Pre-solar install surveys
Check the roof’s condition, obstructions and measurements before a single panel goes on, without ladders, scaffolding or anyone on the roof.
Available Files: 4K Imagery & Roof Measurements
4K
Roof Imagery
None
Access Required
48hr
Imagery Delivery
0
Days of Scaffold
Pre-Solar Panel Install Surveys
A pre-solar panel install survey gives installers and property owners the information they need to design, quote and plan a solar installation, before anyone sets foot on the roof.
Our drones capture the roof and surrounding area in UHD 4K, recording its condition, obstructions and access. With roof measurements taken from the imagery, you can plan panel layouts and quantities with confidence.
Panels usually stay in place for 25 years or more, so it’s worth fixing roof problems first. Because the survey is quick and non-invasive, it’s also ideal for checking multiple properties when planning a larger programme.
Example Image Quality
Click each image to view example image quality
What Your Pre-Install Survey Includes
Every pre-install survey is delivered digitally, ready to share with your installer, designer or surveyor.
| Deliverable | What it is | Included |
|---|---|---|
| UHD 4K roof imagery | Close-up and overview images of every roof slope, recording the condition of tiles, slates, ridges and flashings. | Standard |
| Obstructions and access | Chimneys, vents, rooflights and aerials recorded, along with access and scaffold positions. | Standard |
| Organised by roof slope | Images sorted into folders by elevation and roof slope, so it’s easy to find what you need. | Standard |
| Digital delivery | A secure download link, ready to share with installers, designers or clients. | Standard |
| Roof measurements | Measurements of roof slopes and usable areas, to help plan panel layouts and quantities. | Optional |
| Shading imagery | Images of surrounding trees and buildings that could shade the array. | Optional |
| Thermal roof inspection | Thermal imaging to spot moisture or insulation problems under the roof covering before panels go on. | Optional |
Measurements, shading imagery and thermal capture can all be done on the same visit. Just let us know at quote stage.
At a Glance
Capture
UHD 4K stills
Access required
Usually none
Imagery issued
Within 48 hours
Roof measurements
Optional
Scaffold needed
None
Coverage
Mainland UK
Get a Quote
Send us an address. We will come back the same working day with a price and a scope.
What a Pre-Install Survey Checks
Before panels are designed and installed, the roof needs checking for anything that could affect the job. Here are the key things we record:
Getting this right up front avoids costly redesigns, reduces time on site and means you won’t have to remove panels later to repair the roof underneath.
The result?
Everything your installer needs to design and quote accurately, gathered safely from the air in one visit.
Already have panels?
Thermal solar panel surveys
Once your system is up and running, a thermal survey shows whether every panel is performing as it should. Faulty cells, failed diodes and loose connections run hotter than the panels around them, so they stand out clearly.
Our Level 2 qualified thermographers inspect every panel in thermal and UHD 4K, and tell you which ones need attention. Find out more about solar panel surveys.
Protect your investment by catching faults early, before they cost you output.
CAA
CAA Operational Authorisation 11363
Fully insured, with £10m public liability and specialist UAV cover
Why drones
Why use a drone for a pre-install survey?
Checking a roof before an installation usually means ladders, scaffolding or someone climbing on the roof. A drone captures the same information, and more, in a fraction of the time.
- No one on the roof. We record every slope without ladders, scaffolding or access equipment.
- Accurate and cost-effective. There’s no access equipment to hire before the job is even confirmed.
- Better designs and quotes. Clear imagery and measurements help installers get layouts right first time.
- Multiple properties, fast. Ideal for housing stock or commercial estates planning a solar programme.
- A record of the roof. Dated imagery shows the roof’s condition before any work started.
Every roof slope recorded in 4K, with no one working at height.
Sectors We Cover
Pre-install surveys for installers & property owners
We work with solar installers, housing providers, commercial landlords and homeowners, surveying anything from a single home to a large multi-site programme across the UK.
