Surveyors use drones to reach new heights in RICS Level 3 Surveys

Drones have been making news headlines, most recently with incidents at Gatwick and Heathrow and this week at Newark airport close to New York.

Flights at those airports were disrupted when drones - unmanned aerial craft controlled from the ground - were spotted, posing a risk to aircraft.

However, while irresponsible individuals could use drones for mischievous or even illegal purposes, in reality drones are fast becoming a practical solution for many professionals.

Chartered surveyors are among those now turning to drone technology to inspect large or hard-to-access areas of land and property.

Many home buyers will instruct a surveyor to carry out an inspection of the property they are keen on buying. And where that RICS Level 3 Survey might require a detailed inspection of a roof, for example, some surveyors are using drones to do the hard work for them.

The drone, armed with a camera, can take accurate moving and still images of the property that gives the surveyor the most up-to-date view of its condition, meaning the buyer gets precise information that allows them to decide whether to go ahead with their purchase, pull out or renegotiate the price.

At Surveyor Local, we only work with chartered surveyors who are members of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS).

RICS provides guidance to its members on how to use drones safely in their work, specifically staying within the law.

For example, as the recent examples at Gatwick and Heathrow demonstrated, the Civil Aviation Authority is responsible for ensuring drones do not cause a hazard and also issues licences to those who use the craft commercially, such as surveyors.