Read Online Roof Inspection Using Drones RTF
The videos linked to this ebook are in my Drone Photography YouTube channel. Drone-based roof inspection is used extensively by insurance adjusters, home inspection companies and roofing companies. It requires photographic drone flights, image processing and image analysis. This book shows how roof inspection test flights were made by Bravo Aerial Photography. Both roof inspection and roof measurement can be based on drone photography. The process of making high resolution images and 3D models from multiple drone photos is called photogrammetry. Bravo Aerial Photography is using photogrammetry to create high resolution images for roof inspection and measurement. Drone-based roof measurement requires measuring the segments (facets) of a roof from photos and calculating their square footage by applying the pitch (slope) of each segment.Drone-based photogrammetry concepts are illustrated in this book, including aerial photo capture methods, orthophotos, geoTIFFs and 3D models. Three methods for drone-based photo capture are tested. A DJI Mavic 2 Zoom drone was used for the flights. The three methods are: 1. Pilot-controlled flights that create a set of photos during the flight. 2. Automated flights to capture a set of photos. 3. Automated flights using geo-tagged aerial photos that can be used to create 2D and 3D models of the roof. These models are used for precise measurements of the roof and to estimate roof replacement costs. All three methods attempt to photograph the entire surface of the roof so that an inspection will not miss any signs of possible roof damage. Three different types of roofs were selected for the test flights. A small house with an asphalt shingle roof, a visitor center with a large, vaulted metal roof and a school building with a large tar and gravel roof. Drone-based roof inspection is becoming a common practice. This is a great opportunity for drone pilots. Roof inspection is just one application of photogrammetry, and the tools and methods can be applied to several other industries such as construction, agriculture, surveying and mapping.
