FLIR Thermal Drone · Commercial Flat Roofs · Twin Cities

Your Flat Roof Is
Hiding Something.

Moisture trapped under TPO, EPDM, or built-up membrane is invisible until the ceiling collapses. Our DJI Matrice 4T with FLIR thermal camera finds every wet spot, failed seam, and insulation gap — before a $1,500 repair becomes a $150,000 replacement.

Schedule Your Inspection (651) 212-4965
Same-day thermal report FAA Part 107 certified pilots Licensed & insured MN contractor Est. 2000 · 2 generations
40%

of commercial flat roofs have active moisture intrusion that a visual inspection misses

8×

more expensive to replace a roof than to repair moisture damage caught early

3 yr

average time moisture damage goes undetected without thermal inspection

$0

insurance coverage for moisture damage caused by deferred maintenance

What We Find

Invisible to the Naked Eye.
Obvious on FLIR.

Thermal imaging works because wet insulation holds heat longer than dry — it glows on our FLIR sensor hours after sunset, long after the problem was "invisible" to a roofer walking the surface.

💧

Moisture Intrusion & Wet Insulation

Water migrating under membrane shows as distinct warm zones on thermal. We map every wet spot with GPS coordinates and square footage estimates for the adjuster.

Critical — insurance claim risk
🔲

Failed Seams & Membrane Voids

Delaminated TPO or EPDM loses its thermal barrier — cold air infiltrates, creating a visible temperature delta that pinpoints exactly where the membrane has failed.

High — active leak pathway
🌡️

Missing or Settled Insulation

Gaps in roof insulation boards cause heat loss in winter and HVAC overload in summer. Thermal shows every void — we map them for your energy audit and repair estimate.

High — energy & HVAC cost
🔧

HVAC Penetration Failures

Curb flashings, conduit boots, and equipment supports are the most common leak entry points. Thermal shows exactly where the seal has failed, even if it looks fine visually.

High — #1 leak source
🏗️

Drain & Ponding Zones

Structural deflection creates low spots that hold water. Thermal combined with RGB drone photography maps ponding zones and drain backup risk across the entire roof plane.

Medium — long-term risk
🔆

Reflective Coating Failures

Failing elastomeric coatings show as hot zones — losing their reflectivity means your building is absorbing 30–40% more heat. We quantify coverage and remaining life.

Medium — energy efficiency
The Process

From Flight to Report in One Day

We fly post-sunset when thermal contrast is highest — same-day report with GPS-pinned findings, repair priorities, and cost estimates.

1

Schedule & Site Prep

You give us roof access clearance and tenant notification. We handle FAA airspace authorization and weather window selection — thermal flights must happen within 1–2 hours of sunset for maximum contrast.

Typical scheduling: 3–5 business days. Emergency slots available.
2

Mavic 3E Scout Flight

Our DJI Mavic 3E does a photogrammetry pass first — 4K RGB photography, 75% overlap, full 3D point cloud of the roof geometry. This gives us the precise base map for thermal overlay.

Typical flight: 15–25 min depending on roof size.
3

Matrice 4T Thermal Scan

The DJI Matrice 4T launches with its integrated FLIR radiometric camera (640×512, ±2°C accuracy). Systematic lawnmower passes at 30m altitude capture every square foot of roof with GPS-tagged thermal data.

Radiometric JPEG format — every pixel is an actual temperature reading.
4

AI Analysis & Report Generation

Claude AI processes the thermal imagery alongside the RGB photography — identifying anomalies, calculating affected areas, and cross-referencing with our 5,000+ job repair history to estimate scope and cost.

Report delivered same day or next morning via email and PDF.
5

Repair & Maintenance Execution

Inspection clients get priority scheduling for any repairs found. Minor maintenance items (seam seals, pitch pocket fills, small punctures) are addressed same-day when possible. Major repairs get a written estimate with photos, thermal data, and recommended scope.

Annual plan clients: maintenance included — no hourly charges for covered items.
Sample Report

What You Get Back

Every inspection includes a GPS-pinned finding report, thermal image gallery, repair priority matrix, and cost estimate range.

Hoyt Exteriors · Thermal Inspection Report

Maple Grove Business Park — Building C

14,200 sq ft TPO · Inspected April 14, 2026 · 8:42 PM · Temp delta: 11°F
Status
4 Issues Found
NW Quadrant — Drain #2
Wet insulation, est. 340 sq ft. Active moisture migration from failed drain collar. Temp delta +9.2°F.
Critical
HVAC Unit 3 — West Curb
Curb flashing failure, water entry visible at seam. Est. 40 ln ft resealing required.
High
Center Field — Seam Row B
Delaminated TPO seam, 22 ln ft. No active moisture yet. Reseal recommended before winter.
High
SE Corner — Insulation Gap
Missing insulation board, approx. 80 sq ft. Energy loss. No moisture present.
Medium
Estimated repair range: $4,200 – $7,800 Replacement deferral value: est. 7–12 years Full report: 34 annotated thermal images + GPS KML file
Annual Maintenance Plans

Protect It Once.
We Watch It All Year.

