Stay Informed on All Things Drones + Solar

"It's Accurate Enough": Three Words Every Installer Hates

3 Minute Read, April 18, 2024

Most install-day problems originate from insufficient survey data. But this isn’t about blame. Surveyors deserve the right tools—software, drones and mobile tools—that allow them to safely collect comprehensive, accurate measurements. When you start with high-quality data upfront, you don’t need to worry about issues that waste time, cause delays, or end in install day call-offs.

How Drones Make Install Day Safer and Faster

3 Minute Read, March 27, 2024

Explore how drones are transforming solar panel installations, making them safer and faster than ever before. Discover the groundbreaking benefits of drone technology in the solar planning and install process.

How One Technical College Uses Scanifly to Help Students Prep for Coveted Jobs in Renewable Energy

3 Minute Read, March 27, 2024

The renewable energy industry has a huge talent gap, but many programs don’t teach the complete set of skills employers require. Leveraging Scanifly as part of her curriculum, Ashley Wojtalewicz, a professor at Southwest Wisconsin Technical College (SWTC), designed an Associate’s Degree in Sustainable Energy Management that bridges the talent gap for students, teaching the strategic planning and hands-on skills necessary to achieve coveted certifications and build careers in renewable energy.

The Best Drones For Different Solar Use Cases

4 Minute Read, February 25, 2024

For Marketers, the DJI Mavic Mini is a top choice. For Surveyors, look at the DJI Air 2S or Autel EVO II V3. For O&M use cases on residential and small commercial systems, consider the DJI Mavic 3 Enterprise or Autel EVO II Dual. All of these models were chosen for their balance of features and price points. That said, there is a strong case for high-end drones like Parrot Anafi and Skydio as well.

5 Solar Project Checklists You Can’t Live Without

5 Minute Read, February 22, 2024

Solar projects require dozens of data points. Leverage checklists for surveying, installation, commissioning, maintenance, and warehousing processes to standardize work across your organization, ensure consistent outcomes for customers, and avoid costly mistakes.

How Surveyors Can Save 2 Hours Per Day With Field Data Uploads

4 Minute Read, February 21, 2024

The entire solar process, from sales to commissioning, can be streamlined by making accurate project information more readily available in real-time. One unlock is to upload field data during your drive time. This blog shows you how to do it.

How Brightway Energy Uses Scanifly For End-To-End Business Growth

5 Minute Read, February 02, 2024

Explore how Brightway stands out in a saturated market by transforming their use of Scanifly from scanning only complex jobs to integrating the platform across their sales, survey, design, and install planning process.

The Best Drones for Solar O&M

5 Minute Read, January 30, 2024

Conducting site inspections with drones yields the best combination of accurate measurements, time savings, and Surveyor safety. A drone program can even pay for itself in insurance savings alone. But a common question comes up: what drone should I buy—and what features do I need?

Dear Contractor, please don’t do this.

5 Minute Read, January 29, 2024

This story is written by a homeowner who went solar. These are solely his opinions, comments, and experiences. The contractor he worked with is NOT a Scanifly customer (but certainly should be).

What Is LiDAR And Why Should You Care?

6 Minute Read, January 5, 2024

LiDAR is a government-funded data source showing geospatial 3D information, such as structure mapping, vegetation, and terrain, making it helpful for collecting rough measurements and shade data for solar surveys. However, it’s not a completely accurate source and it’s not always available. This makes LiDAR a great fit for a platform like Scanifly Prelim on top of other data sources, like satellite or drone-based imagery.

Which Data Source Is Best For My Solar Project?

2 Minute Read, January 3, 2024

Satellite, LiDAR, and aerial imagery make it easy to draft preliminary solar designs for sales conversations; drone imagery confirms measurements and automatically constructs a photogrammetry-based 3D model to create final PV layouts with accuracy for engineering documents and install plans that never have a revision.

How This Iowa-Based Solar Contractor Stays Ahead Of The Competition With Technology

7 Minute Read, December 20, 2023

Eagle Point Solar (EPS) is committed to continual improvement, which means leveling up their processes, including delivering a more precise outcome for clients and a safer environment for employees. Learn how EPS increased safety, accuracy, and revenue with Scanifly.

️3 Reasons Why Winter Is The Best Time To Run An O&M Program

3 Minute Read, December 13, 2023

A key challenge of an operations and maintenance (O&M) program is managing talent resources; operating an O&M program in the winter helps prevent emergencies during the high season and helps smooth out talent utilization throughout the year.

️How Solar Contractors Can Reduce Insurance Premiums While Improving Safety

5 Minute Read, December 4, 2023

Keeping Surveyors off the roof and using drones instead allows Contractors to reclassify them as lower-risk employees, thus reducing insurance premiums and workers’ compensation payments. In most cases, the savings from insurance alone will more than pay for launching a drone program.

