Modern Slavery Statement
Fair work, from supply chain to flight line. How Drone Site Surveys Ltd prevents slavery, servitude, forced labour and human trafficking in our own team, our UK pilot network and the supply chain behind the drones, sensors and equipment we use.
Drone Site Surveys Ltd · Company number 12318909 · Issued 22 October 2026 · Next review 22 October 2027
Zero tolerance of modern slavery
Drone Site Surveys Ltd has a zero-tolerance approach to modern slavery. We will not knowingly work with anyone, in our own business or in our supply chain, who uses slavery, servitude, forced or compulsory labour, human trafficking or child labour. We expect the same standard from everyone who works with us.
We are an independent drone survey company based in Speke, Liverpool. Since 2019 we have carried out roof, façade, thermal and measured surveys across the UK for social housing providers, local authorities, schools, the NHS, rail and infrastructure owners, commercial landlords and construction teams. Many of these clients are public bodies and principal contractors who need to show that their own supply chains are free from modern slavery. This statement explains how we play our part.
- Issued
- 22 October 2026
- Next review
- 22 October 2027
- Applies to
- Staff, pilot network and suppliers
- Policy owner
- Francis Pybis, Director
- Approved by
- Anthony Carter, Director
- Legislation
- Modern Slavery Act 2015
- Full policy
- Modern Slavery Policy (PDF, 9 pages)
Why we publish this statement: Section 54 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 requires a slavery and human trafficking statement from organisations with an annual turnover of £36 million or more. We are below that threshold, so publishing it is voluntary. We publish it because our clients and their supply chains expect it, and because it is the right thing to do.
Who this modern slavery statement applies to
This policy applies to everyone who works for us or on our behalf, wherever the work happens: at our head office in Speke, on client sites anywhere in the UK, or remotely.
Directors and employees
Our office, survey, data processing and reporting team.
Our UK pilot network
Self-employed pilots, thermographers and pilot companies who fly surveys on our behalf.
Consultants and temporary workers
Anyone we engage through an agency, on a fixed term or as a consultant.
Suppliers and service providers
Equipment, software, PPE, vehicles, travel and office services.
What modern slavery means
Modern slavery is a crime under the Modern Slavery Act 2015. It covers:
- Slavery and servitude
- Holding a person in a position where they are treated as owned or controlled by someone else and cannot leave.
- Forced or compulsory labour
- Work or services a person has not offered freely and is made to do under the threat of a penalty, such as violence, threats against their family, or a debt they can never clear.
- Human trafficking
- Arranging or helping someone to travel, including within the UK, so that they can be exploited. It makes no difference whether the person agreed to travel.
- Child labour
- Work that harms a child’s health, safety or education, or that is done by a child below the legal minimum working age.
Common warning signs include recruitment fees that leave workers in debt, identity documents held by an employer, wages paid to a third party, restricted freedom of movement, poor living conditions, and workers who seem frightened or controlled by someone else.
Where the risks are in our business
We are a small business with a short, mostly UK-based supply chain. We have looked at each part of it to see where modern slavery is most likely to occur, so that we can focus our effort where it matters most.
| Area | What it involves | Risk | How we manage it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drones, batteries, sensors and IT hardware | Drones, lithium-ion batteries, thermal cameras, LiDAR scanners, GNSS equipment and processing workstations. Most are made in Asia from minerals and components with known forced and child labour risks, such as cobalt, lithium and rare earths. | High | Buy through authorised UK dealers, check supplier statements, and keep and repair equipment rather than replacing it. |
| UK pilot network | Self-employed pilots, thermographers and pilot companies across the UK, booked for single jobs or longer survey programmes. | Medium | Vetting before the first job, direct contracts and payment, and no passing jobs on. |
| PPE and workwear | Hi-vis, safety boots, helmets, gloves and branded clothing. Textile and glove manufacturing has known forced labour risks. | Medium | Established UK suppliers that publish a modern slavery statement. |
| Vehicles, travel and accommodation | Fuel, servicing, vehicle hire, hotels and car washes when our team travels to sites. Hand car washes and hospitality are recognised higher-risk sectors in the UK. | Medium | Reputable providers; staff and pilots briefed on the warning signs. |
| Client sites | Construction sites, housing estates, schools, hospitals and rail sites we visit to survey. Construction is a recognised higher-risk sector for labour exploitation. | Medium | Our people know what to look for and how to report it. |
| Our directly employed team | Office, survey, data processing and reporting staff, all UK-based and employed directly by us. | Low | Right-to-work checks, written contracts and pay through payroll. |
| Data processing and software | Photogrammetry, LiDAR processing, 3D and Revit models, CAD drawings, reports and our online client portal. | Low | All processing and modelling is done in-house by our own team. Software comes from established vendors. |
| Office services | Cleaning, maintenance and other services at our Speke head office. | Low | Established providers that pay at least the National Living Wage. |
Who does what
The directors
Anthony Carter and Francis Pybis
Overall accountability for this policy. The directors approve it each year, make sure there is the time and money to put it into practice, and lead by example.