One-time inspections find problems. Annual plans prevent them. All plans include at least one thermal drone inspection per year and priority scheduling for any repair work found.

Scout
Know what you're dealing with
$399 one-time
Per inspection · up to 20,000 sq ft
  • Full thermal drone scan (post-sunset FLIR)
  • RGB photogrammetry + 3D roof map
  • Same-day GPS-pinned findings report
  • Thermal image gallery (50+ annotated)
  • Repair priority matrix + cost estimates
  • Maintenance labor included
  • Priority scheduling
  • Annual re-inspection
Book Inspection
Most Popular
Shield
Annual plan · proactive protection
$1,200 /year
Up to 20,000 sq ft · billed annually
  • 2× thermal drone inspections/year (spring + fall)
  • RGB photogrammetry both visits
  • Full findings report each visit
  • Minor maintenance labor included (up to 4 hrs/year)
  • Seam seals, pitch pocket fills, small punctures covered
  • Priority scheduling within 5 business days
  • Year-over-year thermal comparison
  • Emergency response
Start Shield Plan
Fortress
Full coverage · zero surprises
$2,800 /year
Up to 40,000 sq ft · multi-building available
  • Quarterly thermal drone inspections (4×/year)
  • RGB + thermal photogrammetry each visit
  • Full reports + year-over-year trending
  • Maintenance labor included (up to 12 hrs/year)
  • Seam seals, flashing repairs, coating touch-ups covered
  • Emergency response within 24 hrs
  • Insurance documentation package
  • Direct line to Levi — no call queue
Start Fortress Plan

What "Maintenance Included" Actually Means

Every Shield and Fortress plan includes a maintenance labor allowance — we fix small things we find without billing you a service call. Covered items include:

  • TPO/EPDM seam re-welds
  • Pitch pocket fills
  • Pipe boot reseals
  • Small puncture patches (under 6")
  • Flashing caulk/sealant
  • HVAC curb edge seals
  • Drain collar reseals
  • Blister repairs (surface only)

Major repairs (structural, full membrane sections, complete system replacement) are quoted separately — but plan clients always get priority scheduling and a 10% labor discount.

Why Thermal

Thermal Drone vs. Standard Roof Walk

Capability
Standard Visual Walk
Hoyt Thermal Drone
Detect active moisture
Only if already staining
100% of wet insulation visible
Coverage accuracy
Spot checks, no full map
Every sq ft, GPS tagged
Insulation gaps
Not detectable
Clearly visible on FLIR
Documentation
Written notes, maybe photos
50+ annotated images + GPS KML
Insurance use
Limited evidence value
Radiometric data accepted by adjusters
Safety risk
Personnel on roof surface
Zero foot traffic on membrane
FAQ

Common Questions

Why does the flight have to happen at sunset?

+

Thermal contrast is highest 1–2 hours after sunset. During the day, the sun heats the entire roof surface uniformly — the thermal camera can't distinguish wet insulation from dry. After dark, the roof cools quickly, but wet insulation retains heat 2–4× longer. That difference is what the FLIR sees. We schedule every commercial inspection for this window.

What roof types can you inspect?

+

TPO, EPDM, modified bitumen, built-up (BUR/gravel), and PVC membrane roofs all work well with thermal. Reflective white coatings require some wind and a larger temperature swing to show contrast — we factor this into scheduling. Metal panel roofs have different thermal characteristics and may require a specialized protocol.

How large a roof can you inspect?

+

Scout plan covers up to 20,000 sq ft. Shield covers up to 20,000 sq ft per visit. Fortress covers up to 40,000 sq ft. For larger roofs or multi-building campuses, contact us for a custom quote — we've covered sites up to 200,000+ sq ft across multiple flights.

Can I use the report for an insurance claim?

+

Yes. Our reports include radiometric JPEG data (actual temperature readings per pixel), GPS coordinates of every finding, and a timestamped chain of custody. Most major commercial insurers and TPAs accept this format as documentation for claim support or denial response. Fortress plan clients receive a full insurance documentation package designed for adjuster submission.

What if you find something that needs immediate repair?

+

We flag critical findings (active moisture with immediate damage risk) in the report and call you directly. For plan clients, we can often address minor items the following morning. For major repairs, we provide a written estimate within 24 hours of the inspection and hold a priority slot for you in our schedule.

Do I need to be present for the inspection?

+

Not required. We need a point of contact for access coordination and any roof hatch or ladder access, but the flight itself is fully autonomous and doesn't require you on-site. Many property managers just hand us a key and we send the report the next morning.

Find Out What's
Under Your Membrane.

One flight. Same-day report. Know exactly what you're dealing with before your next board meeting, before renewal, before winter.

Schedule Inspection — Starting at $399 (651) 212-4965
Schedule

Book Your Thermal Inspection

We'll confirm within one business day with available flight windows. Inspections are typically scheduled 3–5 days out.