️Scanifly Integrates Nearmap, LiDAR and other Data Sources to Launch Remote Design Capabilities

2 Minute Read, November 30, 2023

We've officially announced integrations with a variety of remote data sources as part of the new preliminary design solution, Scanifly Prelim. With an end-to-end design solution that now includes aerial imagery across all accuracy levels, contractors get speed, accessibility, and precision on a single platform - with no revisions or changes on install day.

️Lightwave Solar Improves Operational Efficiency with Scanifly Prelim

4 Minute Read, November 22, 2023

Lightwave Solar is known for installing complex projects that others typically won't. Learn how they accelerated their sales, survey, and design processes using Scanifly's platform.

When Is It Time To Upgrade Your Drone?

4 Minute Read, November 15, 2023

Drone technology is rapidly evolving and components break down over time. If you’re noticing multiple hardware and/or software issues (eg sensors), it’s likely time for an upgrade. If you don’t upgrade when you should, you risk bringing inaccuracies into your work that could flow downstream and cause issues in design, procurement, and even installation.

The Top Information Sources For Solar Contractors

2 Minute Read, November 12, 2023

Solar Contractors need to continually check different information sources to keep up-to-date with government changes, new technologies, and new ways of doing business in solar. This means looking beyond traditional news sources and into blogs, Reddit threads, YouTube, and even podcasts.

3 Reasons You Need Preliminary + On-Site Designs For Install Planning

4 Minute Read, November 7, 2023

Combining remote and on-site data ensures accurate system sizing, production estimates, and hardware costs. Making a preliminary design is beneficial for sales conversations, while finalizing your design with on-site data is essential for everything to follow. If you use an all-in-one software like Scanifly you have the speed of remote layouts and the precision of drone-based final designs.

What Data Is My Drone Capturing?

2 Minute Read, October 25, 2023

Drones record all forms of data to create an accurate real-time design, including georeferences, dates, flight and battery logs, and camera info. See which data points are most relevant for solar?

How Dynamic SLR Achieved a 100% Fit Rate With Scanifly

3 Minute Read, October 15, 2023

Dynamic SLR lives by a quality-first culture. No exceptions! Learn how they saved hours per design, increased capacity, and eliminated roof climbs while maintaining the accuracy and quality they’re known for.

How Solar Energy Services Cut Project Timelines By >80% With Scanifly

4 Minute Read, October 12, 2023

Solar Energy Services (SES) believes solar is for the people! And we couldn't agree more. Learn how SES leverages Scanifly to reduce project timelines and invest back into their communities, the Amicus coop, and their people.

What's An Orthomosaic Map and Why It Matters for Solar Design?

3 Minute Read, September 26, 2023

Discover the power of orthomosaic maps for solar design. Learn how these detailed and accurate aerial images, created through drone photography, offer superior insights compared to satellite imagery. Say goodbye to skewed measurements and missed roof obstructions, and embrace the precision of orthomosaic maps for your solar projects.

6 Clues For Identifying Young Trees That Will Cause Shade Over Time

3 Minute Read, September 19, 2023

Vegetation shading has massive implications for production analysis of solar arrays. However, how do you know if a young tree will continue growing or if it is a short species? Learn the six ways to help identify how a tree will impact shading over time.

Namaste Solar Eliminates Revisions Using Scanifly

5 Minute Read, September 1, 2023

Learn how Namaste Solar leverages technology to eliminate revisions, increase capacity, keep their teams safe, and deliver on their commitment to quality and accuracy, leading to happier more satisfied customers.

The Pros and Cons of Working With Third-Party Solar Designers

4 Minute Read, August 31, 2023

Third-party consultants can offer a lot of flexibility, cost-effectiveness, and specialized knowledge. However, you need to be willing to engage with them to truly receive all the benefits—it’s not set-and-forget. Learn the tech-enabled best practices for scaling your business using third-party designers and consultants.

Do PV Designs Really Need Square Corners? See What Experts Say.

3 Minute Read, August 15, 2023

Outside of towers, dormers, hips, and other unique roof designs, most roofs are square or rectangular in nature—meaning theoretically, they have 90-degree angles. However, this isn’t the case in reality. Learn why squaring off the corners matters so much for making accurate PV designs.

4 Reasons Why Extra PV Design Resources Are Worth It

5 Minute Read, August 13, 2023

If you want to scale with flexibility, have peaks and valleys in demand, need specialized support, or are growing a niche solar company, working with third-party design consultants can add tremendous value and scalability to your business.

Three Ways To Speed Up Outsourced Designer Turnaround Times

4 Minute Read, August 12, 2023

A common misconception about third-party outsourcing is in-house teams can’t impact delivery times. The theory goes that you are completely removed from the process and the Design consultants you hired do everything. In reality, though, you have a lot of control over delivery times. If you choose to set-and-forget, perhaps not. But if you’re willing to be involved, you can speed things up considerably. Here are three ways to speed up the process while ensuring quality.

