Can I order drone documentation for a storm claim in Columbus?

Yes. Order online at lossmap.io/order or call (214) 493-1515, for property in Columbus, Newark, Heath, Pataskala, and the townships of Franklin and Licking counties. Every job is reviewed and quoted, and that review confirms whether and when a pilot can fly the property. Nothing is charged when you order.

The storms were in August. What can a flight in Columbus show now?

The roof, every side of the structure, and the site as they stand on the day of the flight, with that date on the record. A flight now cannot show what the property looked like in August, and it does not say what caused any damage. It gives your adjuster and every contractor the same current images for an open claim, a reinspection, or a supplement.

Do I need a permit to repair a roof in Columbus?

Check with the building office for the address before repairs; permit rules differ by city, town, and county in Franklin and Licking counties. The offices linked on this page include City of Columbus Department of Building and Zoning Services, Franklin County Economic Development and Planning, and Franklin County Economic Development and Planning. If the roof is still being worked on, a flight before and after the repair keeps both on record.

When is the deadline to apply for FEMA help in Ohio?

Ohio EMA gives December 1, 2026 as the deadline to apply in Ohio, as the source linked on this page states. Apply at DisasterAssistance.gov. lossmap is not part of FEMA or any insurer, and a lossmap gallery is not a FEMA application.

Columbus Storm Claim Drone Documentation

Storm facts, as of October 17, 2026

Ohio. On August 11, 2026, Governor DeWine declared a state of emergency in Perry and Muskingum counties, and amended it to add Franklin County on August 13 and Morgan County on August 14, 2026. Office of Governor DeWine, updated proclamations.
Federal, Ohio. On October 2, 2026, FEMA listed a major disaster declaration for Ohio, DR-4945-OH, for severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes, flooding, and landslides from August 10 to 22, 2026. As of October 17, 2026, its designated areas page named 7 counties under Individual Assistance, the FEMA program that pays households directly: Clermont, Franklin, Hamilton, Licking, Morgan, Muskingum, and Perry. FEMA, Ohio Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, and Landslides (DR-4945-OH), designated areas.
Deadline to apply, Ohio. On October 13, 2026, the Ohio Emergency Management Agency said the deadline to apply for FEMA assistance is December 1, 2026. Ohio EMA, Ohio Disaster Recovery Centers Update, October 13, 2026.
Weather, Ohio. NWS Wilmington describes a widespread severe weather outbreak across the Ohio Valley on August 11, 2026, with an 82 mph gust at John Glenn Columbus International Airport, and says the afternoon round of storms was classified as a derecho by the Storm Prediction Center. National Weather Service Wilmington, OH, August 11, 2026.

Apply for FEMA help at DisasterAssistance.gov. For current recovery information in Columbus, Franklin County, and Licking County, follow the Ohio Emergency Management Agency and your county emergency management agency. lossmap is not part of FEMA or any insurer.

Safety first

Stay off a damaged roof in Columbus: a drone flight is how the roof gets documented without anyone on it. Do what keeps people safe and prevents more damage, even if that means a repair or a tarp goes on before anyone flies.

Documenting a claim that is still open

A flight now records the property as it stands on the day of the flight, and the gallery carries that date. It cannot show what the roof looked like in August, and it does not say what caused any damage. It puts the roof, every side, and the site on one record that the adjuster, the contractor, and you can all open from the same link: for a supplement, a reinspection, or a repair still underway. Repair completion flights record the finished work.

What gets documented

Wind. Missing and creased shingles and lifted membrane, from straight overhead, plus fences, outbuildings, and detached structures. Wind roof flight.
Hail. The roof from overhead, test squares and soft-metal close-ups, and siding, windows, and exterior elevations. Hail roof flight.
Flood. Flood extent and high-water marks where they are still visible, and grading and drainage around the structure. Flood documentation flight.
Trees. Trees and limbs on a structure or across the yard, fences, and vehicles.

The gallery comes as a permalink you can send to your adjuster and to every contractor you ask for a bid. Adjusters with many addresses in Columbus, Franklin County, and Licking County can order CAT or volume dispatch.

Order a shoot →

FAA rules for the flight

Every lossmap flight is flown under the FAA’s Part 107 rules. Near an airport, in controlled airspace, the pilot needs an FAA authorization before the flight, and the FAA can issue temporary flight restrictions for disasters and other events, listed on the FAA’s TFR list. For every address in Columbus, the pilot checks the airspace and gets FAA authorization where it is required. The job review confirms whether and when a flight can happen. See the FAA rules for drone roof inspections.

Building and permit offices

Before roof, siding, or flood repairs, ask the building office for the address what it requires. If it is safe, document the roof before the repair, then again once it is done.

City of Columbus Department of Building and Zoning Services, 111 N. Front St, 1st Floor, (614) 645-7433
Franklin County Economic Development and Planning, Zoning Division, 373 S. High St, 614-525-3094
Franklin County Economic Development and Planning, Building, 614-525-3166
City of Newark Engineering and Zoning, 40 W. Main St, 2nd floor, (740) 670-7729
City of Heath Building and Zoning, 1287 Hebron Road, (740) 522-1420
City of Pataskala Planning and Zoning, 740-927-4910
Licking County Planning and Development, 20 S. Second St, Newark, (740) 670-5200
Licking County Building Code Department (building permits in Newark, Pataskala, and the county), 740-349-6671

County emergency management

Recovery updates

From official pages, checked October 17, 2026. Each line carries its own date.

October 17, 2026. FEMA's DR-4945-OH page, updated October 17, still lists the Reynoldsburg Community Church Disaster Recovery Center in Franklin County as open. fema.gov
October 7, 2026. Ohio EMA said Disaster Recovery Centers would open that week, with the Franklin County center at Reynoldsburg Community Church, 1636 Graham Road, Reynoldsburg, serving Franklin and Licking counties. ema.ohio.gov

How ordering works

Tell us what happened, the address, and a preferred date, online or at (214) 493-1515.
We review the job and send a quote. That review confirms whether and when a pilot can fly the property. Nothing is charged when you order.
An FAA Part 107 pilot flies the shot list when it is safe and allowed. Flights need safe weather, generally winds under 20 mph and no precipitation.
You get the gallery by link. The delivery timeline comes with the quote.

Housing and trailers in Columbus

lossmap documents the property. If the home is not livable while it is repaired, our parent company covers temporary housing on your lot in Columbus, including the local rules for a trailer on residential property. Crews and families who need a travel trailer can see trailers for crews and families in Columbus.

Nearby areas

Drone documentation in Zanesville · Drone documentation in Cincinnati · All Indiana and Ohio storm areas

What lossmap is not

lossmap provides aerial imagery and visual documentation. It is not a licensed roof inspection, an engineering report, or an insurance determination. Whether a carrier accepts the imagery is the carrier’s decision: see do insurers accept drone roof photos.

Sources

Official pages. Storm facts checked October 17, 2026; local pages checked October 17, 2026.

Drone Documentation for Storm Claims in Columbus