One of the most common questions we receive when quoting for a survey is: how long will you be on site, and when will we have the report? The honest answer depends on the type and scale of the survey, but here's a realistic breakdown.
On-site time by survey type
Residential roof inspection
A standard two- or three-storey residential property typically takes 45–90 minutes on site. This includes equipment setup, the flight itself, and any additional passes to capture specific areas of concern. It is rarely worth arriving for less than an hour, as setup and pre-flight checks take time regardless of property size.
Commercial roof or building inspection
Small to medium commercial buildings — a retail unit, office block, or industrial unit up to around 2,000 sq ft roof area — typically require 1.5–2.5 hours on site. Larger or more complex buildings with multiple roof levels, rooflights, plant, and penetrations can take 3–4 hours.
Orthomosaic mapping
Mapping surveys depend heavily on site size and the ground resolution required. A 10-hectare site can typically be mapped in 2–3 hours. A 100-hectare site is usually a full day. For very large sites, we'll plan a multi-day programme.
Construction monitoring visit
A routine monitoring visit — planned flight over the site, image capture, upload — is typically 1–1.5 hours. We coordinate timing with your site manager to avoid disrupting active crane movements or other sensitive operations.
What can delay a survey
- Wind above 10 m/s — we reschedule if conditions are unsafe or will affect image quality
- Rain or poor visibility — drone imagery in wet conditions is rarely useful
- Restricted airspace that requires advance notification (we handle this)
- Site access delays or unexpected obstructions
We always advise clients of weather risk in advance. If conditions are marginal on survey day, we will call you that morning with a recommendation to proceed or reschedule.
When will you have your report?
For inspection surveys, the written report — authored by a chartered building surveyor, not just a summary of footage — is typically delivered within 24–48 hours. Same-day and next-day delivery is available on request and is often achievable for straightforward residential inspections.
For orthomosaic mapping and construction monitoring, processed outputs (GeoTIFF, point cloud, progress imagery) are typically delivered within 48–72 hours of the survey, depending on the volume of data.