Get A Full Plan Set In 4 Steps (Without Doing Any Work)

5 Minute Read, August 10, 2023

Getting full plan sets doesn’t need to mean tons of in-house work. If you are willing to work with trusted third parties, you can collect survey data and seamlessly get quality plan sets developed in under 48 hours. If you are thinking of scaling up your team without any additional overhead or fixed costs, here’s how the process looks.

What Are Dormant Deciduous Trees And How Do They Impact Residential Solar?

4 Minute Read, June 21, 2023

Dormant deciduous trees–species that lose their leaves seasonally–cause interesting challenges for solar contractors in both production and shade estimates. This article looks more in-depth at which dormant deciduous tree factors impact solar projects and how to manage them as a contractor. 

The Top 8 Roof Obstructions Solar Contractors Need To Know About

4 Minute Read, June 14, 2023

Between scheduling hassles, roof diversity, and dealing with trees, solar surveying is difficult enough as it is. Then you add roof obstructions. Often built to blend in, these obstructions are difficult to manually measure, and you need to get the 3D measurements to optimize your shading analysis. Plus, you're climbing up on the roof unless you have a drone. On most roofs, there are eight types of obstructions to watch for. Here’s what you can do about them. 

Common Roof Structure Differences Across The US (And How They Impact Solar Projects)

3 Minute Read, May 26, 2023

On top of the usual challenges like identifying roof obstructions or getting accurate shading data, you also have to manage widely varying roof structures. This article provides an overview of common roof structures, why roofs are built in specific ways and considerations you need to know as a Contractor. 

The Top Gear to Help Solar Surveyors Stay Cool in the Heat

4 Minute Read, May 19, 2023

Summer is just around the corner. For solar surveyors, that means months of high temperatures and sun exposure. The Scanifly team has completed hundreds of solar surveys throughout the United States and talked to dozens of contractors in states with the hottest summers—in this article, we’re sharing the types of gear you’ll need to say cool.

The Do’s and Don’ts of Working With Third-Party Solar Designers

4 Minute Read, May 4, 2023

While outsourcing can be efficient, it’s essential to not just find the right partner but also build the right working relationship. Engaging with third-party designers requires some nuance–a few things to focus on and a few to avoid.

How Surveyors Can Become Designers (3 Steps)

3 Minute Read, April 20, 2023

Surveyors might often become Installers, Project Managers, or Field Managers, owing to their in-depth knowledge of the technical and field elements of solar. However, one career path that isn’t often explored is how Surveyors can become Designers. Yet 15.4% of Surveyors indicated they are thinking about becoming Designers at some point.

How To Get High-Quality Outsourced Solar Designs

4 Minute Read, April 7, 2023

Outsourcing is a new growth lever in solar. In 2023, over two-thirds (67.1%) of Designers report outsourcing at least ten percent of project volume, and 13.4% report they always outsource something. This is a complete flip from just two years ago—in 2021, the majority of solar contractors (63.3%) did not outsource any tasks. What’s driving the change?

How to Manage the Complexity of Old Electrical During Solar Surveys

5 Minute Read, March 23, 2023

For new surveyors who aren’t used to assessing electrical panels, looking at old electrics can be an unsafe and uncomfortable experience. Your job as a Solar Surveyor is not to become an electrical expert; it’s to collect the right data so Designers can do their job. In order to do that, you need some background context and must know how to keep yourself safe.

6 Reasons Why Solar Contractors Can’t Eliminate Site Visits

5 Minute Read, March 17, 2023

Over half of Designers say that incorrect structural, electric, or equipment data is the leading cause of project delays or problems. Further, 81% of Surveyors believe that on-site data is better than remote data for shading analysis. Here are some key reasons why you can't eliminate pre-install day site visits entirely.

How To Pick Trees That Won’t Shade Your Solar Panel Array

4 Minute Read, February 9, 2023

Planting new trees on any property is a great way to beautify. But it can also be a huge hassle for solar arrays. Picking trees does not need to be complicated though. Here’s a simple framework you can follow (with resources to find the right tree species for you).

Satellite Imagery is Definitely Not Good Enough for Solar Array Designs (Here are 4 Reasons Why)

4 Minute Read, February 2, 2023

While satellite imagery is great for preliminary designs—particularly for a quick-turnaround sales conversation—it has four distinct problems that make it dangerous to use as the sole resource for array design.

How To Remove Trees in Property Designs Using Drones and Scanifly

3 Minute Read, January 25, 2023

In the past, scoping for tree removal has typically meant looking with remote imagery or hand measurements—but trees and overall site context are not easily assessed or reliably captured with these methods. If you conduct on-site surveys with a drone, on the other hand, you'll easily capture all this important info in a single visit every time. 

The Best Ways to Pass The Time Driving Between Survey Sites

4 Minute Read, January 5, 2023

A lot of solar surveyors’ day is spent on the road. To get a better idea of how surveyors can pass the time between drive sites, Scanifly spoke to Devin Clark at Digital Mapping Consultants and Josh Abrams at Titan Solar Power. Here’s what they said were their go-to ways to pass the time. 

