Gecko Robotics and NAES Corporation joined forces to introduce StratoSight, a commercial roof inspection service that uses AI and drones equipped with advanced sensors and thermal vision to perform predictive analysis and structural assessments. The system addresses the limitations of traditional manual inspections by offering a safer, more efficient and accurate approach to assessing the condition of commercial and industrial roofs.
The partnership between these two companies is based on a multi-million dollar deal, initially valued at more than $100 million, with an option to expand to $250 million, aimed at modernizing the U.S. energy infrastructure, especially following the declaration of a national energy emergency in January 2025.
Beyond reactive maintenance
Traditional assessments tend to miss more than 40% of critical problems, such as minor roof membrane damage that can lead to major failures, water seepage and structural degradation. In addition, human-performed roof inspections are dangerous for personnel, as they require physical access to roofs that may be unsafe.
How does StratoSight work?
It overcomes these limitations with AI-based analytics that detect up to ten times more indications of failure and drones that capture high-definition photogrammetry and high-resolution thermography. Power plant operators can thus plan interventions months in advance, avoiding unscheduled outages and emergency repairs.
The service is also supported by Cantilever, Gecko’s AI operating platform, which processes the data collected by the drones and processes it in the cloud using automatic defect detection algorithms. The analyzed roof condition data is reflected in a practical and intuitive interface to facilitate decision making.
Video showing the entire drone and sensor infrastructure used by StratoSight to inspect roofs. Source: Gecko Robotics.
Proven benefits
- Detects 10 times more hidden risks compared to human inspections.
- Eliminates personnel exposure to hazards
- Identifies specific repair areas, avoiding cost overruns and allowing for targeted repairs
- Can be deployed at 10 or 1000+ sites thanks to scalable cloud processing capacity and NAES’ expertise in nationwide operations
Impact and future prospects
This inspection service addresses labor challenges in the energy industry, where more workers are removed than are hired. In addition, it reduces reactive maintenance by 80% and can double the useful life of assets, significantly improving infrastructure reliability.
According to data shared by the companies, the solution has already been implemented in more than a thousand sites, demonstrating its ability to adapt to demanding industrial environments. Gecko and NAES plan to expand StratoSight to include more data sources and applications, such as inspection of HVAC and rooftop fire suppression systems.
Source: Roofing Contractor
Photo: Gecko Robotics
