evidence

All Angles Covered

Overview photography, targeted close-ups and continuous video cover accessible roof areas for detailed review.

Drone Restricted Areas

Specialist drone operators experienced in planning safe, compliant flights across London, including within drone restricted areas.

Roof Survey Experience

Experience across residential and commercial roofs, from purchases and known defects to condition and maintenance records.

Safer, Faster Access

Inspect difficult roof areas quickly without walking on the roof or arranging ladders, scaffolding or other disruptive access equipment.

Independent

Vidda provides impartial visual evidence of the roof's visible condition—we do not sell or undertake the roofing work identified afterwards.

Thermal Roof Surveys

Thermal drone imagery can highlight temperature anomalies associated with damp, insulation defects or heat loss.

Ready to Share

Organised images, video and annotations are delivered in an online folder, ready to share with roofers, surveyors or contractors.

Dated Condition Record

Create a dated record for property purchases, maintenance, insurance, neighbouring works or future comparison.

Choose the level of support you need.

From a straightforward image set to coordinated professional interpretation, the service can be shaped around who will review the evidence and what happens next.

01

Images Only

Work With Your Contractor

Receive organised, high-resolution roof photographs ready to share with a contractor you already trust. A focused, efficient option when they will interpret the evidence and specify the repair.

02

Roof Survey

A Clear Inspection Report

Add structured review, annotated findings and an accessible report explaining visible defects and areas that may require maintenance or further investigation.

03

Specialist Support

Tailored to Your Project

Shape the survey around your requirements, including thermal imaging for heat loss or moisture indicators and collaboration with a RICS surveyor where professional interpretation is needed.

CAA licensed
Qualified commercial operations
£5m insurance
Specialist aviation cover
Drone Permits
For City Locations
Site risk planning
Purposeful pre-flight assessment

What a drone roof survey can inspect.

We capture the accessible external roof areas and details relevant to the agreed brief, combining wider context with targeted close views.

Tiles, Slates & Coverings

Visible cracking, displacement, deterioration and areas requiring closer review.

Ridges, Hips & Valleys

Junctions, mortar, coverings and drainage routes viewed from useful angles.

Chimneys & Pointing

Stacks, pots, flaunching, masonry, leadwork and adjoining roof details.

Flashings & Junctions

Visible condition around abutments, penetrations, upstands and changes in roof form.

Gutters & Rainwater Goods

Visible blockages, debris, damage and high-level drainage details.

Rooflights & Dormers

Glazing surrounds, coverings, flashings, seals and adjoining details where visible.

Flat Roof Areas

Surface condition, seams, outlets, ponding indicators and accessible perimeter details.

Storm & Weather Damage

A dated record of visible changes, displaced materials and areas of concern.

Important: aerial capture is an external visual inspection. It cannot see beneath roof coverings or assess concealed roof construction unless suitable additional inspection methods are arranged.

How your roof survey works.

A clear process from the first question to organised evidence your team can use.

01

Discuss

Tell us about your property, the roof areas or concerns involved and who will use the findings. We’ll help establish whether you need organised imagery, a roof survey report or tailored specialist support.

02

Plan

We review available satellite and 3D mapping, the roof layout, surrounding buildings, airspace and access. Weather and the viewpoints needed to inspect your roof are then built into the flight plan.

03

Survey

Survey your roof with overview images, close-ups, video or thermal capture. We assess visible condition throughout, adapting around potential defects and areas needing closer attention.

04

Review

We review imagery across your roof against the concerns and inspection scope provided. The evidence is then interpreted to your chosen service level, keeping the findings relevant to your next decision.

05

Deliver

Your roof imagery, video or report is securely shared through a private cloud folder. Files are clearly organised and ready to review or pass to your roofer, surveyor or contractor.

Relevant survey projects.

Explore residential roof evidence and a heritage inspection where close, hard-to-access detail supported the people responsible for the asset.

What roof-survey clients say.

Clear evidence is most useful when it helps someone make a confident next decision.

Roof survey questions.

Useful answers about access, outputs, limitations, London airspace and survey conditions.

Survey Basics

It can document visible issues such as damaged or displaced coverings, deteriorated flashings, chimney defects, blocked gutters, debris and areas affected by weather. The findings depend on visibility, access, weather and the agreed scope.

Yes. Aerial imagery can add useful roof-level evidence to a purchase decision and can be shared with your building surveyor or roofer. It does not replace inspection of concealed construction or the internal roof space.

Not always. We will confirm whether access is required for a safe take-off area, line of sight or site coordination before the visit.

Flight Planning

Yes, subject to site assessment and the permissions applicable to the location. Vidda regularly plans work around London's controlled and restricted airspace.

Roof-survey flights depend on safe wind, visibility and precipitation conditions. If conditions are unsuitable, we will coordinate a replacement date rather than compromise the capture or flight safety.

Results & Specialist Options

You can choose organised imagery and video, a structured roof survey report, or a tailored service involving thermal capture or professional surveyor input.

Thermal imagery records surface-temperature differences that can indicate patterns associated with damp, insulation defects or heat loss. Suitable environmental conditions and informed interpretation are important.

Vidda is not a RICS-regulated surveying practice as there is no standalone RICS accreditation specifically for drone roof surveys. We are experienced roof-survey operators and regularly work alongside RICS Chartered Surveyors, including during residential building surveys where formal professional interpretation is required.

Images, video and reports are organised and delivered through an online folder, making them easy to review and share with roofers, surveyors, contractors or other project stakeholders.

Roof survey guides and advice.

Explore practical information before deciding which type of inspection and output you need.

Ready for a clearer view of your roof?

Tell us what you need to understand, where the property is and who will use the findings. We’ll recommend the right capture and reporting option for your roof survey.