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A power station stack as seen on a drone inspection mission

Drone Inspections

Spoiler alert: we're not drone pilots. We're professional engineers who have learned to fly drones really well. If you have a space or asset which needs to be inspected using cutting-edge technology such as LiDAR, 3D video, thermal imaging, or just ultra hi-res photography, you're in the right place.

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A detailed 360 inspection by a professional engineer.

Full disclosure: this is not just photos taken from the sky. Our operators are all experienced, professional engineers who can work to a brief to give you the information you need. Industrial, commercial, agricultural or residential assets. Just tell us what you need to know and we will deliver comprehensive deliverables customised to your precise specifications. Working silently overhead, drones are very safe and require little to no downtime.

What are you looking for?

A drone inspecting a high value asset like an electrical pylon

1. Inspecting an asset

Use a drone to assess the safety and performance of buildings, structures and other assets.

An image of land being surveyed by a drone

2. Surveying land & terrain

Use a drone to measure, model, map or digitise spaces and objects in 3D or 2D.

What is a drone survey, exactly?

A drone survey delivers similar (albeit more accurate) results to a traditional land or property survey. The main difference is that the process is conducted from above using an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) or 'drone'. Photographing and measuring the terrain from multiple angles, our drones take thousands of highly accurate measurements before tagging the resulting images with coordinates. Using this data, we use specialist software to produce high-resolution maps, geo-referenced orthomosaics or 3D models.

Not just photos Our Inspection Services

Spoiler alert: we're not drone pilots. We're professional engineers who have learned to fly drones really well. If you're looking for a photo of your garden or a swooshing shot of your wedding reception, we're probably not the right people for you. But if you need an engineer's eyes and brain, combined with next-generation UAV technology and ready-to-roll deliverables, then you've come to the right place.

Thermal Imaging

Detect abnormalities within your assets that are otherwise invisible to the naked eye.

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Internal Confined Spaces

Mitigate the risk factors of traditional confined space inspections, without compromising on quality.

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Drone Photography

Capture high-quality imagery of your assets from never before seen vantage points.

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3D LIDAR Surveys

Record incredibly detailed elevation data to aid in ultra-precise measurements and calculations.

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Photogrammetry

Capture real-world locations and assets digitally, for quicker and more cost-efficient inspections.

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Volume Calculations

Take accurate stockpile measurements faster and with little to no downtime, at a fraction of the cost.

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Cut and Fill

Receive instant and actionable cut-and-fill data, without downtime or the risk of human error.

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What can drone inspections detect?

Agriculture defects

Scan and monitor large areas of farmland to quickly assess data such as slope variation and sun exposure.

Air leaks

Find and fix air leaks to preserve your building's performance, energy efficiency and air quality.

Coastal changes

Find changes and irregularities to coastal landscapes that would otherwise remain invisible.

Delamination

Find delamination in concrete structures with little to no downtime. Quick, reliable and cost-effective.

Energy loss

Identify and resolve potential problems with electrical distribution equipment before they lead to failure.

Erosion/corrosion issues

Easily locate and isolate any areas of your asset that have been affected by erosion or corrosion.

Gas leaks

Using thermography, it's easy to detect gas leaks which are harmful to human health and the environment.

Insulation coverage

Combined with thermal imaging, easily locate cold spots or poor insulation coverage.

Solar panel defects

Keep your photovoltaic array running safely and efficiently by finding and fixing issues in your solar cells.

Underwater issues

Using LiDAR can locate shortcomings or defects that would otherwise be invisible underwater.

Water leaks & damage

Find and eliminate moisture intrusion to prevent rot and health problems associated with mould and mildew.

Much more

The applications of drone inspections in domestic and industrial environments are almost limitless. Ask us what it can do for you.

A thermal inspection being carried out ona commercial building

Thermal imaging

Drone Thermography

Typically, the source of water damage, heat loss, cold spots, etc, is not immediately apparent, and can often be totally invisible to the human eye. Using drones equipped with thermal imaging capabilities allows you to uncover these flaws while saving time and money, and avoiding disastrous repercussions.

Thermal Imaging
A wind turbine in high resolution seen from above

4K Images & Video

Drone Photography

In addition to quadrupling the resolution of an HD camera, 4K also gives you quicker frame rates, incredible contrast variations, and expanded colours. VR video takes the level of immersion and clarity to the next level.