Scanifly's Top Articles from 2022

3 Minute Read, December 29, 2022

In 2022, Scanifly shared articles covering everything from survey tips and design best practices, to interviews with some of the nation’s leading solar contractors, to our experts’ opinions on the best drones for solar surveying work. Here are your favorites from 2022.

The Top 5 Roof Obstructions You Can’t See With Satellite Imagery (But Can With Drones)

4 Minute Read, December 14, 2022

Too many people rely on satellite imagery in solar despite 91% of surveyors acknowledging it’s not perfectly accurate. While it might be tempting to use satellite imagery to make an installation plan because it appears like a faster route, missing little obstructions results in more truck rolls, redesigns, and overall time to complete the project.

An Independent Spirit: The Growth of Solar in the Midwest

4 Minute Read, December 7, 2022

Speaking with Scanifly, four solar contractors explained how folks in the midwest think about solar energy today and why the natural industry evolution is perfect for the region.

How to Choose a Third Party Design Vendor for Solar Projects

6 Minute Read, November 30, 2022

Design is the part of the solar process where it’s easiest to get behind or backlogged. A lot of contractors choose to outsource some or all of their design work to third parties. Unfortunately, that opens its own problems—namely, how to choose a vendor to work with. In this article, we’re sharing our rubric and the steps to follow when it comes to selecting the right design partner.

7 Reasons Why Solar Surveyors Need to Measure Every Roof Plane (And How to Get it Done in 15 Minutes)

5 Minute Read, November 1, 2022

When you’re forced to climb up on the roof and measure by hand, even an hour per roof isn’t enough in all cases. Here’s what you’re missing out on, the risks you’re incurring, and how to get the whole roof measured in 15 minutes or fewer—for real.

Is It Still Safe To Buy DJI Drones For Solar Surveying?

3 Minute Read, November 9, 2022

In this article, we’re sorting through the key information about the Pentagon and the US Department of Defence (DoD) banning the procurement of DJI drones, how it impacts individuals in solar, and what impact it could have on the solar industry at large.

The Ins and Outs of Solar Drone Insurance: Why You Need It + How To Pick Your Policy

4 Minute Read, November 4, 2022

Drones crash into buildings sometimes. Or trees. The drone is damaged. A tree branch falls on a car. Someone has to pay. Moments like these call for drone insurance. Buying a policy is relatively easy—thankfully—but first, you need to know what kind of coverage you’re looking for.

Clouds Can’t Stop Solar Growth in the Pacific Northwest

6 Minute Read, October 28, 2022

Speaking with Scanifly, five different contractors across Washington and Oregon — shared their perspectives on what’s going on now and what the future of solar holds for the region.

From Teaching in Taiwan to Helping Solar Contractors Grow - Scanifly Spotlight: Daniel Castano

4 Minute Read, October 21, 2022

Scanifly’s employee spotlights showcase our team’s backgrounds, journeys into solar energy, and how they help solar contractors grow their businesses. In this Q&A, Daniel Castano discusses his journey from teaching in Taiwan to helping Solar contractors grow.

5 Anxieties Surveyors Have About Measuring Roofs Without A Tape

4 Minute Read, October 12, 2022

If you’re worried about digital measurement solutions—even if you know it’s safer, faster, and equally as accurate—you’re not alone and it’s not weird. At Scanifly, we’ve spoken to hundreds of surveyors about the shift from manual on-site measurements (ladder and tape) to digital (drone with software). Here are the most common anxieties they had about the transition—and how they overcame them.

DJI Mini 3 Pro: Drone Review

4 Minute Read, October 5, 2022

Scanifly tested the new Mini 3 Pro drone with over 20 flights in as many weather conditions as we could: windy, sunny, cloudy, and at night. In this review, we’re covering key information, the good, the bad, and our official opinion on the drone for solar surveyors.

The Future of Solar in California: “It’s like the new gold rush”

6 Minute Read, September 29, 2022

Speaking with Scanifly, five contractors—Jim Jenal, co-founder of RunOnSun Solar; Kurt Ames, President of KW HOUR ENERGY; Micah Breeden, CFO, and Alyssa Traub, Project Development Manager, both at Allterra Solar; and Jennifer Kemme, the Owner of Vision Civil Engineering—explained the complex landscape of solar energy in California.

The Origins of the Scanifly Academy, Now That We’ve Educated 1,500+ Solar Professionals

3 Minute Read, September 23, 2022

After launching the Surveyor Associate Program in November 2021, over 1,500 solar professionals signed up to learn the basics of drone flight and all of its benefits. In this article, we’re sharing a little more about the origins of the Surveyor Associate Program, and the launch of Scanifly Academy with the Advanced Surveyor Program.

The Top 22 Data Points You Need in Your Solar CRM

4 Minute Read, September 8, 2022

Between sales, design, field teams, surveyors, installers, and project managers, everyone’s got data to track. This is where a central platform—most often a customer relationship management (CRM) system—becomes incredibly valuable. Here’s what you need to know about solar CRMs and what data to track.

