So what happens when a chunk of someone’s backyard hobby—no, let’s call it what it is, a whirring lawnmower with wings—decides your roof is a landing pad? It’s not like bird poo or a rogue frisbee. Drone debris, especially the big commercial types, can hit like an anvil wrapped in plastic. Maybe it’s a busted propeller, maybe the whole thing’s tangled in your gutters like a robotic squirrel. Either way, now there’s a dent or worse—a slice straight through your asphalt shingles like butter with a hot knife.
You could stand there staring up, muttering things you shouldn’t say around kids. Or you could fix it. Well. Try to.
Duct Tape Is Not a Theology
First gut urge is probably: patch it. Tape it. Spackle. But roofs aren’t crockpots. If you just slap a piece of flashing over a hole, you’re going to find rain coming in through your ceiling fan three weeks down the line, dripping rhythmically onto your son’s social studies project. Water doesn’t care about appearances. It’ll crawl under things sideways like guilt.
So start with the ugly work: get on that ladder (unless you’ve got vertigo or bad knees—then PAY someone). Photograph the damage. While you’re at it, take one of the whole roof. Insurance people like seeing the “before”—even if it’s 5 minutes after.
Insurance companies rely heavily on documentation to assess claims. Without clear evidence, you might face delays or disputes regarding the extent of the damage or the value of your lost items. Proper photographic documentation can significantly expedite the claims process and increase the likelihood of a fair settlement.
https://murraylawgroup.com/blog/photos-for-insurance-claims
Fishing Screws Out of Asphalt Isn’t a Sunday Hobby
Just last month, neighbor Dan (you know, the guy who always wears sandals in February) had a whole drone wing embedded under the ridge cap—took two crowbars and a curse in Latvian to yank it out. Point is: debris embeds. It splinters. Metal parts hide under shingles like ticks. You can’t just do a visual once-over and feel clever. Press around. Feel for soft spots underfoot. If it crunches, it’s not granules—it’s a warning.
Most folks don’t want to rip off multiple shingles to investigate. Can’t blame ‘em. But sometimes you gotta lift more than you’d like. About three rows minimum, depending on where the thing hit. Oh—important—if it’s rained since the crash? Check your attic insulation. Water plus fiberglass equals a sneezy, saggy mess.
Don’t Trust That it “Looks Fine”
You might stand back from your roof, arms crossed, like some sad general surveying damage after battle. It might look fine. But drones fall harder than you think. Especially when they have batteries the size of a toddler’s thigh. Shingles crack in hairline ways. The inner felt underlay could be torn and you’d never spot it from ground level—unless you’ve got hawk DNA.
So—get tactile with it. Run your knuckles over the affected area (wear gloves unless you crave itchy hands). Push. Prod. If the roofing gives more than a half millimeter? Could mean delamination. And then you’re not just replacing top layers—you suddenly need to re-do decking. That’s hundreds more. Easily.
The “Which Repair” Debate That Eats Your Weekend
You can patch, sure. Temporary patches work like apologies after family dinners: barely. But they might get you through a storm or two while you save up for a proper reshingling. There’s peel-and-stick membranes, too—those work nicely if you’re in a dry spell and the area’s under 2ft across.
Then, you got full shingle replacements. That’s the “clean conscience” option. Costs more in sweat or dollars, but at least you sleep without wondering if raccoons have found their new summer home under your flashing.
Or, if you’re real unlucky and the drone managed to crush a vent or pierce through flashing by a chimney? Might be a full partial reroof job. Someone out there’s thinking “Better to just re-do everything.” And that’s fine. But unless you’re just itching to spend 15 grand, spot-replacements might be the only palate cleanser you can swallow right now.
While roof patches offer a temporary fix for minor damages, there are situations where applying a patch is not advisable. A patch is unsuitable when there is extensive damage, such as widespread rot or large areas compromised by water or structural damage. Additionally, replacement may be the better option if your roof is nearing the end of its expected lifespan or showing signs of multiple or recurring leaks.
https://lyonsroofing.com/how-long-does-a-roof-patch-last/
Sealants Are Slippery Liars
People love sealants. They imagine it’s like icing on a cake—smooth, solid, reassuring. Nope. They shrink. They crack. They lie. If you don’t apply roof sealant *under* your patch and then over the seam, you’re just smearing goo like a child with jam.
Useful trick? Use a heat gun (or hair dryer if you’re desperate) to soften sealant right before application in colder weather. Spreads better. Dries tighter. But maybe skip that if you’re midwestern and the wind’s slicing like bacon—ain’t worth frostbitten fingers.
The Insurance Limbo Dance Begins
Ah, paperwork. Nothing pleases a roof-sufferer more than 12 pages explaining how your “specific situation may not be fully covered under Clause W-17, subpoint N.” Insurers don’t yet have a checkbox that says “Fell from sky, probably drone?”—which makes things more annoying.
Document everything. Even if the drone’s serial number is long gone and the pilot’s probably sipping coffee 9 neighborhoods away and has no idea what they crashed into. If you recovered the actual drone bits? Do *not* toss them. Even if the battery smells like doom. Photos. Videos. A timestamped walk-around. All of it.
Sometimes, homeowner’s policies cover “falling object damage.” Sometimes not. Some treat drones like aircraft. Others like meteorites. It’s a coin flip and a prayer.
You’ll Probably End up Blaming Bezos or the Neighbor’s Kid
If the drone belonged to a company? You could try tracking them down—especially if it’s branded or has a registry ID. Civil aviation agencies sometimes have record logs. That’s a mess though. If it’s a hobby drone from a 13-year-old across the block, well, odds are the parents will cover repairs if confronted nicely. Don’t start with a furious door knock. Start with: “Hey, just wondering—your kid fly something the other day?”
Then again, you might never find who sent metal from above. And you’re stuck fixing it yourself, muttering at the heavens.
Final Note (Not a Conclusion, Just a Crooked Comma)
Blame the sky. Patch the damage. Be ready for squirrels to take interest. Drone debris is the new hailstone—pointy, weird, and somehow always lands when you’re out grocery shopping.
Next time, maybe get that “drone dome” roofing insurance add-on, if that even exists. Probably doesn’t. Probably should.
Oh, and never patch on a windy day. Unless you want a second fall—from yourself this time.