Images & Video
A man with a confined space drone getting ready to do an inspection

Confined space

Tanks, silos and chimneys

We have state-of-the-art drones which are designed to fly in small, internal spaces where it is difficult, dangerous or costly for humans to gain access. Using cutting-edge technology, these confined space drones will not touch any internal surface, but can give a detailed high-definition view of what can be seen inside.

Confined space inspections

Who else is using drones for their inspections?

Drone inspections are quick, safe and require little to no downtime. What's more, they're highly versatile, with applications across many different industries. Here are just some of the assets which we are now using drones to inspect.

A UAV performing a drone bridge inspection on an old stone road bridge

Bridge Inspections

Safer, more cost-efficient, with less downtime

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A UAV performing a drone building inspection

Building Inspections

Clearer, faster results without the risks

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A DJI inspection drone inspecting the wall of a coastal pier

Coastal Infrastructure

Monitor coastal assets safely and with more precision

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A confined space drone inspection with a Flyability Elios 2 drone

Confined Space Drone Inspections

Eliminate safety concerns, save costs and reduce downtime

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An image of a construction site taken by a drone performing drones services for construction.

Construction Services

Instant, actionable data with no downtime

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A drone performing a wind turbine inspection

Energy Inspections

Inspect and maintain energy assets without risk or downtime

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An aerial image of an oil refinery taken with a drone conducting a flare stack inspection

Flare Inspections

Safer and more cost-efficient flare (oil and gas) inspections

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A photo of an agricultural field taken with a drone

Forestry and Agricultural

Faster, cheaper and more accurate analysis of land

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An old round martello tower building taken with a drone

Historical Buildings

Analyse historical buildings without risk to people or property

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A photo of a load of industrial chimneys taken with a drone

Industrial Chimneys

Actionable data from a safe distance, with less downtime

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A photo of industrial infrastructure taken with a drone during an inspection

Industrial Inspections

Keep production running while collecting instant critical data

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An image of a damaged building taken by a drone performing drones services for insurance.

Insurance Services

Record and document reliable visuals without safety concerns

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A view of the landscape taken by a drone on a survey

Landscape Inspections

Endless perspectives, without manned aircrafts or structures

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A photo of a cell phone tower taken with a drone

Line of Sight Surveys

Reduced risk, damage to towers and delays

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A photo of a quarry taken with a drone

Mines, Quarry and Landfill

Monitor status and progress without downtime

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A photo of an oil refinery taken with a drone during an inspection

Oil & Gas Inspections

Fast, actionable data without the risks of traditional inspections

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A close-up photo of an electrical pylon taken during a drone inspection

Power Grid Inspections

Instantly usable data via a safer and more cost-effective process

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A photo of a railway tracks and a bridge taken with a drone

Rail Inspections

Eliminates downtime and safety concerns, at a fraction of the cost

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A house next to a river taken by a drone performing drone real estate services

Real Estate Drone Services

Add "Wow Factor" to residential and commercial property listings

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A photo of a river taken with a drone during an inspection

Rivers and Waterways

Safer, more precise data collection at a fraction of the cost

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A drone performing a roof inspection

Roof Inspections

Accurate, safe and instantly actionable data collection

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A photo taken by a drone of rooftop solar panels during an inspection

Rooftop Solar Inspections

Ensure solar panel efficiency from precise data collection

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A photo of a ship being inspected by a drone

Ships and Marine

Safe, precise and instant reports on vessels and infrastructure

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Solar panels being inspected by a drone

Solar Farms

Get actionable data on quality and operational health

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An image of a storm-damaged building and roof taken by a drone during a storm damage inspection.

Storm Damage

Assess damage quickly and with pinpoint accuracy

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A photo of a storage tank being inspected by a drone

Tanks, Silos and Vessel Inspections

Get fast, usable data from a safe distance

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A telecommunications tower being inspected by a drone

Telecommunications

Get critical data on cell and telecommunication infrastructure

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A drone performing an inspection of a communications tower

Tower Inspections

Instantly view complex structures, keeping risks to a minimum

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A photo of a water tower taken by a drone during an inspection

Water Tower Inspections

Critical, pinpoint details with none of the risk

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A drone inspecting a wind turbine in ireland

Wind Turbine Inspections

A more cost- and time-effective way to receive critical data

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How does it work?

Reach out and tell us your idea

We take emails, phone calls, messages, everything! If you are unsure of what's possible we are happy to advise, the most important thing is to get in touch. We would be delighted to answer any questions you may have.

Start at the end

With drones, it's best to begin where you want to end up. What sort of deliverable would you like when it's all finished? If you are not sure then we can advise. We can look at what you would like and work backwards from there.

