A steep pitch, tile surface, or three-story roofline can make walking a roof unsafe — or damaging to the roof itself. Sola Fide uses an FAA-certified drone to capture every square foot of the surface in high resolution, documented right alongside the rest of your inspection report.
The roof is the single most expensive component on most homes — and the one that inspectors most often cannot safely walk. Steep pitches, clay tile, metal standing-seam, and very tall homes all create conditions where roof-walking poses a risk to the inspector, the client, or the roof itself. When that's the case, Sola Fide Home Inspections deploys an FAA Part 107 certified drone to capture high-resolution aerial imagery of every roof plane, ridge, valley, flashing, and penetration — without ever setting foot on the surface.
For buyers in Rockwall, Heath, Fate, Royse City, Wylie, and across the Greater DFW metroplex, this means a thorough roof inspection on homes that other inspectors simply mark as "unable to inspect."
When a Drone Roof Inspection Is the Right Call
Curtis prefers to walk a roof whenever it's safe and practical. There's no substitute for the tactile feedback of standing on a surface — feeling how the decking responds underfoot, checking fastener patterns by hand, and spot-testing sealants. But several conditions make drone inspection the better option:
- Steep-pitched roofs (over 8/12 pitch) where walking creates a fall hazard
- Clay tile and slate roofs that crack or dislodge under foot traffic
- Very tall or multi-story homes where edge exposure creates unacceptable risk
- TPO and standing-seam metal roofs that can be permanently marked or dented by footfall
- Cedar shake or composite roofing in deteriorated condition
- Wet, frosty, or icy surfaces after rain or overnight low temperatures
What the Drone Captures on a Rockwall Roof Inspection
A Sola Fide drone roof inspection involves multiple passes at varying altitudes — wide-angle overview passes to capture overall condition and geometry, followed by close-range passes targeting specific areas of concern. Every image is geo-referenced to a specific location on the roof and included directly in the inspection report.
The drone documents:
- Shingle condition — curling, cupping, clawing, granule loss, and aging
- Missing, lifted, or storm-damaged shingles
- Flashing integrity at chimneys, skylights, walls, and valleys
- Ridge and hip cap installation and wear
- Penetration boots around pipe vents and HVAC equipment
- Chimney condition — mortar joints, crown, cap, and flashing
- Gutter alignment, slope, and debris load
- Tree contact, overhanging limbs, and debris accumulation
- Evidence of prior repairs — mismatched shingles, roofing cement, or re-flashing attempts
Combined Drone and General Home Inspection
Drone services are offered as part of — or alongside — any Sola Fide general home inspection. On most homes, Curtis makes a real-time judgment call: walk what's accessible and safe, fly what isn't. The result is more thorough roof documentation than either approach alone — all delivered in a single unified digital report.
Buyers don't pay for a separate drone report. The aerial imagery integrates directly into the standard inspection deliverable.
What a Drone Inspection Does Not Replace
A drone inspection is a roof-surface tool. It does not replace the attic inspection, where roof leaks most commonly first appear as staining on decking, wet insulation, or visible daylight at the eaves. It does not replace hands-on fastener checks or the inspector's overall judgment on roofing system condition.
At Sola Fide, the drone is one instrument in a broader inspection toolkit — used where it adds real clarity, never as a shortcut to avoid doing the work.
FAA Part 107 Compliance in DFW Airspace
Curtis holds an FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate, which means every Sola Fide drone flight is legal, insured, and conducted in accordance with federal airspace regulations. Homes near DFW International, Love Field, Addison Airport, or other controlled airspace receive appropriate airspace authorization before any flight takes place. Clients never need to worry about compliance — it's handled before the inspection begins.
How Much Does a Drone Roof Inspection Cost in DFW?
Drone services at Sola Fide are priced as an add-on to any general home inspection. For homes where walking the roof is not safe or practical, the drone replaces what would otherwise be an "unable to inspect" notation — giving you actual documentation at a fraction of the cost of a re-inspection after closing.
Schedule your Rockwall or DFW drone roof inspection with Sola Fide Home Inspections today.