Storm Prep · Property Documentation

A dated record of your property
before the storms arrive

Be ready, with the “before” already on file.

A strong El Niño is forecast, and a wetter winter is favored. A dated, geo-referenced aerial record makes any change easy to show later.

Why a Baseline

After a storm, the hard part is showing what it looked like before

A strong El Niño is forecast this winter, and a wetter-than-normal season is favored for much of California, with the heaviest rain expected from December on. Forecasts can change, so the practical move is simple: document your property while it looks the way it does today.

  • Show what changed. A dated, geo-referenced map and photos turn memory and guesswork into a side-by-side comparison.
  • Share it with the right people. It’s documentation you can share with your insurer, engineer, or agency.
  • Reach what you can’t safely climb. Roofs, bluffs, slopes, and large parcels are captured from the air, with no ladders.
Flooded street in Pajaro, California, with submerged cars and a rescue boat (stock photo)
Pajaro, CA, March 2023.
The Baseline Package

What’s included

One flight captures your property as it stands today. After a major storm, an optional repeat flight gives you the matching “after.”

🗺️

Dated, geo-referenced 2D map

A high-resolution top-down map of your whole property, stamped with the flight date and tied to real-world coordinates, so it lines up with other maps and aerial imagery.

📸

Close-up photos

Roofs, slopes, drainage paths, and shoreline photographed up close and dated.

🎬

Short video

A short flyover that shows the overall condition of your property from above.

🔁

Optional repeat flight

After a major storm, the pilot flies the same property again so you can compare before and after.

Pricing

Priced by property size. One flight, one price.

Homes and lots up to 2 acres$400
Larger parcels, HOAs, golf courses, wineries, and hotelsQuoted by size
Optional repeat flight after a storm, homes and lots up to 2 acres$300
Book by Dec 1 to have your baseline on file before the heaviest rain.
Who It’s For

Properties that benefit from a baseline

If a storm could change your land, roof, slope, or shoreline, a dated record of today is worth having.

🏗️

Active construction sites

Dated records to support your Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) and erosion-control documentation. Your plan and its qualified practitioner decide what’s required.

🏡

Coastal and hillside homes

A record of slopes, bluffs, drainage, and rooflines before the rain.

🏘️

HOAs and property managers

One consistent record of common areas, roofs, and drainage across the whole community.

⛳

Golf courses

Fairways, bunkers, cart paths, and drainage documented before the wet season.

🍇

Wineries and vineyards

Rows, slopes, roads, and drainage across acreage that’s hard to walk.

🏨

Hotels and resorts

Roofs, grounds, and shoreline-facing areas documented across a large property.

For Construction Sites

A baseline map now, a map after each storm

Fly the site before the rain, then fly the same route after each significant storm. Erosion controls, sediment, slopes, and drainage are documented in one dated sequence.

1

Baseline before the rain

The pilot flies a baseline map and photos while your controls are in place.

2

A map after each storm

Same route, same coverage, so changes stand out clearly.

3

Compare and document

You get a dated sequence you can share with your team, engineer, or agency.

FAQ

Storm Prep FAQ

Quick answers about what you receive, timing, insurers, and airspace.

What do I receive?

A dated, geo-referenced 2D map of your property, close-up photos of roofs, slopes, drainage and shoreline, and a short video, delivered through a browser link you can open and share. Files for your engineer or agency are available on request.

How long does it take?

The pilot flies your property on a day that works for both of us, and your files typically follow within 2 business days of the flight. Weather can move the flight date, and rescheduling for weather is free.

Will my insurer accept it?

Every insurer sets its own requirements, so there's no way to promise how any one of them will treat it. What you receive is documentation you can share with your insurer, engineer, or agency, and they decide what they need.

Can you fly near Monterey Regional Airport or other controlled airspace?

Often, yes, with FAA authorization. Properties near Monterey Regional Airport (MRY) and other airports can fall inside controlled airspace, where a drone can fly only with authorization. The pilot checks your location before booking and requests authorization where it's required. If a location can't be authorized, you'll hear that up front.

Is this a land survey?

No. The maps and photos are for documentation and planning. They aren't prepared by a licensed land surveyor and shouldn't be used for boundary, legal, or engineering purposes.

What if the winter turns out to be mild?

A strong El Niño is forecast, but seasons don't always deliver what an outlook suggests. A dated baseline is still useful: it documents your property's condition before any storm, slide, or construction change, and it's a reference you can use any time.

Do I have to book the repeat flight?

No. The repeat flight is optional. You can add it after a major storm, or only if you see something you want to document.

Reserve Your Baseline

Tell us about your property.

Fill out the form or give us a call. We’ll talk through your property and timing, the pilot checks airspace, and you get a price. No commitment required. Book by Dec 1 to have your baseline on file before the heaviest rain.

415-640-4059

Leave a voicemail if no answer, and you’ll get a call back as soon as possible.

You’ll hear back promptly, usually within a few hours during business hours.

Other Ways We Can Help

Explore our other services

The El Niño forecast and wetter-winter outlook on this page come from NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center: ENSO diagnostic discussion (Oct. 8, 2026) and seasonal outlook discussion (Oct. 15, 2026).

Flood photo: courtesy of the 1-184 Infantry Regiment, California National Guard, via DVIDS. The appearance of U.S. Department of War (DoW) visual information does not imply or constitute DoW endorsement.