Drone Review: DJI Air 2S for Solar Surveying

4 Minute Read, August 26, 2022

In this review, Scanifly drone experts reviewed the DJI Air 2S to see how it could stand up to the rigors of solar surveying including camera quality, flight capabilities, and handling. Here’s the review with Scanifly’s final verdict at the end.

How CMTA Uses Scanifly for Commercial Solar Projects

3 Minute Read, August 11, 2022

Carson Stewart, a mechanical engineer on the CMTA Energy Solutions team, is a member of the eight-person team who helps with surveys and designs. In a Q&A interview with Scanifly, Carson explained more about his own journey into solar and how CMTA uses Scanifly for large commercial projects.

3 Ways to Improve Collaboration Between Surveyors and Designers

4 Minute Read, August 3, 2022

When surveyors and designers don’t talk, everyone suffers. Not only is the whole team more prone to mistakes, but the company operates far less efficiently and project margins are compressed. Ultimately, homeowners suffer. See why Darrell Handley (Director of Business Development at Rooftop Power Co) says collaboration is critical and three ways solar contractors can make collaboration easier between surveyors and designers.

How Solar Energy is Shining Bright in the Sunshine State

4 Minute Read, July 26, 2022

Florida has been running on the sun for generations. Whether tourism, agriculture, or snowbirding, the sun has been a powerful economic draw to the aptly-named sunshine state.

An Independent Drone Pilot’s Guide to Working With Scanifly

4 Minute Read, July 20, 2022

This guide has the following sections: 1. Who we work with and identifying if you are a fit 2. What to do if you are a fit to work with Scanifly. 3. What to do if there isn’t a fit right now.

How Scanifly Helps Good Faith Energy Design Tesla Solar Roofs

5 Minute Read, July 15, 2022

Omar Elnomrosy, the Lead Design Engineer at Good Faith Energy, is one of the only Tesla Solar Roof Certified Installers in Texas and he’s seen demand skyrocket. In a Q&A interview with Scanifly, Omar talked about his work with Tesla Solar Roof and how the company leverages Scanifly software to help design their projects with ease.

Why Don't More Solar Contractors Fly Drones?

3 Minute Read, July 7, 2022

Drones are becoming a popular and powerful tool across many industries, yet it seems solar contractors are hesitant to follow suit. After speaking with hundreds of contractors and surveyors, the data suggests 3 key factors are at play.

How Lighthouse Solar Closes More Sales with Scanifly

4 Minute Read, June 27, 2022

Lighthouse Solar surveys every site before signing a contract so they can help customers understand exactly which system will work best for them. Jay Bramble explains how the company pairs this process with drones to drive revenue and increase margins for its projects.

How SunBug Built a Solar Drone Program

4 Minute Read, June 14, 2022

SunBug was initially hesitant to try drones for site surveying but decided it was worth a small test. After a successful trial and rollout, SunBug now has a thriving solar drone program that helps them get accurate site context in a safer, faster way.

4 Reasons Why Designing in 3D is Better Than 2D

5 Minute Read, June 7, 2022

Blueprints, plan sets, layouts, and as-built diagrams are almost always in 2D. It’s been this way in most contracting industries, including solar, for decades. But that doesn’t mean it’s ideal. Visualizing a project in 3D has notable benefits for solar projects, but historically it hasn’t been feasible to create automatic 3D representations of the site.

Why Scanifly is the New SunEye

4 Minute Read, June 7, 2022

As more solar surveyors recognize that being on the roof is dangerous and time consuming, the industry is looking for ways to capture data digitally. This means the industry also needs new shading tools.

So You Crashed The Company Drone. Now What?

3 Minute Read, May 25, 2022

He finally got the company drone back. It was broken beyond repair from the crash. No humans, animals, or buildings were harmed. But his confidence was broken and fear crept up as he wondered how he would pay to replace the drone. Eventually, Mike (*not his real name) dusted himself off, told his boss what happened, and tried to move on.

Move Over, Oil and Gas: Why Texas is a Unique Market for Solar Energy

5 Minute Read, April 25, 2022

Speaking with Scanifly, five solar contractors - Josh Meade from Freedom Solar, Brandon de la Torre from Tac Solar, Brad Stutzman from O3 Energy, Jim Coffee from Texas Solar, and Omar Elnomrosy from Good Faith Energy - explained why Texas is unique for solar, the challenges of operating in the state, and the future of Texan solar power.

5 Reasons Why Solar Redesigns Happen

4 Minute Read, March 18, 2022

Redesigns are a profit-eating nightmare in the solar world. Every time a contractor needs to change up the plan, a lot of downline things may be disrupted, such as supply ordering, installation planning, and even calling off the installation.

Drone Review: Autel Evo II Pro 6K for Solar

4 Minute Read, Feburary 16, 2022

With solar use cases, the drone you choose matters. Between battery life, flight capabilities, and handling in different weather, it’s critical to treat a drone purchase like a business tool versus a fun technology toy.

