Is a drone inspection enough to satisfy the PFI?
No. Drones can support the full visual inspection, subject to the Commissioner of Building Control's approval and the use of accredited unmanned aircraft service providers. The regulations still require a close-range inspection with physical contact over at least 10% of each elevation. Infrared thermography is likewise treated by BCA as a supplement to, not a substitute for, the 10% close-range inspection.
From the RRD Field Guide, checked against the sources cited in Periodic Façade Inspection (PFI) in Singapore: The Complete Owner's Guide. General information, not advice for your project.
The fuller picture
Since 1 January 2022, BCA can require owners of buildings taller than 13 m and more than 20 years old to have the façade inspected every seven years. On receiving a notice, the owner must appoint a Competent Person (a PE or Registered Architect with the Certificate in Façade Inspection) within two months, submit the report by the notice deadline and complete the recommended repairs.
More questions on this topic
- Does the PFI apply to landed houses?
- How is the age of my building counted for the PFI?
- Can I carry out the PFI before BCA sends me a notice?
- Can the PFI be deferred because we are doing repainting (R&R) works?
- Who pays for the PFI in a condominium?
- What happens if the CP finds an unsafe façade?
- Can I appoint the architect or engineer who designed my building as the CP?
- How long do we have to complete the repairs?