Just got a roof inspection PDF that's straight outta sci-fi

Yeah, drones are handy but they're not foolproof. Had a similar issue - inspection missed a cracked shingle. Found it myself later, climbing up there old-school style. Sometimes tech just can't beat eyes-on inspection...bird attacks and all.

Drones definitely have their place, but you're right - they're not a substitute for a thorough hands-on check. If you're going to rely on drone inspections, I'd recommend using them as a preliminary step. First, do a drone flyover to spot obvious issues or tricky areas, then follow up with a manual inspection of those specific spots. It's a bit more work, sure, but it saves headaches later...and keeps the birds from dive-bombing your tech investment.

"First, do a drone flyover to spot obvious issues or tricky areas, then follow up with a manual inspection of those specific spots."

Makes sense, but honestly, I've had drone inspections catch stuff that manual checks missed entirely - especially in tight corners or steep pitches. I'd say combining both methods equally is the smarter move...

Drone's great for visuals, but relying equally might be overkill.
- Manual checks let you feel soft spots or loose shingles drones can't detect.
- Drone footage can miss subtle structural issues.
I'd lean manual-heavy, drone as backup.

Had a similar experience last summer. Drone footage looked awesome - felt like I was in some futuristic movie - but when we climbed up there, we found a couple soft spots the drone totally missed. One spot was so bad my foot almost went through...not fun. Drones are handy for quick visuals, but nothing beats actually getting up there and feeling things out yourself. Learned that one the hard way, haha.