What a thermal drone can see on a Waikato roof
By SkyVector Drone Solutions · Waikato, New Zealand
Waikato roofs work hard — sun, rain, and the odd northerly that finds every gap in the flashing. A thermal drone does not replace a roofer on a ladder, but it can show patterns that are hard to spot from the ground: cooler wet patches, warmer rooms leaking heat, and insulation that has settled or gone missing.
What the Matrice 4T actually captures
Our thermal payload records at 640×512 native. Where finer detail helps interpretation, we use Super Resolution up to 1280×1024. That is the wording we use everywhere on this site — no inflated “4K thermal” marketing.
We also take matching RGB photos. Thermal alone can look abstract; side-by-side visual context makes it far easier to brief your builder.
Common things that show up
- Heat loss along ridges, eaves, and skylights
- Moisture-related cool anomalies after rain (timing matters)
- Insulation gaps or compressed batts reading as uneven heat
- HVAC or flue effects that look alarming until you know the plant layout
What thermal cannot promise
Thermal is a clue, not a courtroom. Surface temperatures move with sun load, wind, and how recently it rained. We plan flights for usable conditions and say when a result is inconclusive. We also will not invent “case studies” from imaginary clients — if you want proof of our work, ask for a quote and a sample deliverable style.
Related reading: the best time for a thermal roof flight · RGB vs thermal: why we pair both · what's in a thermal roof inspection report.
Typical next step
Our thermal roof inspections start from $599 +GST. You get annotated imagery, RGB context, and a plain-language summary. Coverage is Waikato first, North Island and beyond by arrangement.
Book a roof thermal
Email mike@skyvector.co.nz or call 027 428 9936 — usually same-day weekday reply.