Modern Slavery Lead
Francis Pybis, Director
Owns this policy day to day: supplier and subcontractor checks, training records, handling concerns, the annual review and the compliance pack we provide to clients.
Chief Pilot
Anthony Carter, Director
Vets and approves every pilot before their first job, briefs field teams, and checks that flight records show only approved pilots fly for us.
Everyone who works for us
Staff, pilots, consultants and contractors
Read and follow this policy, complete the training, and report any concern straight away.
Fair recruitment and employment
We recruit and employ people fairly and legally. In practice, this means:
- We check every employee’s right to work in the UK before they start, using original documents or the Home Office online checking service.
- Everyone has a written contract or written terms setting out their pay, hours and notice period, explained in plain English.
- We pay at least the National Living Wage or National Minimum Wage, through payroll, into each person’s own bank account.
- We never charge recruitment fees, and we never keep anyone’s passport, ID or other personal documents.
- Working hours follow the Working Time Regulations. Our flight safety procedures also require pilots to be rested and fit to fly, so nobody is pressured into working excessive hours.
- Anyone can leave their job by giving the notice in their contract, without penalty.
- Any recruitment agency we use must confirm in writing that it charges candidates no fees and follows the Conduct of Employment Agencies and Employment Businesses Regulations 2003.
Vetting and working with our pilots
Our network of qualified pilots lets us survey sites anywhere in the UK. Because these pilots are self-employed or work through their own companies, they go through specific checks before they fly for us, and we set clear rules for how we work together.
Before the first job
- Identity and right to work in the UK confirmed.
- CAA Flyer ID, Operator ID and the right competency certificate for the work (A2 CofC or GVC) checked and recorded.
- Insurance checked, plus a CSCS card for construction sites and BINDT certification for thermal surveys where needed.
- Our vetting and training completed, including this policy and how to report a concern.
How we work together
- We contract directly with the pilot or their own company, never through unknown third parties or labour providers.
- Fees are agreed in writing before each job and paid in full, on time, into the pilot’s own or their company’s bank account.
- The pilot we approve is the pilot who flies. Jobs cannot be passed to anyone else without our agreement, and our flight logs record who flew each mission.
- Pilots can turn down work, or leave the network at any time, without penalty.
Buying responsibly
Most of the equipment we fly and process data with is made overseas. Lithium-ion batteries, drone motors, cameras and computer components depend on minerals such as cobalt, lithium and rare earths, and on factories where forced and child labour have been documented. As a small business we have little influence over large manufacturers, so we focus on buying responsibly and asking the right questions.
Checking new suppliers
Before we buy regularly from a new supplier in a medium or high-risk category, we check what they supply, where it is made, and whether they publish a modern slavery statement, using the GOV.UK modern slavery statement registry where it applies.
Authorised channels only
We buy drones, batteries, sensors and spares from manufacturers’ authorised UK dealers and service centres, not from unknown online marketplace sellers. This also protects our operations from counterfeit batteries and parts.
Contract terms
Pilot agreements and our purchase terms require suppliers and subcontractors to comply with the Modern Slavery Act 2015, to tell us about any concern, and allow us to end the contract if they do not.
Buy less, keep longer
We maintain and repair our aircraft, batteries and sensors and keep them in service for as long as they are safe to fly, which reduces how much new hardware we buy.
If we find a problem: We review our key suppliers and all high-risk suppliers each year. If we find a concern, we will work with the supplier to put it right where we can. If a supplier will not cooperate, or the issue is serious, we will stop working with them and report it to the appropriate authorities.
Making sure everyone knows the signs
Everyone who works for us is trained to recognise modern slavery and knows how to report it. Training is recorded in our training records and checked at the annual review.
- At induction
- Every new employee and network pilot is taken through this policy, and how to report a concern, before their first job.
