Cover Story individual inspections when problems are reported or maintenance is required.
The drone surveys are intended to identify even smaller roofing issues before they develop into more significant defects, such as leaks or damage requiring costly repairs.
Roof inspections can traditionally involve visual assessments from street level or require surveyors to gain direct access to roofs. Depending on the building and the condition being assessed, this can involve additional equipment and working at height.
Stonewater’ s drone programme is designed to reduce the need for these measures during the initial survey process.
The drones can access hard-toreach roof areas, courtyards and complex structures, while highresolution imagery can be captured without requiring surveyors to enter residents’ homes.
For a housing provider managing a large and geographically dispersed portfolio, the approach provides a way to gather roof condition data across a significant number of properties.
Robert Panou, director of asset strategy, homes at Stonewater, said:“ Using drones for a project of this scale is the most effective way to survey every single block roof that Stonewater manages. While the costs are comparable to traditional methods,
Drones are an excellent tool to gain stronger insights into the condition of buildings, make budgets stretch further by having a targeted approach to maintenance and ensure properties continue to be safe, happy homes for residents.“
the results are far more comprehensive and will be useful to our team for years to come.
“ Capturing such comprehensive visuals and data will allow us to address issues early, reducing the need for expensive repairs and minimising disruption and frustration for customers.”
Roofing surveys to support planned maintenance
The information gathered through the surveys will provide Stonewater with detailed visual and thermal data on the condition of its roofs.
The data can be viewed securely online, allowing relevant teams to access the imagery after the surveys have been completed.
This creates a digital record that can be revisited when maintenance decisions are being made, rather than relying on a single inspection carried out at a particular point in time.
The information can also be used to compare changes in building condition over time and support the planning of future work.
For roofing maintenance, early identification of defects can help housing providers determine where intervention is required and prioritise work across a large portfolio.
The surveys will also provide information that can be used alongside other building projects. According to Vantage UAV, the imagery can support retrofit projects as well as maintenance planning.
Grace Hammond, head of services – built environment at Vantage UAV, said:“ Drones are an excellent tool to gain stronger insights into the condition of buildings, make budgets stretch further by having a targeted approach to maintenance and ensure properties continue to be safe, happy homes for residents.
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