Coverage: a sample, or the whole asset
A traditional inspection captures what a person can safely reach and writes it up. A drone captures the whole roof and every elevation, so the record is the entire asset, not just the accessible corners. On a portfolio, that difference compounds.
Safety and access
A traditional inspection at height needs scaffold or a MEWP and puts a person on the roof. A drone removes both the access cost and the work-at-height risk, which is what the Work at Height Regulations ask you to do first.
Speed
No scaffold to erect means capture is measured in hours, not days, and findings come back inside a normal diligence or planning window.
The evidence it leaves behind
A traditional report is a narrative. A drone inspection leaves graded, located findings tied to imagery you can re-examine, held in Ovrsite Enterprise and comparable year on year.
Where people still matter
The drone is the capture method, not the product. Our team reviews the findings before release and the reporting follows a consistent evidence-led structure, so the judgement stays human. You get machine coverage and human judgement, not one at the expense of the other.
Drone inspection vs traditional access, side by side:
| Ovrsite (drone) | Traditional access / scaffold | |
|---|---|---|
| Coverage | The whole envelope, every elevation | Sampled where a person can safely reach |
| Working at height | None, captured from the air | Scaffold, MEWP or rope access |
| Time on site | Hours, no closures | Days to weeks, plus access |
| Output | Graded, located, dated findings in Ovrsite Enterprise plus a costed plan | A written report |
| Record over time | Live in Ovrsite Enterprise, comparable year on year | A static document, dated on delivery |
| Cost | Cost depends on scope, access and required deliverables | Scaffold and access costs |
Got a question about this?
We will discuss the scope and next step with you.
Questions, answered
Is a drone inspection as good as a traditional building survey?
For external condition it captures far more: the whole envelope rather than a sample, with graded, located findings tied to imagery you can re-examine. Our team reviews the findings before release, so you get machine coverage and human judgement rather than one at the expense of the other.
When is a traditional inspection still needed?
Where physical, intrusive or close-contact testing is required, or for internal elements a drone cannot see. Drone capture complements those; it does not pretend to replace them.
Does a drone inspection replace a chartered surveyor?
The service combines capture, AI-assisted analysis and human review. Agree how the evidence will be used alongside your surveyors or FM team.
Which is cheaper, drone or traditional?
Cost depends on scope, access and required outputs. Compare like-for-like proposals, including review, reporting and any physical follow-up.
See it on your estate.
The fastest way to understand what building intelligence does for your portfolio is to see it on one of your own buildings. We can discuss a scoped pilot.
Pilot scope and terms
Own a portfolio of 10 or more buildings? We will inspect one of your buildings for free. We will agree the building, inspection scope and site arrangements with you before the visit.