4 Ways to Make A Solar Designer’s Life Easier (And Get Higher Quality Designs)

5 Minute Read, Feburary 16, 2022

Solar designers are often put in no-win situations. Despite being given imperfect data from satellite imagery or manual measurements, designers are expected to deliver perfectly accurate designs. On top of that, many designers are put under immense pressure to deliver specific quotas each day regardless of the complexity of the roof.

Energy Trust of Oregon Approves Scanifly for Program Participation

2 Minute Read, Feburary 4, 2022

Scanifly, the leader in solar design software using drones and 3D modeling, today announced that The Energy Trust of Oregon has approved the company to meet its incentive program requirements.

3 Reasons Why Top-Down Drone Photos Don’t Eliminate Human Error in Solar Designs

5 Minute Read, Feburary 4, 2022

Solar surveying used to be a dichotomy: you either did on site surveys or you didn’t do them and relied on best guesses from remote satellite imagery. With new drone technology, more options have emerged. Still much of the solar industry uses a tape measure to manually collect measurements. But for those with a drone, there are two common methods: (1) fly a Point of Interest (POI) flight path taking 100+ images from all perspectives of the property, or (2) take a top-down photo with a drone to create an updated map.

Homeowner Guide: 5 Questions to Ask Solar Contractors (plus Expected Answers) Before Signing

7 Minute Read, January 13, 2022

Getting a new solar system is exciting, especially for the financial possibility of saving on electricity costs, or even making money. But also remember you’re putting a mini power plant on your roof, so it’s serious business and can be stressful.

12 Tips for Dealing with Neighbors During your Solar Drone Surveys

6 Minute Read, December 17, 2021

When a drone pilot or surveyor goes to a site, especially in a suburban area, they often have to interact with neighbors. Sometimes those neighbors are excited to learn about drones and have tons of questions. Other times they are concerned, fearful, or skeptical and can cause a lot of grief.

16 Tips for Flying Drones in Winter Weather

5 Minute Read, December 16, 2021

Nearly every drone ad features people in bright sunshine wearing summer clothes. While this is ideal, it’s not reality for many solar drone pilots in the Northeast, Midwest, and even parts of Texas on a particularly cold winter day. If you fly drones for solar surveys, knowing how to handle winter weather is an essential skill to ensure you can fly year-round.

Drone Review: DJI Mavic 3, Autel EVO II Pro, EVO Lite, and EVO Nano

9 Minute Read, December 10, 2021

You have probably heard the news by now that DJI recently released the Mavic 3 as the newest member of their flagship Mavic lineage. While this is exciting news for earlier adopters and drone enthusiasts, how will this impact your solar drone program and what will you do with your drone budget for the new year? In this drone review, we will be going over the DJI Mavic 3, the latest Autel EVO II Pro, and the soon to be released Autel EVO Lite and Autel EVO Nano.

A Brief History of Solar Shading Tools: From Handheld Hardware to Flying Drones

6 Minute Read, December 8, 2021

A shading analysis is delicate work in solar because it directly impacts how much energy a solar system can produce. Some shade is expected, but too much can crush a system’s potential and anger paying customers. With that in mind, an entire ecosystem of solar shading tools emerged to help contractors build accurate energy production estimates.

3 Reasons Why On Site Shading Data is Better than Remote Shading Data

5 Minute Read, November 24, 2021

Almost all solar projects begin with a preliminary design and shading analysis typically based on satellite and other remote imagery. The resolution, timeliness and quality of this imagery is insufficient to finalize a layout, which causes 92% of solar contractors to visit a project site before installation to verify data. The impact of satellite imagery on the precision of solar shading is even starker.

A Drone Pilot’s Guide to Making Money in Solar

5 Minute Read, November 22, 2021

Initially thought of as either military tools or a fun hobby, drones are now becoming a particularly big part of mainstream industry, including in solar as contractors realize drones make surveying 5x more efficient and way safer. Yet, despite the massive economic opportunity, only an estimated 10% of solar contractors use drones in their business operations.

Solar Contractors: Who Should Fly the Company Drone?

4 Minute Read, November 10, 2021

Drones have been around for a while but are relatively new in solar. When starting out, many solar contractors are unsure who the best person is to fly the company drone and question whether they should outsource, train internally, or hire someone new.

What Drones Can and Cannot tell you about Roof Health

5 Minute Read, November 4, 2021

Solar contractors know a thing or two about roofing. Because most residential solar arrays are rooftop projects, understanding roof health is critical. For contractors, this means knowing how to assess roof conditions, structures and materials, while also maintaining local roofing relationships to help customers fix problems.

The Pros and Cons of Production Guarantees for Solar Installations (Plus Our Opinion)

7 Minute Read, October 20, 2021

Homeowners or property owners who “go solar” often mentally lock into a certain amount of panels or system offset they will achieve based on what the solar contractor tells them. This is an exciting time! Customers can sometimes see an 80% to 100% match between production and consumption. Some can even make money on solar with net metering.

