Can I Use My Drone to Inspect My Roof?

The short answer is you can’t buy your drone, take it out of the box, and fly it over your roof.

Let me explain.

Whether you are making a movie, taking pictures, or inspecting your roof, flying a drone for business purposes requires a Remote Pilot Certificate. Even if you are flying your drone for recreational purposes, you must register your drone with the FAA.

This is a hot topic and a quick search will bring up a lot of information. Let me try to simplify it.

The objective of your flight determines if the flight is considered to have a recreational or business purpose. Recreational drone use means flying for enjoyment (no objective) and not for work, business purposes, compensation, or hire. Every other type of flight will have an objective and therefore you are required to have a Remote Pilot Certificate.

Examples of types of flights: