Drone Roof and Building Inspections in Edinburgh
Edinburgh has many inspection-sensitive roofs: New Town Georgian townhouses, Old Town tenements and listed buildings where traditional access is restricted and can cause damage. A drone survey records slates, leadwork, chimney stacks and valley gutters from the air without scaffolding, which suits owners and surveyors working on historic buildings. The city centre is clear of permanent drone restriction zones: Edinburgh Airport's Flight Restriction Zone is out to the west, around the airport and Cramond.
What a drone roof inspection covers
Visual and thermal roof and building-fabric surveys for surveyors, factors, heritage owners and insurers. Work a drone survey suits in Edinburgh includes tenement roof and chimney condition surveys, leadwork and valley inspection on listed townhouses, and pre-purchase roof checks in the New Town and Stockbridge. The usual deliverable is dated high-resolution stills and video, with thermal added where damp or heat loss is the question.
Local airspace and access
Edinburgh Airport's Flight Restriction Zone runs from the ground to 2,000 feet at all times around the airport, west of the city, and its runway zone reaches Cramond; a drone may only fly inside it with the airport's permission. Murrayfield, Corstorphine, the West End, the Old and New Towns, Stockbridge and Leith are all outside it, and no permanent drone restriction zone covers the Castle, Holyrood or Arthur's Seat. Temporary restrictions can also be published, so check the date of the flight as well as the address.
What it costs
A drone roof inspection in Edinburgh typically runs from around 150 to 500 pounds, depending on the size and height of the building. A written report is usually charged on top, and thermal imaging is quoted per project.
See how charter types and fees work on the pricing page.
Frequently asked questions
Can a drone inspect a listed building roof?
Yes. A drone records the roof from the air, which avoids the access risks scaffolding can pose to historic fabric.
Will airspace stop the survey?
Not in the city centre, which no permanent drone restriction zone covers. The airport's zone is out to the west and reaches Cramond, so check an address out that way against it before booking.
Looking for other aerial work in the area? See all drone services in Edinburgh or learn more about drone roof and building inspections in general.
Fly drones for work in Edinburgh? Terasor is looking for pilots across the city and the Lothians. See what a pilot account includes.
Related reading: How to hire a drone pilot and what it costs