Drone surveys in Manchester: roof surveys, inspections and thermal imaging
Scaffold-free roof surveys, building inspections, thermal surveys and measured surveys across Manchester and all ten Greater Manchester boroughs.
Our head office is in Speke, Liverpool, about 35 miles west along the M62, so Manchester is one of the areas we cover most often. We handle the airspace permissions, fly the site and deliver everything to your online portal.
Drone surveys across Greater Manchester
All ten boroughs, from the city centre to the edge of the Pennines.
Manchester has some of the most varied building stock in the North West: Victorian mills and warehouses, red-brick terraces, post-war housing estates, high-rise blocks and fast-moving construction sites across the city centre, Salford and Trafford.
We survey all of it. Housing associations use us for stock condition and roof surveys across their estates, surveyors use us to see roofs and façades they can’t safely reach, and contractors use us to record progress on site. If your site is anywhere in Greater Manchester, we cover it.
- ManchesterCity centre, Ancoats, Didsbury, Wythenshawe
- SalfordMediaCityUK, Salford Quays, Eccles
- TraffordTrafford Park, Stretford, Altrincham, Sale
- StockportStockport town centre, Bramhall, Cheadle
- TamesideAshton-under-Lyne, Hyde, Stalybridge
- OldhamOldham, Saddleworth, Chadderton
- RochdaleRochdale, Heywood, Middleton
- BuryBury, Radcliffe, Prestwich, Ramsbottom
- BoltonBolton, Farnworth, Horwich, Westhoughton
- WiganWigan, Leigh, Atherton, Hindley
Portfolio across several boroughs? We can plan the visits as one project, with every site delivered to the same portal in the same format. See multi-site surveys.
What we survey in Manchester
Every service we offer is available in Manchester. These are the ones Manchester 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.
Terraces, blocks of flats, commercial roofsRoof surveys in Manchester
Building surveys
Façades, parapets and high-level details captured from the air to support your survey, with no scaffold or cherry picker.
Surveyors, managing agentsBuilding surveys in Manchester
Thermal surveys
Radiometric thermal imaging to find heat loss, missing insulation, damp and roof leaks. Best carried out between October and March.
Retrofit, social housing, commercialThermal surveys in Manchester
Drone inspections
Live-streamed inspections of roofs, chimneys, towers and structures. Direct the pilot and look at the areas that matter to you.
Asset and facilities managersDrone inspections in Manchester
Measured surveys
Point clouds, elevations, CAD drawings and Revit models from drone photogrammetry and LiDAR.
Architects, designers, developersMeasured surveys in Manchester
Construction progress
Regular aerial photography, mapping and time lapse to record progress on Manchester construction sites.
Contractors, developers, fundersConstruction progress in ManchesterFlying in Manchester: the airspace we plan around
Manchester is one of the more complex places in the UK to fly a drone. These are the restrictions we check for every Manchester address.
Manchester Airport
The Flight Restriction Zone around Manchester Airport covers a large part of south Manchester, Wythenshawe and parts of Trafford and Stockport. Flights inside it need permission from air traffic control, which we arrange before the survey date.
City Airport & Heliport, Barton
The airfield at Barton, west of the city near the Trafford Centre, has its own restricted zone. Sites in Eccles, Irlam, Urmston and Trafford Park are checked against it.
HMP Manchester
Prisons have restricted airspace around them. Sites close to HMP Manchester (Strangeways), north of the city centre, need extra planning.
Rail lines and stations
Manchester is a major rail hub with lines converging on Piccadilly, Victoria and Oxford Road. Network Rail has its own rules for drones near its property, on top of CAA rules.
City-centre sites
Busy streets, tall buildings and public spaces mean city-centre flights need careful planning: take-off areas, landowner permissions, cordons and timing to keep the public safe.
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 Manchester 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
- 1Send us the address
Tell us where the site is and what you need, using the quote form or by phone.
- 2We assess it remotely
Free desk-based check of airspace, access and the best capture method. Fixed quote usually the same working day.
- 3We get the permissions
Air traffic control, landowner and site permissions arranged, plus RAMS for your site team.
- 4We fly and deliver
Survey carried out on the agreed date. Images in your secure portal within 48 hours, reports to follow.
Watch the inspection live
We can live-stream the flight so you and your team can see the inspection as it happens, talk to the pilot and ask for a closer look at specific areas, without travelling to site.
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 Manchester assets with fewer site visits.
Other areas near Manchester
We also have local pages for these nearby towns and cities. Distances are approximate, from Manchester city centre.
Manchester drone survey FAQs
Can’t find your answer? Call us on 0345 017 5592 or see all FAQs.
Do you cover all of Greater Manchester?
Yes. We carry out drone surveys across all ten Greater Manchester boroughs: Manchester, Salford, Trafford, Stockport, Tameside, Oldham, Rochdale, Bury, Bolton and Wigan. Send us the address and we’ll confirm the details.
Can you fly a drone in Manchester city centre?
Yes, with the right planning. City-centre flights need landowner permission for take-off and landing, a safe area kept clear of the public, and checks against nearby restricted airspace. We arrange all of this before the survey date.
Is my site too close to Manchester Airport?
Probably not. Sites inside the Flight Restriction Zone around Manchester Airport need permission from air traffic control, which we request for you. We check every address before we quote, so you’ll know about any restrictions up front.
How quickly can you survey a site in Manchester?
Manchester is about 35 miles from our Liverpool head office, so we can usually get to 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 Manchester 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. If you’d like to see the inspection, we can live-stream it so you can watch remotely and direct the pilot.
Get your fixed-fee quote
Send us the Manchester 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.
- 1
Send your postcode and requirements using the form
- 2
We assess your site remotely: airspace checks, access and the right capture method
- 3
You receive a fixed quote with no hidden extras
- 4
We book in, fly, capture and deliver to your secure online portal
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