8 Ways Beautiful Imagery Can Make your Solar Project Stand Out

6 Minute Read, October 20, 2021

Pictures of your finished solar project should be beautiful. In the past, this meant hiring expensive photo editors or photographers. But now with readily available equipment and quick editing techniques, anyone can create stunning imagery.

3 Easy Steps for Safe and Effective Drone Solar Surveys

5 Minute Read, September 1, 2021

Drones almost fly themselves these days, which is both really cool and a big risk. Watching a drone fly fully or semi-autonomously can make you think nothing will go wrong. But the reality is that drones are relatively expensive, fine-tuned machines that need humans to guide and pay attention to them, especially in the context of solar surveys.

Why are Orbit Flight Paths Best for Residential Rooftop Solar?

4 Minute Read, August 30, 2021

Most drone pilots are familiar with pre-planned grid pattern flight paths made popular by flight apps like DroneDeploy and Pix4D. They are fully automated (i.e. “touch a button and go”), simple to set, and quick, and as a result increasingly ubiquitous in drone applications across industries. However, conducting a pre-construction site survey for residential rooftop solar projects is different.

3 Steps to Hire a Drone Pilot for your Solar Business

6 Minute Read, August 27, 2021

Many solar contractors want the ROI of drones, but don’t want an in-house drone pilot. Whether wanting to move quickly without hiring full-timers, logistical concerns, insurance reasons, or testing out a new market, hiring a subcontracted drone pilot can be a fantastic way to try things out before making a commitment. With over 340,000 registered commercial drone pilots in the USA alone, it’s never been easier to find a subcontractor.

Solar Site Survey Guide: Strategies for 2021

5 Minute Read, August 19, 2021

Drones, cloud computing, and AI are making it easier than ever to do a solar site survey without needing to climb on the roof or hand-draw sketches. The problem is that technology feels less straightforward, even though it’s fairly simple to use with the right steps. In particular, surveyors should follow four strategies that make surveying easier and more efficient, especially when using drones.

5 Reasons it’s Difficult to Hire Solar Site Surveyors (and 4 things to do about it)

6 Minute Read, August 3, 2021

Solar surveyors - also called auditors, techs, or estimators - are essential not just for the project itself, but also for customer experience and even sales. Yet solar contractors increasingly say they can’t find good surveyors. To better understand this challenge, Scanifly spoke to hundreds of solar surveyors about why they feel it’s hard to hire for their role. From there, we asked them what solar companies can do to make the role more appealing to candidates.

5 Ways Solar Contractors Can Avoid Call-Offs on Install Day

4 Minute Read, August 2, 2021

Demand for solar is rapidly increasing, but the industry faces significant challenges meeting that demand. First are project redesigns, which 44% of surveyors say happens to one tenth or more of their designs, according to the Scanifly Solar Surveyor Outlook. Another is over-reliance on satellite imagery, which 91% of surveyors say is not entirely accurate.

4 Reasons Why Software Automation Won’t Eliminate Redesigns

3 Minute Read, August 2, 2021

There are a handful of solar-specific software platforms that claim to use AI to develop perfect designs. But we're here to share an annoying truth: these tools are great time savers, but software automation and AI ALONE won’t actually eliminate solar project redesigns.

Why Top Contractors Pay More for These Skills

5 Minute Read, July 21, 2021

Manual surveying methods are inefficient even for the best: good surveyors can get 3-4 sites done per day, taking an average of an hour per site plus travel time. But with a drone, surveyors can get up to 5x more surveys done per day. The current Scanifly record is held by a surveyor who completed 26 surveys in a single day. And since drones are just as accurate as manual measurements, if not more, they are hugely valuable to growing solar companies.

FAA Part 107 Exam Registration

3 Minute Read, July 9, 2021

This post details how to sign up for your FAA Exam, which you need to do in order to obtain your Part 107 drone pilot’s license. While this sounds like a simple task, bouncing from site-to-site and wading through unfamiliar verbiage can add unnecessary stress to your pre-exam experience. We've gone through this process already and would like to save you the hassle, so you can spend more time actually studying.

How Rudy Garcia Navigated the “Solar Roller Coaster” as the Industry Grew

4 Minute Read, June 25, 2021

Rudy Garcia has watched the solar industry grow from the inside out during his 14 year career. He’s seen novel technologies, new ways of doing things, and the continued evolutions solar contractors must go through just to stay in business. Speaking with Scanifly, he shared his own career journey in the solar industry and how he’s navigating what he calls the “solar roller coaster” as the industry continues to expand.

Solar Surveying with a Drone is Easier than you Think

5 Minute Read, June 17, 2021

Despite how time consuming manual surveys are, there’s still a belief that drones are too complicated to use. This couldn’t be further from the truth: drones are easy to learn and in most instances can be fully automated. This is what led Doron Yassur to recently set the Scanifly site survey record with 26 roofs in a single day.

How Do You Fly Drones in DC Airspace?

