Non-invasive aerial inspections of roofs, gutters, façades, chimneys, solar arrays, and high-access property elements.
The case for drone inspection
There are very good reasons not to put a person on a roof if a drone can do the job instead. Roof inspection is one of the leading causes of working-at-height incidents in Australia; access scaffolding and elevated work platforms are expensive and disruptive; and the resulting inspection record is often a few photographs taken on a phone in awkward positions.
Drone inspection replaces all of this with a structured aerial survey: full coverage of every roof slope, every gutter run, every flashing detail, every chimney and skylight, captured as high-resolution stills with optional 4K video, all delivered within 24 to 48 hours as an indexed report. The roof never gets walked on, the building never gets scaffolded, and the resulting documentation is more thorough than a manual inspection could practically achieve.
What we inspect, and what we deliver
Typical inspections cover tile and metal roofs (looking for displaced, cracked or corroded units), gutters and downpipes (checking for blockage, sag, and overflow risk), flashings and ridge capping, solar panel arrays (visual condition, soiling, and shading patterns), façade elements at upper levels, chimney tops, and television antennas. Where the brief calls for it we also document neighbouring trees and overhanging branches that may pose risk to the structure.
Each inspection is delivered as a structured PDF report with annotated images (arrows, notes, and severity flags), a folder of the underlying full-resolution files, and where commissioned, a video walk-around of the entire roof. We do not provide engineering opinions or repair quotes — those remain the role of your roofer or building consultant — but we provide the visual evidence on which those parties can make sound recommendations.
Insurance, strata, and pre-purchase use
Drone inspection reports are increasingly accepted by insurers as supporting evidence for storm damage claims, by strata committees as part of capital works planning, and by buyers as a low-cost addition to a pre-purchase property inspection. We deliver in formats that drop straight into a strata pack or a building inspection appendix, with all images dated and geo-tagged.
If you are selling a property, a clean roof inspection report can be a quiet but powerful addition to the buyer pack — especially for older homes where the roof condition is the buyer’s first concern. If you are buying, commissioning your own report removes any ambiguity about what you are taking on.
Booking and pricing
Most domestic roof inspections take ninety minutes to two hours on site, with the report delivered within two working days. Commercial and multi-unit inspections are quoted on the brief. Pricing starts from $100 AUD per hour for the field work plus a small reporting fee; see our estimate tool for an indicative quote.
Get in touch with the property address and a brief description of what you would like inspected, and we will come back with availability and a fixed quote.
Why local pilots make a difference
There is a meaningful difference between a drone operator who travels into a suburb for the first time on shoot day and one who flies it week in, week out. Local familiarity translates into faster setup, smarter shot lists, fewer wasted batteries chasing the wrong light, and a much higher hit rate of usable frames per hour on site. Bayside Aerial is based on the bayside and our pilots fly Elwood, St Kilda, Brighton, Albert Park, Port Melbourne and the surrounding inner-south suburbs constantly.
That regularity matters specifically for drone roof & property inspection work. Each suburb has its own combination of helicopter flight paths, residential overflight density, beach-crowd patterns, prevailing winds across Port Phillip Bay, and seasonal airspace activity around major events. We track all of this as part of routine flight planning, and our clients benefit from never having a shoot delayed by a regulatory issue we should have spotted in advance.
How we deliver, and what to expect
Most engagements begin with a brief — an email, a phone call, or a meeting on site. We respond within one working day with availability, indicative pricing, and any clarifying questions. Quotes are fixed where the brief allows; hourly where the brief is open-ended. We invoice on completion and accept bank transfer, card, or PayPal.
Imagery is delivered through a private gallery link with full-resolution download, typically within 24 to 48 hours for fast-turnaround real estate work and within one to two weeks for larger commissions. Where the engagement involves video, we deliver master files in the codecs and frame rates your platform requires, alongside vertical and square cuts for social where these have been part of the brief.
We are quiet on site, dressed neutrally, and unobtrusive in the way we work. We do not bring spectators. We arrive on time and we leave a site no more disturbed than we found it. Many of our long-standing clients tell us this professionalism — as much as the imagery itself — is the reason they continue to book us.
Compliance & insurance — what it means for your project
Bayside Aerial is CASA accredited and the chief pilot is UK GVC and A2CofC trained, with full third-party public liability insurance. ABN 51 325 381 892. All flights are logged in accordance with CASA requirements, and all imagery is geo-tagged and time-stamped. We can supply documentation for review by clients, body corporates, builders, or insurers on request.
This compliance matters in practical ways. Real estate listing portals will not accept aerial imagery from non-compliant operators. Construction sites and tier-one builders require sub-contractor pre-qualification with current insurance. Wedding venues increasingly ask for evidence of cover. Insurance claims involving drone imagery require flight logs and pilot credentials. Where any of these matter to your project, we have the paperwork ready.
Ready to fly?
Whatever your project, every shoot is approached with care, craft and full CASA compliance. Get in touch with a brief and a date — we respond to enquiries within one working day.