Improving asset management inspections and surveys
The Board have made a significant investment in a new drone that brings the following benefits to the asset inspections and condition surveys we perform:
- Improved accuracy
- Increased efficiencies in data collection, covering more area in less time
- Harnessing different ways of reporting and using the data, utilising 3D models, together with traditional Long Section and X-Sections
- Integration and manipulation of 3D model survey data into machine automation. (design data put directly into our excavators)
- Safer methods of retrieving data.
- Target equipment and training which will increase what Engineering Services can deliver for the Board.
- Future potential for offering engineering survey services to other flood risk management partners.
The Technical Stuff:
As a Board we carry out asset management inspections & surveys in line with our Asset Management Plan. From October 2025 this will now include the use of our Drone Equipment which is a DJI Matrice 400 RTK with an L2 add-on. In order to protect privacy, we will only be flying above watercourses and assets that are maintained by the Board. In a flood event we may also use the drone to assess flood risk to enable officers to better manage water and respond to events. We will act under the privacy rules of Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), and our trained officers have undergone the correct measures to obtain a PDRA01 that allows us to fly in commercial areas.
It’s against the law to take photographs or record video or sound for criminal or terrorist purposes. Any photos or recordings in which people could be identified may be subject to the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. This includes whether we capture the people in the photos or recordings intentionally or unintentionally. Board officers will always operate within the laws specified.
We have qualified and trained operators who have approved drone licences, GVC certificates (General “Visual Line of Sight” Certificate) and are overseen by an accountable manager (Person designated by a drone-operating organisation to hold ultimate responsibility for its safe and legal operations and for ensuring compliance with regulations) Board officers have written an Operations Manual which can be adapted as drone use changes. Surveys will be at a max. altitude flight of 150m and an approximate max. speed of 15 m/s (34 mph) when passing over residential, recreational, commercial and industrial sites to protect the privacy of property owners in line with CAA guidance . Our aim is to only fly over to assess and manage flood risk maters in line with the flood defence policy statement document: https://www.w4idb.co.uk/resources/document-library/flood-defence-policy-statement"
Author: Derek Braddy, Engineering Manager
