Direct answer
Housing associations use drone inspection to record the condition of roofs, facades and other external elements across their stock without scaffold or anyone working at height. It fills the gap left by stock condition programmes that see roofs and upper facades only from the ground. Findings are validated by our team, graded on one risk scale, located on the building and linked to planned spend.
Why external condition is the gap in most stock condition data
The Regulator of Social Housing expects landlords to hold an accurate, up to date and evidenced understanding of the condition of their homes, based on a physical assessment of all homes [2]. The regulator and the RICS consultation draft code of practice both describe a rolling programme that inspects about 20% of homes each year, so each home is typically seen every five years [3][4].
Inside the home, that physical assessment is thorough. Outside, roofs, chimneys, valleys and upper elevations are usually judged from the ground or a ladder. That is the part of the record that is hardest to keep accurate, and it is where leaks, falling materials and heat loss often start.
What a drone roof and facade inspection records
We capture your roofs and every elevation with no one at height and no scaffolding or cherry pickers, planned around residents and site controls. Each capture can include visual and radiometric thermal imagery.
| Pitched roofs | Slipped, cracked or missing tiles and slates, ridge and hip condition, valleys, moss and debris |
|---|---|
| Flat roofs | Ponding, splits, blisters, lifted edges and outlet condition |
| Chimneys and parapets | Cracked or open pointing, leaning stacks, damaged copings and flashings |
| Rainwater goods | Blocked, broken or displaced gutters and downpipes |
| Elevations | Cracking, spalling, staining, open joints, failed sealant, loose or missing elements |
| Thermal | Temperature patterns across roofs and walls, each paired with a normal photo of the same spot |
Where it fits in your programme
- Rolling stock condition programmes. Capture the external elements of each block on the same standard, so your internal inspections and the outside of the building sit in one record. When a block comes round again, you can see what has changed since the last visit.
- Pre-planned works. See which roofs and elevations need work before you book scaffold, and which do not.
- Responsive investigations. When a leak or falling material is reported, a dated external record shows the roof and walls above the home.
- Damp and mould triage. Phase 2 of Awaab's Law applies from 30 November 2026 and brings excess cold, structural collapse and falls into scope [1]. The government guidance sets out what landlords must do and by when [1]. External imagery can give the person investigating more to work from. It is not an investigation and it does not decide anything.
It sits alongside your own HHSRS inspections.
What you receive
- Findings validated by our team: a member of our team validates findings to confirm they are visually present.
- Each finding graded on one risk scale, located on the building and linked to planned spend.
- A 0 to 100 risk score for each building and across your stock.
- Visual and thermal imagery for each finding.
- Change over time: when a block is inspected again, you can see what has changed since the last visit.
- A governed report. See a sample report.
- Ovrsite Enterprise, Housing edition: work packages with the contractor and quote recorded, CAPEX planning, CSV exports and a tamper-evident audit trail.
How housing associations buy it
Public contract notices show housing associations already buy aerial imagery alongside stock condition work. One London association awarded a contract in 2024 that included drone imagery of its stock, called off from a framework [6].
The common routes are:
- Direct award below threshold, where your own rules allow it. The Procurement Act 2023 guidance covers below-threshold contracts [5].
- A dynamic purchasing system or framework. If your organisation buys through a framework or dynamic purchasing system, tell us which one and we will work with your procurement team on the route.
- A pilot on a small number of blocks before a wider programme.
In the specification, set out the blocks, the external elements in scope, whether thermal is included, how findings should be graded, and the export format your asset system needs. Our procurement guide has more detail.
Residents, privacy and site arrangements
Nobody needs to go into a home for an external capture. We agree site arrangements, access routes and timings with you first, and we suggest you tell residents before the visit. Data is hosted on AWS in London. Flights run under our CAA operator registration (GBR-OP-LHDHC27DJLH7).
Cyber Essentials Plus. SafeContractor. Good Business Charter. Armed Forces Covenant. ICO registered (ZC075362). £10m public liability and £2m professional indemnity.
What a drone inspection cannot tell you
A drone inspection records the visible external condition of a building at the time of capture. It cannot see inside walls or roof build-ups, test materials, confirm the cause of a defect, or replace intrusive investigation, specialist assessments or a fire risk appraisal. It does not replace the internal inspection of each home in your stock condition programme. Thermal imaging shows temperature patterns that tell you where to look. It does not prove damp or heat loss on its own. Flying depends on weather, airspace and site permissions, so dates can move. We do not give compliance verdicts. Our evidence supports your compliance work.
Start with one block
If you own 10 or more buildings, we will inspect one of them for free. We agree the building, the scope and the site arrangements with you first. Our AI proposes each defect, a member of our team validates findings to confirm they are visually present, and then we talk you through what we found. Physical testing, specialist assessments and repair works are not included. Public bodies should check their own procurement and acceptance rules first.
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Sources
- Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Awaab's Law: Phase 2 guidance for social landlords, updated 31 July 2026 (states the amended Regulations apply from 30 November 2026; Phase 2 hazards include excess cold, falls and structural collapse). https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/awaabs-law-phase-2-guidance-for-social-housing-landlords/awaabs-law-phase-2-guidance-for-social-landlords
- Regulator of Social Housing, Safety and Quality Standard, April 2024 (2.1.1: "based on a physical assessment of all homes"). https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/safety-and-quality-standard
- Regulator of Social Housing, Focus report: understanding the condition of tenants' homes, 17 July 2025 ("A standard approach to programming stock condition surveys is to physically inspect approximately 20% of homes per annum"). https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/focus-report-understanding-the-condition-of-tenants-homes
- RICS, Residential stock condition survey code of practice, 1st edition, consultation draft, 2026 ("Adopting a rolling programme of 20% per year is now commonplace"). https://consultations.rics.org/gf2.ti/f/1792802/269844517.1/PDF/-/Residential%20stock%20condition%20survey_iConsult.pdf
- Cabinet Office, Procurement Act 2023 guidance documents. https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/procurement-act-2023-guidance-documents
- Find a Tender, contract award notice 2024/S 000-014809, Stock Condition Surveys (SCS) and Aerial Photography, published 9 May 2024 (framework call-off; scope includes "Area Drone Survey for aerial imagery of our housing stock"). https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/014809-2024
Questions, answered
Can a drone inspection replace a stock condition survey?
No. It complements the internal inspection by covering roofs and external elements on every block to the same standard. Your stock condition programme still needs a physical inspection inside each home.
Do residents need to be told before a drone inspection?
We recommend it. Nobody needs to let us in, but residents should know when the visit is and why. We agree timings and site arrangements with you first.
Does a drone inspection help with Awaab's Law?
It can add a dated photographic record of the outside of the block, such as the roof, gutters and walls around a home, to your investigation. It does not replace the investigation. Investigating, deciding whether there is a hazard and meeting the timescales stay with you, under the regulations and your own policies. Ovrsite does not manage Awaab's Law cases and does not give compliance verdicts.
How do housing associations procure drone roof surveys?
Usually by direct award below threshold where their rules allow it, through a dynamic purchasing system or framework, or with a small pilot first. If your organisation buys through a framework or dynamic purchasing system, tell us which one and we will work with your procurement team on the route.
Is thermal imaging included and what can it show?
It can be included in the scope. It shows temperature patterns across roofs and walls, paired with a normal photo of the same spot. A warm or cold patch tells you where to look closer. It does not prove damp or heat loss on its own.
Who checks the findings?
Findings are validated by our team. Our AI proposes each defect with its type, location and severity, then a member of our team validates findings to confirm they are visually present. Each finding is checked by a person before it reaches you.