AS published IN HOUSEBUILDER MAGAZINE - FEBRUARY 2025
The leading magazine for uk residential development and regeneration
With a new financial year on the horizon Jim Morris (Managing Director of Drone Surveying) explains why technical and commercial teams must revolutionise traditional surveying techniques for effective site management
Working exclusively with house builders throughout the UK, DRONE SURVEYING has seen a massive increase in its client portfolio over the last couple of years as technical, commercial and construction teams realise the benefits of using drone technology to drive huge efficiency savings on site.
Working with 17 of the leading house builders, our services were commissioned on 650 sites last year and one customer reported savings of £180,000 on a single project after commissioning just two of our surveys.
Unrivalled results
Using the latest high-specification drones, our expert teams gather a full set of data and imagery which is processed by our easy to navigate industry-leading software. We ensure data is uploaded within 24 hours of a survey being carried out so a 3D real-time model of the entire site can be created. Our clients can then obtain working measurements within minutes, removing the need for surveyors on the ground and thereby increasing safety on site and removing the possibility of human error.
All clients are given full training and ongoing support in using the portal, allowing them to make and analyse measurements, perform volumetric calculations, overlay CAD designs and view recordings of their site at the click of a couple of buttons.
Access to an easy-to-use innovative mobile app allows teams to seamlessly integrate the survey data into their daily workflow to make live checks, allocate tasks and respond to issues – reducing delays and improving productivity.
Verifying as-built designs (read more)
By overlaying site designs, CAD surfaces and PDFs, clients can verify the positions of roads, driveways and plots to compare the as-built against the design. Our customers regularly report having been able to identify and rectify build errors through this feature before they become costly headaches.
Cut and fill analysis (READ MORE)
Just a few clicks within the software allows accurate cut and fill analysis before commencing construction and after every subsequent survey, ensuring earthwork operations stay on course… and on budget.
Stockpile measurements (READ MORE)
100 million points of accurate data are captured from each survey, enabling the precise measurement of earth and earth movements across an entire site to support the Material Management Plan (MMP).
Checking overland flood routes (READ MORE)
Innovative hydrology tools within our client portal enable teams to quickly visualise how heavy rainfall or flowing water will affect the ground in specific areas, based on the current topography and terrain. This allows them to mitigate the effects of heavy rainfall or flooding on site.
I have worked with DRONE SURVEYING for some years now, from checking a boundary of new land to auditing earthworks. The use of drones on our sites is now standard; we monitor progress and calculate cut and fill via the online software as our sites progress.
The use of regular mass data collection and the latest drone technology and practises will without doubt save us time and money on our sites.
We use DRONE SURVEYING on all of our sites to support our cut and fill strategy, with regular surveys and their cutting-edge software, we are able to manage our sites much more effectively.
Having now worked with DRONE SURVEYING engineering solutions for a number of years, their services have proven to be invaluable conducting our volumetric surveys, progress videos and cut and fill support. The drone data platform has allowed us to get the best from the data with full support and training provided from the DS team
The drone data helps us to make quicker and smarter key decisions to ensure we have budget and time control on our projects. Having monthly surveys on our sites ensures we keep full control of all earth movements.
Using aerial imagery from drone surveys helps us anticipate errors or mistakes in the next stage of development instead of waiting for work to start on the ground. This proactive approach has saved us hundreds of thousands of pounds; a reactive approach can be costly
DRONE SURVEYING’s nine-strong team includes specialist drone operators based in the North, Midlands, South-West and South-East enabling us to survey construction sites across the country, often at short notice. We are fully compliant with the regulations set by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and are in regular contact with them to ensure safe and legal operations.
Our team includes experts who are available to provide ongoing support to assist you in analysing and interpreting the survey data to make informed decisions for your project, often acting as an extension to your in-house team.