3 Minute Read, June 14, 2021

Local, state, and federal governments have committed to renewable energy in their policies and procurements. There are certain areas where getting permission to fly a drone is complicated, such as around government buildings, military bases, and right next to airports. While these more nuanced airspaces exist throughout the United States, you can navigate them through the LAANC process. However, no airspace poses a bigger challenge than Washington, DC. It is possible, but difficult - here’s what you can do.

My Boss Just Gave Me a Drone. Now What?

4 Minute Read, June 7, 2021

You’re probably aware of how drones can make solar surveys up to 5x more efficient. Drones are also safer and significantly more accurate than a manual survey process (i.e. ladders, tape measures etc.). All of that is true. But what are you supposed to do if your boss hands you a drone and simply says “figure it out”? It’s a scenario that happens a lot as drone technology becomes more commonplace, and more solar contractors are building solar drone programs.

6 Ways Drones can Improve Your Marketing Strategy

4 Minute Read, May 12, 2021

While drones can help solar contractors survey up to 5x more projects per day, they are also powerful tools for sales and marketing. A lot of contractors already use drones to collect photos and videos of completed projects. However many don’t realize you can also use drones to create a custom 3D model of a site and use that for marketing purposes as well. And site surveyors can be a huge part of this process.

How Accurate is Scanifly Software?

5 Minute Read, April 19, 2021

Whenever we speak to solar contractors, they inevitably ask us how accurate Scanifly technology really is. We understand the concern! We used to be solar surveyors, designers, and installers ourselves. And we know there’s a certain confidence that comes from touching the roof with your own hands.

Scanifly’s Commitment to Accuracy: Our R&D Process in Action

3 Minute Read, April 16, 2021

As a company, we take pride in the Scanifly Accuracy Pledge. We know from personal experience working in solar, and from conversations with hundreds of solar contractors, that accuracy is the most critical element of solar surveying and design. Without it, you can’t build trust - and without trust, your business won’t survive.

How Drones Helped Steve Buchmiller Build Empire Solar Group

5 Minute Read, April 16, 2021

Steve Buchmiller got into solar by accident. An oil fields contractor originally, he started looking for new opportunities when the price of oil fell in the mid-2010’s. Solar was just starting to pick up at that point, so he started using his oil field employees to help execute on solar survey and installation jobs. Demand kept growing, so he and his partners spun out Empire Solar into its own company in 2015.

4 Reasons Why Site Surveyors May Be Your Best Salespeople

7 Minute Read, April 15, 2021

Nearly all solar contractors conduct an on-site survey before construction. Given this frequency, it’s commonplace for site surveyors to interact with homeowners in a variety of sales models. As former site surveyors ourselves and from speaking with hundreds of solar contractors, there are four reasons why site surveyors may actually be your best closers.

3 Trends All Solar Installers Must Be Aware Of

4 Minute Read, April 14, 2021

Whether for environmental or business reasons, more Americans than ever are looking into solar energy. Solar panel technology has been around for a while, but the solar industry is really starting to take off due to a variety of factors. Now, the energy is undeniable.

Skydio 2 Drone Review (Part 2): Decent Software with Room to Grow

4 Minute Read, March 24, 2021

The Skydio 2 drone is a beautiful piece of machinery, but the hardware is only one part of it. After part one of this blog series where I reviewed Skydio 2’s hardware, I want to dive into the software side. I work with drones on a regular basis, and know that software is just as important - if not more important - than the drone itself. In this post, I’ve compiled my thoughts on Skydio 2’s software strengths and limitations, plus give my final verdict on whether I recommend the drone to everyone.

5 Tips for Building a National Solar Drone Program

5 Minute Read, March 17, 2021

Empire Solar Group learned a few things the hard way when it came to implementing drone use for hundreds of employees across the United States. Looking back, the operations and leadership team shared their top five insights for any company looking to use drones in their solar business.

Skydio 2 Drone Review (Part 1): Hardware that’s Ready for Takeoff

6 Minute Read, March 11, 2021

Tim Jackson, Scanifly's VP of Customer Success, spends all day explaining drone hardware and software to solar contractors. For the past two weeks he has tested the Skydio 2 drone. Here is Part 1 of his review.

How Drones Made This Solar Site Assessor 5x More Efficient

3 Minute Read, February 16, 2021

Michael Barker has been in the solar industry for nearly a decade and now runs a solar site assessment business. Using drones and Scanifly, Michael was able to 5x the amount of assessments he can do in a day. Drones also made his work safer and he’s able to charge more for the quality and precision of drone services compared to climbing on a roof with a ladder.

In a Q&A with Scanifly, Michael shared how he got into the business, learned drones, and his opinion on the future of solar energy.

Scanifly: Continued Resilience in Residential Solar

3 Minute Read, August 25, 2020

Courtesy of CEO Jason Steinberg

This year would have been a historic year for solar. It appears like the worst of COVID’s uncertainty is behind us, and the industry is ramping back up. This sentiment has been echoed in recent second quarter earnings announcements from several of solar’s leading public companies.