- Every year
- All staff and pilots take part in a modern slavery toolbox talk covering warning signs on site, in hotels and at car washes.
- For the directors
- The directors complete more detailed supply chain training, such as the Supply Chain Sustainability School’s free modern slavery e-learning.
What to look out for on site
Our pilots and surveyors visit construction sites, housing estates, schools, hospitals, rail sites and private homes all over the UK, so they may see things that others do not. Our job is to survey buildings, not to investigate people: we never use our drones or thermal cameras to look for crime, and every flight follows our privacy procedures. But if something seen during a survey is worrying, it should be reported.
People
- Workers who seem frightened, withdrawn or controlled by someone else, or who are not allowed to speak for themselves.
- Workers without proper PPE or clothing for the job.
- Groups dropped off and collected at unusual times, or who appear to be living on site.
- Anyone who says someone else is holding their passport or ID, or that they owe a debt to their employer.
Places
- Properties that look overcrowded, or have windows covered, blacked out or boarded up.
- People living in sheds, outbuildings, vehicles or site cabins.
- Signs of cannabis cultivation, which is often linked to trafficking, such as covered windows, strong smells and unusual ventilation.
- Hand car washes or other premises where workers seem to be under someone’s control.
If something worries you
- Don’t confront anyone or put yourself or others at risk.
- If someone is in immediate danger, call 999.
- Tell the Modern Slavery Lead the same day.
- Or call the Modern Slavery & Exploitation Helpline on 08000 121 700, any time.
How to report a concern
If you think modern slavery may be happening in our business, our pilot network, our supply chain or on a site we visit, tell us. You don’t need proof: a reasonable suspicion is enough. Employees, pilots, suppliers, clients and members of the public can all report a concern.
Tell us directly
Speak to Francis Pybis (Modern Slavery Lead) or Anthony Carter (Chief Pilot) on 0345 017 5592, or email info@dronesitesurveys.co.uk marked “Private and confidential”.
Or write to: Private and confidential, The Directors, Drone Site Surveys Ltd, 4A Hurricane Drive, Speke, Liverpool L24 8RL.
What happens next
We acknowledge every report within two working days and look into it promptly and in confidence. Where a crime may have been committed, we involve the police or other authorities, and we tell you the outcome where we can.
No one will suffer any detriment for raising a genuine concern, even if it turns out to be mistaken. Workers are also protected by whistleblowing law under the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998.
Prefer to report outside the company?
Free, confidential help is available:
| Service | Number | When to call |
|---|---|---|
| Modern Slavery & Exploitation Helpline | 08000 121 700 | Free and confidential, 24 hours a day |
| Crimestoppers | 0800 555 111 | Report anonymously |
| Police | 999 or 101 | 999 if someone is in immediate danger, 101 if it is not urgent |
If this policy is broken
We take any breach of this policy seriously.
- Employees may face disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal.
- Pilots and suppliers may be suspended from work while we investigate, and may have their contract ended or be removed from our pilot network.
- Where a crime may have been committed, we will report it to the police.
How we measure progress
We track the following measures and report them to the directors at each annual review.
| Measure | Target |
|---|---|
| New employees and pilots taken through this policy before their first job | 100% |
| Staff and network pilots who attended a modern slavery toolbox talk in the last 12 months | 100% |
| New pilots vetted and approved before their first flight | 100% |
| Key and high-risk suppliers reviewed during the year | 100% |
| Concerns raised and acknowledged within two working days | All recorded, 100% |
Our priorities for 2026–27
- Confirm that every pilot agreement and our standard purchase terms include a modern slavery clause.
- Send a short modern slavery questionnaire to our drone, battery, sensor and PPE suppliers.
- Deliver a modern slavery toolbox talk to all staff and network pilots.
- Build these supplier and subcontractor checks into our ISO 9001 quality management system.
Keeping this modern slavery statement up to date
The directors approve this policy and review it at least once a year. We will review it sooner if the law changes, if we take on a new type of work or supplier, or if a concern shows a gap in how we work.
We share this policy with every employee and pilot at induction, with suppliers alongside our terms, and with clients in our compliance pack. It is also published here on our website, and you can download the full policy as a PDF.
- Company
- Drone Site Surveys Ltd, registered in England & Wales, company no. 12318909
- Address
- 4A Hurricane Drive, Speke, Liverpool L24 8RL
- Phone
- 0345 017 5592 (Monday to Friday, 08:00 to 18:00)