Yorkshire & Humber · North Yorkshire

Drone surveys in York: roof surveys and inspections in the historic city

Drone roof surveys, building inspections, thermal surveys and measured surveys across York, from the Minster and the city walls to the suburbs and villages around it.

Medieval, Georgian and listed buildings, narrow streets and busy visitor areas make scaffolding slow and disruptive in York. A drone records the whole roof in one visit, with nothing touching the building.

2,892roofs inspected since 2019
32,178faults identified
£10mpublic liability cover
GoldConstructionline accredited
CAA Authorised OperatorConstructionline GoldSafeContractorSSIP£10m Public & Employers Liability£1m Professional IndemnityARPAS-UK MemberBINDTNEBOSH
__ Where we cover

Drone surveys across York

The historic centre, the suburbs and the villages around the city.

York has one of the most historic centres in the country: the Minster, the city walls, medieval timber-framed streets and Georgian townhouses, many of them listed. Their roofs, parapets and chimneys are hard to inspect from the ground and slow to scaffold in narrow, busy streets.

Beyond the walls we survey university buildings, housing, schools, industrial estates and homes in the villages around the city. Flooding from the Ouse and Foss also makes dated roof and building records useful for owners and insurers.

  • City centre & the MinsterListed and historic buildings
  • Bootham & CliftonGeorgian and Victorian homes
  • AcombHousing and terraces
  • HeworthResidential
  • Fulford & FishergatePeriod homes and riverside property
  • HeslingtonUniversity of York campus
  • OsbaldwickVillage and housing
  • Haxby & WiggintonVillages and housing
  • BishopthorpeVillage homes
  • Clifton MoorRetail and industrial estates

Listed or historic building? Drone surveys are ideal for heritage buildings: nothing touches the building and you get a full photographic record. See church and heritage roof surveys.

Drone survey in York
YorkRoof surveys, inspections and thermal imaging across the historic city
__ Local knowledge

Flying in York: what we plan around

York has no major airport, but there are airfields and busy streets to plan around. These are the checks we make for every York address.

Rufforth airfield

Gliding at Rufforth, to the west of the city, makes that airspace higher risk. We plan any work nearby carefully.

Full Sutton airfield

Full Sutton airfield, about 8 miles east of York, has a Flight Restriction Zone. Sites nearby are checked against it.

Visitors and busy streets

The centre is busy with visitors all year. We plan take-off spots, landowner permissions and timings to keep clear of the public.

East Coast Main Line

York station is a major junction on the East Coast Main Line. Network Rail has its own rules for drones near its property, on top of CAA rules.

York drone airspace map
Airspace around York

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 York 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

Read our guide to UK drone laws →

__ How it works

From address to results in four steps

  1. 1Send us the address

    Tell us where the site is and what you need, using the quote form or by phone.

  2. 2We assess it remotely

    Free desk-based check of airspace, access and the best capture method. Fixed quote usually the same working day.

  3. 3We get the permissions

    Air traffic control, landowner and site permissions arranged, plus RAMS for your site team.

  4. 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 York assets with fewer site visits.

__ Nearby areas

Other areas near York

We also have local pages for these nearby towns and cities. Distances are approximate, by road from York.

View all areas we cover →

__ FAQs

York drone survey FAQs

Can’t find your answer? Call us on 0345 017 5592 or see all FAQs.

Do you cover the villages around York?

Yes. As well as the city, we survey Haxby, Wigginton, Osbaldwick, Bishopthorpe and the villages and farms around York. Send us the address and we’ll confirm.

Can you survey listed buildings in the city centre?

Yes. A drone survey doesn’t touch the building, so it’s well suited to listed buildings and conservation areas. We arrange landowner permission and plan around visitors.

Can you survey after flooding?

Yes. A drone survey is a quick, safe way to record the condition of roofs and high-level details before and after bad weather, with dated images you can share with insurers.

How quickly can you get to a site in York?

York is about 100 miles from our Liverpool head office, via the M62 and A64, so it’s straightforward for us to reach. 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 York 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.

__ Fixed-fee quote

Get your fixed-fee quote

Send us the York 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. 1

    Send your postcode and requirements using the form

  2. 2

    We assess your site remotely: airspace checks, access and the right capture method

  3. 3

    You receive a fixed quote with no hidden extras

  4. 4

    We book in, fly, capture and deliver to your secure online portal

Prefer to talk? 0345 017 5592 info@dronesitesurveys.co.ukMonday to Friday, 08:00 to 18:00

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.

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  • The secure online portal your team would use
  • Roof and façade imagery, organised by section
  • A surveyor's condition report with RAG ratings
  • An interactive 3D model you can measure from
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  • Example risk assessment and method statement
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