Scope of work and set a price

Once we have agreed on what is to be done, the scope of work is set and a price is agreed upon. We feel it is vital that everyone knows what they are getting and what they are paying for it. There should be no confusion.

Permits and other paperwork

Once we have confirmation you are happy to proceed, we start the ball rolling. We organise things like RAMS, site permits, Air Traffic Control clearance and much more. Basically, we generate everything needed to turn up on-site with all our ducks in a row.

Field Operations

Next, we do the work on site. We have the gear, we have the know-how, so now it's time to get the job done. This can sometimes be affected by the weather, but for the most part, we get the job done on the date specified.

Post Processing

This is where we take what we generated in the field and turn it into a final deliverable for you. This can be anything from the raw data itself, to fully processed Orthophotos, condition reports, CAD line work or thermal imagery.

Handover

The final step is the handover of the deliverables. We tend to use a cloud-based service, so you can access your data anywhere. We can also tie into your existing systems if that is more convenient.

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What technology do we use for drone inspections?

We purchase the latest drones as they come on the market to ensure you are getting the highest quality service from us at all times. Here is a quick look at what we would be most likely to use for a typical drone inspections inspection.

Our equipment
DJI MatriceM300 RTK M300 RTK by DJI

Our flagship drone: The M300 RTK by DJI is the premier enterprise-level inspection drone on the market. With a flight time of up to 55 minutes, lots of built-in redundancy, and a host of payloads to choose from, this is our go-to UAV for inspection work. When coupled with the Zenmuse H20T camera, it is capable of safely inspecting high-value assets at a stand-off range.

  • Drone
  • Camera
  • Thermal Imaging
  • Ultra HD
  • Long range
More info
Our equipment
DJIPhantom 4 Pro Phantom 4 Pro by DJI

The workhorse of the drone industry. Widely considered to be one of the best drones ever made, the P4P comes alive when coupled with a 20mp camera. If high-quality photos and videos are what you need, this is the drone for you.

  • Drone
  • Camera
  • 4K Video
  • High-resolution
More info
Our equipment
DJIZenmuse P1 Zenmuse P1 by DJI

Combined with our flagship drone platform DJI M300 RTK, the DJI Zenmuse P1 camera enables photogrammetry and 3D modelling of the highest standard. There are also interchangeable fixed-focus lenses, on a 3-axis stabilized gimbal, that provide robust versatility to help create stunning 2D, 3D detailed models.

  • Camera
  • Mechanical Shutter
  • 4K video
  • Stabilisation gimbal
  • High-resolution
More info
Our equipment
DJIZenmuse L1 Zenmuse L1 by DJI

LiDAR for everyone. The DJI Zenmuse L1 LiDAR payload features an integrated Livox LiDAR module and a 20mp camera. This combination makes for an excellent all-round package. Covering up to 2km² in a single flight, the L1 carries a highly efficient payload.

  • Survey mapping
  • Camera
  • 3D models
  • High-resolution
More info
Our equipment
DJID-RTK 2 Base 2 D-RTK 2 Base 2 by DJI

The DJI D-RTK 2 mobile base station helps make accuracy easy. This GNSS receiver supports GPS, GLONASS, Beidou, and GALILEO signals, allowing for centimetre-level positioning. The integrated IMUs monitor movements and calibrate tilt sensors to minimize risks.

  • Tri-pod
  • Mobile station
  • Centimeter-accurate position
  • survey
More info

Are you IAA Certified?

Engineers With Drones is the first company in Ireland to hold the new EASA Specific Category authorisation. We are authorised by the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) for commercial Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) operations in both urban and rural environments. Total transparency: our Specific Category Authorisation Number is IRL.UAS.AUTH1002.

What about insurance?

All of our operations are insured in the EU and globally. We hold €6.5m public and product liability, €13m employer's liability and €1.3m professional indemnity (base level, coverage raised as required).

Why use engineers?

We are more than just drone pilots. If you're looking for overhead footage of your wedding reception, we're probably not right for you. Our backgrounds and our primary qualifications are in engineering, and it's here that we think we add the most value. We know what we're looking for, and we know how to find it. If you have a technical engineering problem that a drone can solve, we can understand you. Tell us what you need to see or find out, and our engineers will use their drone piloting skills to make it happen.

Are you based in Ireland?

Yes. We're a local Irish company, and that's how we can respond so quickly to the needs of our Irish clients. We can be with you in next to no time, with the right equipment and certifications to operate them, whatever your location.