As a consultancy, we are always looking to develop our approach to expert witness inspections, ensuring that we are making use of any new technology. As part of this, we have invested in drones equipped with high-definition cameras for photo and video capture at high level.

Since adding the drones to our surveyors’ equipment, we have found they have become an increasingly important part of our inspection process. This update reflects on a random sample of 100 cases we have inspected recently and how the drones have impacted upon them. We also attach three case studies that illustrate the insight that drones bring to our inspection process.

Out of the 100 inspections sampled, 41 involved drone use. Deployment of the drone allowed for the identification of disrepair to roofs, chimneys, and at high level to external walls and rainwater goods, as well as the need for the installation of specialist scaffolding that would otherwise have gone undetected. Of the 41 cases where the drone was used, 20% of these contained over £1,000 worth of disrepair that would not have been identified without drone use.

However, this is only a fraction of the benefit that drone-assisted inspections can bring. In the majority of cases where the drone was used, the images obtained allowed high-value internal disrepair to be convincingly linked to specific issues at high level externally. Being able to provide evidence of such links can strengthen cases, remove the need for further investigation to be undertaken at high level, and ensure that remedial works target the root causes of disrepair—helping tenants get back to normal as soon as possible.

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Case Study One – Mid Terrace – Penetrating Dampness

In this case, the disrepair in the photograph was not visible from ground level at the rear of the property. The drone enabled us to identify the failure and disrepair in the roof which was behind the penetrating dampness in five rooms, including a bedroom.

Case Study Two – Mid Terrace First Floor Flat – Penetrating Dampness

This case concerned a first-floor flat in a mid-terrace building which was suffering from penetrating damp in the kitchen and utility room. Internally, there was evidence of dampness and deterioration in the ceiling and wall plaster, but the value of the remedial works required was less than £1,000.

We needed to identify the cause of the disrepair. As the garden belonged to another flat and there was no back alley for access, it was not possible to view the rear elevation of the property from ground level. We flew the drone up over the front of the property and identified a missing roof tile directly above the location of the internal disrepair. This intervention allowed us to link the internal and external issues and recommend repair works to the value of over £1,000.

Case Study Three – End Terrace First Floor Flat – Penetrating Dampness

This case involved penetrating dampness in several rooms, with two areas of the roof causing all the problems. Once we had the drone up in the air looking at the roof, things became clear: a simple slipped tile was causing most of the problems in the two rooms beneath.

Without the drone, we would not have been able to evidence the repairs necessary to prevent ongoing penetrating dampness.