What you want to know before the drone takes off

We are a drone operator specialising in roof and façade inspection, 3D documentation and surveys. You receive data your team can use straight away: inspection reports, thermal images, point clouds, orthophotos, elevation models and volume calculations.

Throughout Belgium, with assignments across the Benelux. We fly in the Open category and in the Specific category based on an operational authorisation following a SORA risk assessment. That makes urban and complex locations possible as well, after an assessment per project.

Yes. From a single roof inspection to a series of dozens of sites. The Who we help page shows what is usually requested in each sector.

Yes. We are happy to agree output and terminology directly with the specialist who will use the data.

For a location outside any geozone, we usually schedule within 5 to 10 working days. After storm damage or another urgent situation, a flight within 24 to 48 hours is often possible. If the location is in a controlled zone around an airport, the application lead time sets the earliest date: up to 8 days in advance for a VLL1 zone and 15 days for a VLL0 zone. Read how those lead times work.

At a minimum the location, the purpose, a short description and the timing you have in mind. Photos, plans or a site outline help. You receive a quote within two working days.

That depends on five things: the area or number of objects, the accessibility of the location, the accuracy required, the number of outputs and whether the airspace requires a separate permission. A roof inspection of one building and a survey of thirty hectares are not comparable. A figure without those details misleads more than it helps. Describe your project using the quote form and you will receive a concrete proposal within two working days.

Anything from a short targeted inspection to several capture blocks for a large site or a complex model. Set-up, safety checks and data checks are part of the time on site. For a construction site, flight time is usually between 15 and 45 minutes.

Yes. We group the locations by airspace zone and by region, apply for permissions per site and deliver everything in the same file structure. Read how a multi-site assignment runs.

Yes. For a reliable comparison we keep the flight plan, reference and product specifications as consistent as possible. Bear the season in mind too: vegetation changes what is visible.

On site that is often possible, if it is safe and useful. Remote viewing is only provided if the technical and privacy context allows it.

We do not fly in rain, thunderstorms, fog or average wind above 8 m/s (about 29 km/h). Light and temperature can also affect data quality. We follow the forecast and let you know as early as possible if a capture has to move. For a location in a controlled zone, we apply for a reserve date at the same time wherever possible.

Yes. HOVVR holds aviation third-party liability insurance in accordance with EU Regulation 785/2004, a registered operator ID (BELc1t7ql1xl7t4p) and a risk assessment for each flight. We provide policy details on request, for example for an HSE file.

No. A drone documents what is visible. Hidden moisture, structural damage or causes behind a finish remain work for a building surveyor. We deliver the images that tell that surveyor where to start.

On buildings: when there is a sufficient temperature difference between inside and outside (as a rule of thumb at least 10 °C), dry weather, little wind and a surface that has not just been warmed by the sun. On solar panels: at an irradiance of at least 600 W/m² on the panel, with the installation in operation. Outside those conditions you are mostly measuring the weather. Read when PV thermography tells you something.

Usually 5 to 10 working days after the flight, depending on complexity. For thermography reports, often 3 to 5 working days. The delivery time is stated in your quote.

Under 2 cm, under conditions (RTK, ground control points, independent checkpoints, clearly visible terrain). Under dense vegetation, on reflective surfaces or without control points, the value is higher. For each project we report the measured accuracy, not a promised one.

GSD is how much ground one pixel represents. Accuracy is how closely the data match the true position. A GSD of 1 cm does not automatically mean an accuracy of 1 cm.

Not for a legal boundary determination, a survey plan for a notarial deed or an official plan for a permit. Those require a sworn land surveyor. In that case we deliver the area-wide data and work together with that surveyor.

Yes. We deliver georeferenced point clouds, orthophotos and 3D models in formats that QGIS, ArcGIS, Revit, ArchiCAD and common CAD software open. We match the coordinate system and output to your workflow.

We fly over the same location at fixed intervals, with the same flight plan and the same processing. That makes changes objectively measurable. Typical uses are construction site monitoring, stockpile management and vegetation monitoring. The flight itself always requires a certified pilot on site; processing and reporting follow a fixed procedure.

A report per zone with numbered points of attention, organised detail images and, where agreed, annotated overviews, orthographic images or thermal files.

Depending on the purpose, a point cloud, a 3D model, orthographic views, a web viewer or a combination.

A GeoTIFF orthophoto, a DSM or DTM, a point cloud, contour lines, a volume or difference report, or agreed CAD and GIS derivatives. Which software opens which file?

Through a secure download link, a web viewer or an agreed project platform.

We keep image and project data for 90 days after delivery, unless agreed otherwise in writing. Download the files within that period. Accounting records required by law are kept for the statutory period.

Yes, within the European rules (EU Regulations 2019/945 and 2019/947) and their Belgian implementation by the Belgian Civil Aviation Authority (BCAA). HOVVR is registered as an operator (BELc1t7ql1xl7t4p), insured and certified.

No. Restrictions apply around airports, military zones, prisons, ports and some nature reserves. We check every location in advance on the official geozone map and apply for the necessary permissions from skeyes, the Belgian Defence, the port authority or the zone manager. With our Specific authorisation, more complex locations are also possible, after assessment.

No. We handle registration, airspace permissions, the risk assessment, insurance and safety measures. You provide access to the take-off location and the consent of the owner or manager of the object we capture.

We point the camera at the agreed object, limit imagery of surrounding plots, blur recognisable people and number plates on request and share data only with those who need it.

No, not without your written permission. That applies to your name, location, images and results.

In principle, yes, if the pilot follows the rules. Restrictions apply around airports, prisons and military zones. Before every flight the operator checks the airspace and applies for permission where needed.

That is not the purpose. The camera is pointed at the agreed roof, façade or site. If you do appear recognisably in the images, the statutory privacy rules apply: irrelevant images are deleted and images used publicly are made unrecognisable.

The pilot always keeps the drone in sight, carries out checks before every flight and keeps a distance from people. In the event of a fault, built-in systems ensure a controlled landing or return.

Most flights last from a few minutes to half an hour. The noise is comparable to a leaf blower at a distance.

Speak to the pilot as soon as the drone has landed. He is usually within 50 to 100 metres, with the remote controller visibly in hand, and is happy to explain what is happening. A question afterwards about a HOVVR flight? Use the contact form and state the place, date and time. If you suspect a flight is not compliant, contact the local police. Call 112 only in the event of immediate danger.