Starting on top: Home inspector using drone to include roof conditions in reports
EVANSDALE | Jonathan Zeissler thought it odd that a house could pass an inspection, even if it had a bad roof.
“I know first-hand,” he said. “I’ve had the paid inspector come out and didn’t inspect my roof because it was too tall. I thought that was kind of a flaw in the system.”
It also occurred to him that it was a business opportunity.
So, over the summer, he launched Illuminate Inspections LLC, which would include roof evaluations. Zeissler operates the business out of his home.
He purchased a Phantom 3 drone from China-based manufacturer DJI and worked it into his inspection regimen.
Zeissler doesn’t worry about negotiating tricky angles, climbing long ladders or balancing himself on quirky roofs.
He just sends the drone up top to have a look.
“It’s fully functioning,” Zeissler said. “I can up, down, spin and side-to-side. The remote control gives me total access to its movement.”