Our service is suitable for
- ›Offices and commercial premises
- ›Warehouses, factories and industrial buildings
- ›Retail units, shopping centres and retail parks
- ›Residential apartment blocks and housing developments
- ›Housing association and social housing properties
- ›Schools, colleges, universities and education estates
- ›Hospitals, clinics and other healthcare buildings
- ›Local authority and public-sector buildings
- ›Historic, heritage and listed buildings
- ›Hotels, leisure centres and hospitality properties
- ›Care homes and assisted-living facilities
- ›Distribution centres and logistics hubs
- ›Churches and places of worship
- ›Agricultural and rural buildings
- ›MOD, defence and secure estate buildings
- ›Prisons and custodial facilities
- ›Construction sites and newly completed developments
- ›Multi-site commercial and residential property portfolios
For clients with assets spread over large areas, we build a consistent visual library of the external envelope of every asset, helping teams compare condition and prioritise maintenance.
Why choose us
Why choose Drone Site Surveys?
Drone Site Surveys specialises in professional survey and inspection data capture rather than general aerial photography.
Our pilots work specifically across commercial and domestic properties, as well as building, construction and land surveying environments. With experience in roof and façade inspections, they understand how to capture clear, relevant imagery that supports practical condition assessment, defect identification and informed decision-making.
Clients choose Drone Site Surveys for our specialist experience, professional standards and independent approach:
How it works
Our drone pre-install survey process
From first enquiry to secure delivery, every survey follows the same six steps, so you always know what happens next and when.
Tell us about the property
Email us the address with postcode and what you need, whether that’s roof imagery only or measurements and shading as well. We’ll come back with the options available.
Planning and quote
We carry out a desktop assessment of the property and the surrounding airspace, check the survey against current UK drone regulations, and prepare your quote. You receive it by email with no obligation, along with the airspace map for your site and an example delivery so you can see exactly what you’ll be getting.
Booking your date
Once you’re happy with the quote we add your job to the schedule and start monitoring the Met Office forecast. In the meantime we prepare the pre-flight paperwork, including our risk assessment and method statement (RAMS), which we can send over for your records. As soon as we have a clear weather window and pilot availability, we confirm your attendance date. You don’t normally need to be on site.
The survey
Our CAA approved pilot captures every roof slope and the surrounding area in UHD 4K, with measurements and thermal capture where specified.
Processing
Every image is checked and organised into colour-coded folders. Any thermal analysis or reporting you’ve asked for is completed at this stage.
Delivery
We email you a link to our secure online portal, where your imagery, reports and any other agreed outputs are ready to view, download and share with your team or contractors. Alongside the deliverables you’ll find a folder containing the pre-flight paperwork, a copy of the drone airspace map for your site and any other relevant documents, so everything from the survey is in one place.
Request a Quote
Request a pre-solar install survey quote
Whether you’re an installer planning a single job or a housing provider planning a whole programme, we can tailor the survey to your roofs and your requirements.
Send us the address and a brief description of what you need, and we will come back with clear pricing and deliverable options.
Prefer to Speak to Us?
If you’d rather speak to one of the team, that’s no problem. Simply call the number below and one of our team will be more than happy to help.
Get a Quote
In The Know
Frequently Asked
Questions
Answers to the questions we are asked most often about pre-solar install surveys. If yours is not covered here, give us a call.
What is a pre-solar panel install survey?
It’s a drone survey of a roof carried out before solar panels are designed and installed. It records the roof’s condition, obstructions and access and, if required, measurements and shading, so the installation can be planned properly.
Why survey the roof before installing solar panels?
Panels usually stay in place for 25 years or more. Finding and fixing roof problems first avoids having to remove and refit panels later, and accurate information means fewer surprises on installation day.
Can you measure the roof?
Yes. We can provide measurements of roof slopes and usable areas from the imagery, to help plan panel layouts. Let us know at quote stage what level of detail you need.
Can you check for shading?
Yes. We can capture imagery of surrounding trees and buildings that could shade the array, to help your designer estimate performance.
Can a thermal inspection be included?
Yes. Thermal imaging can show moisture or insulation problems under the roof covering, which are best fixed before panels go on.
Does the survey replace a structural check?
No. If the roof structure needs to be checked for the extra load of the panels, that’s a job for a structural engineer. Our survey records the condition of the roof covering and gives them clear imagery to work from.
Can you survey multiple properties?
Yes. Drones can survey large numbers of roofs quickly, which makes them ideal for housing providers and commercial estates planning a solar programme.
Do I need to be at home during the survey?
Not usually. We need access to the ground around the property and a point of contact, but no one needs to accompany the pilot.
Can you share the results with my installer?
Yes. Everything is delivered through our online portal, so you can share the imagery and measurements with your installer or system designer.