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Drone surveys in Edinburgh: roof surveys for the Old Town, New Town and beyond
Drone roof surveys, building inspections, thermal surveys and measured surveys across Edinburgh, Leith and the Lothians.
Tenements, Georgian terraces, listed buildings and shared roofs. We survey roofs and high-level details without scaffolding and deliver everything to your online portal.
- CAA Authorised Operator
- Constructionline Gold
- SafeContractor
- SSIP
- £10m Public & Employers Liability
- £1m Professional Indemnity
- ARPAS-UK Member
- BINDT
- NEBOSH
Drone surveys across Edinburgh
The Old Town, the New Town, Leith and the suburbs.
The Old Town and New Town are a World Heritage Site, full of listed tenements, Georgian terraces and civic buildings. Their slate roofs, chimney stacks, parapets and valley gutters are high up and hard to inspect from the street, and scaffolding needs permits and blocks busy pavements.
Across Marchmont, Bruntsfield, Leith and Stockbridge, Victorian tenements have shared roofs where every owner needs to agree on repairs. A drone survey gives everyone the same dated images of the whole roof. We work for factors, owners, housing associations, the council, surveyors and commercial clients.
- Old TownListed tenements and civic buildings
- New TownGeorgian terraces
- LeithTenements, warehouses and the docks
- Marchmont & BruntsfieldVictorian tenements
- StockbridgeGeorgian and Victorian homes
- MorningsideVillas and tenements
- PortobelloSeaside homes and tenements
- CorstorphineHomes and housing
- South QueensferryTown and waterfront
- MusselburghTown and homes
Tenement or listed building? We capture shared roofs, chimneys and gutters in one visit, without anything touching the building. See church and heritage roof surveys.
What we survey in Edinburgh
Every service we offer is available in Edinburgh. These are the ones Edinburgh clients book most.
Roof surveys
Close-up imagery of every slope, valley, flashing and gutter on pitched and flat roofs, with an optional written condition report.
Drone inspections
Close inspections of roofs, chimneys, towers and structures, focused on the areas that matter to you.
Measured surveys
Point clouds, elevations, CAD drawings and Revit models from drone photogrammetry and LiDAR.
School inspections
Roof and building condition surveys for schools and colleges, with no scaffolding and visits planned around the school day.
Flying in Edinburgh: the airspace we plan around
Much of Edinburgh sits under the airport’s controlled airspace. These are the checks we make for every Edinburgh address before we quote.
Edinburgh Airport
Edinburgh Airport, west of the city, has controlled airspace over much of Edinburgh and a Flight Restriction Zone around the airport. We arrange clearance from air traffic control before the survey date.
HMP Edinburgh
The prison at Saughton, west of the city centre, has restricted airspace around it. Nearby sites need extra planning.
The festivals and visitors
The Old Town is busy with visitors all year, and very busy during the August festivals. We plan take-off spots, permissions and dates to keep clear of the crowds.
Rail lines
Lines run through Waverley and Haymarket stations towards Glasgow, London and the north. Network Rail has its own rules for drones near its property, on top of CAA rules.
Restricted doesn’t mean impossible
Restricted zones need more planning and the right permissions. They don’t stop a survey going ahead. Our pilots and office team work together to get approval for even the trickiest Edinburgh sites.
- Airspace checked for every address before we quote
- Permissions requested on your behalf
- Risk assessment and method statement (RAMS) for every job
- Weather planned in, including thermal survey conditions
From address to results in four steps
Tell us where the site is and what you need, using the quote form or by phone.
Free desk-based check of airspace, access and the best capture method. Fixed quote usually the same working day.
Air traffic control, landowner and site permissions arranged, plus RAMS for your site team.
Survey carried out on the agreed date. Images in your secure portal within 48 hours, reports to follow.
Mapping and surveyor support
As well as imagery and reports, we produce maps, 3D models, point clouds and internal and external scans, so surveyors can measure and report on Edinburgh assets with fewer site visits.
Other areas near Edinburgh
We also have local pages for these nearby towns and cities. Distances are approximate, by road from Edinburgh.
Can you survey a shared tenement roof?
Yes. Tenement roofs, chimneys and gutters are usually shared, so repairs need every owner’s agreement. A drone survey gives all the owners the same dated images of the whole roof, which makes it easier to agree what needs doing.
Do you cover Leith and the Lothians?
Yes. As well as the city, we survey Leith, Portobello, Musselburgh, South Queensferry and towns across the Lothians. Send us the address and we’ll confirm.
Is my site inside Edinburgh Airport’s airspace?
Much of the city is. That doesn’t stop a survey going ahead: we check every address before we quote and request clearance from air traffic control where needed.
How quickly can you get to a site in Edinburgh?
We have strategically located pilots living in Edinburgh, so we can usually get to your site quickly. Timing depends on the permissions your site needs and the weather. We’ll give you a date when we send your quote.
How much does a drone roof survey in Edinburgh cost?
Our drone roof inspections start from £250 + VAT for domestic properties and £350 + VAT for commercial properties, the same as anywhere else we cover. Larger sites and portfolios are quoted individually. See our drone survey prices.
Do I need to be on site for the survey?
Not usually. For most surveys we only need permission to access the area we fly from.
Get your fixed-fee quote
Send us the Edinburgh address or postcode. We’ll do the rest.
Tell us where the property is and what you need. We’ll carry out a free desk-based assessment covering airspace, access and site constraints, then send a fixed-fee quote, usually the same working day.
Send your postcode and requirements using the form
We assess your site remotely: airspace checks, access and the right capture method
You receive a fixed quote with no hidden extras
We book in, fly, capture and deliver to your secure online portal
Constructionline Gold · CAA Authorised · SafeContractor · £10m Public & Employers Liability · Cyber Essentials · NEBOSH · BINDT. Trusted by chartered surveyors, housing associations, retrofit specialists, private clients, NHS trusts and UK local authorities.
Get a Quote
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