NDTScan provides advanced non-destructive testing (NDT) solutions tailored for drone-based aerial surveying and inspection. Our services ensure accurate, compliant, and efficient diagnostics across all sectors, from aerospace to infrastructure. With cutting-edge equipment and over a decade of experience, we deliver certified inspections that minimise downtime and maximise safety. Trust NDTScan for reliable, data-driven reporting that enhances your decision-making and operational excellence.
NDTScan delivers precision drone-based aerial surveying and inspection services across the UK and Europe, revolutionising asset inspections for hard-to-access or high-risk environments. From transmission towers to industrial roofs, we capture critical structural data safely, efficiently, and without costly access equipment.
Our drone surveys are game-changing. Using high-resolution cameras, LiDAR sensors, thermal imaging, and photogrammetry, we collect vital information on asset condition, defect locations, and surface deformations — supporting preventative maintenance and compliance checks without disruption.
We don’t just survey — we de-risk inspections, speed up asset management decisions, and empower project teams with detailed visual intelligence.
High-Efficiency Aerial Inspection Across Industries – Drone-Based Aerial Surveying and Inspection
Industrial structures, infrastructure, and construction assets face environmental wear, load stresses, and dynamic operational pressures. Our aerial inspections detect early warning signs — from surface cracking to thermal anomalies — before failures occur.
NDTScan leads the way in drone-based inspection excellence. Our services comply fully with CAA, GVC licensing, and EC785/2004 insurance standards, ensuring complete operational safety and regulatory confidence.
How We Deliver Drone Surveys and Inspections
Every site poses unique challenges, from environmental restrictions to urban complexity. Our tailored flight plans, safety protocols, and equipment selections ensure project success every time.
Deployable nationwide, we work around live operations, construction schedules, and critical infrastructure access windows, with rapid mobilisation to minimise project delays.
Our drone inspection capabilities include:
- Photogrammetry and 3D Mapping: Generates orthomosaics, point clouds, and digital twins.
- Thermal Imaging Surveys: Detects energy loss, trapped moisture, and heat-related defects.
- LiDAR Surveys: Captures high-density surface data for terrain modelling and structural analysis.
- High-Resolution Visual Inspections: Identifies physical defects such as cracking, corrosion, and delamination.
- Volumetric and Dimensional Analysis: Calculates material stockpiles, cut/fill volumes, and as-built conditions.
Why Clients Trust NDTScan’s Drone-Based Aerial Surveying and Inspection Solutions
We serve energy companies, construction firms, industrial operators, asset managers, and government agencies requiring safe, cost-effective aerial intelligence. Our drone operations bring speed, safety, and unrivalled data quality to projects of all sizes.
With certified pilots, advanced sensors, and full regulatory compliance, NDTScan empowers smarter asset management, project planning, and risk mitigation from above.
Advancing Structural Monitoring Through Drone-Based Aerial Surveying and Inspection
The ability to assess complex or elevated assets without physical contact has transformed inspection practices across the built environment. NDTScan’s expertise in drone-based aerial surveying and inspection allows clients to access accurate, real-time intelligence that would otherwise be costly, hazardous, or logistically impractical to obtain.
By combining flight precision with sensor versatility, our drone platforms deliver detailed assessments of structural condition, envelope performance, and environmental interaction. Whether operating above an energy substation or within a confined plant perimeter, we ensure that every inspection is captured safely, thoroughly, and to the highest technical standards.
Our drone-based aerial surveying and inspection services serve as a strategic asset for infrastructure operators seeking operational resilience, cost savings, and evidence-based maintenance planning.
Reducing Inspection Risk in Hard-to-Access Locations
Traditional inspection methods often require scaffolding, rope access, or elevated platforms — all of which introduce risk, cost, and potential downtime. Drone technology eliminates these constraints, making it possible to survey elevated structures such as flare stacks, cooling towers, and building envelopes without disturbing operations or placing personnel at height.
NDTScan applies drone-based aerial surveying and inspection techniques to reduce exposure to hazardous environments while maintaining data accuracy. Our workflows are designed to support both urgent defect identification and scheduled maintenance inspections, providing unmatched flexibility for site managers.
In environments where access is limited by terrain, regulation, or ongoing operation, our drone systems deliver reliable results with minimal disruption — making them particularly valuable for rail assets, offshore installations, energy grids, and historic structures.
Enhancing Data Quality Through Sensor Integration
Drone platforms have evolved into powerful tools for multi-sensor data collection. At NDTScan, we integrate a range of sensing technologies into each flight plan to meet the specific needs of the project and asset type.
High-resolution RGB imaging enables precise visual condition assessments, identifying surface anomalies including hairline cracking, material corrosion, sealant failure, and coating delamination. For thermal performance analysis, we use infrared sensors to detect insulation breakdown, trapped moisture, or abnormal heat signatures that may indicate mechanical or electrical faults.
LiDAR-equipped drones enhance our capabilities in topographical mapping, surface deformation analysis, and structural clearance validation. Photogrammetry workflows generate orthomosaic imagery and 3D point clouds for volumetric calculations and digital model generation.
Each application of drone-based aerial surveying and inspection is tailored to extract actionable insights that inform technical, commercial, and compliance-related decision-making.
Supporting Asset Integrity Across Sectors
Our drone inspection services are deployed across a wide variety of industries, each with its own structural demands and compliance frameworks. In the power generation sector, for example, we inspect turbine halls, cooling systems, and exhaust stacks for deterioration. In construction, we provide progress documentation, structural verification, and handover evidence aligned to client schedules.
Transport infrastructure — such as viaducts, gantries, and elevated highways — benefits from fast, contactless assessments that reduce lane closures and traffic disruptions. For water treatment and environmental facilities, drone-based aerial surveying and inspection provides condition monitoring for tanks, clarifiers, and containment structures, with clear visibility of corrosion zones and structural misalignments.
By adapting to the distinct risks and operational constraints of each sector, NDTScan delivers trusted insights that extend beyond basic observation — supporting asset preservation and strategic management.
Integrating Inspection Results with Digital Asset Systems
To maximise value, our inspection outputs are delivered in formats compatible with asset management platforms, BIM environments, and condition reporting systems. Georeferenced imagery, thermal overlays, 3D models, and comparative analytics can all be imported into client workflows, ensuring continuity between inspection and action.
Where digital twins or structural databases already exist, drone-based aerial surveying and inspection provides the data needed to update geometry, track changes, or validate as-built conditions. Repeat inspections create a historical record of structural evolution, essential for lifecycle analysis and degradation trend forecasting.
NDTScan ensures that all datasets are structured, navigable, and traceable, supporting long-term condition monitoring strategies and audit readiness.
Planning, Permissions, and Compliance – Drone-Based Aerial Surveying and Inspection
Operating drones in complex environments demands more than technical expertise — it requires rigorous planning, legal compliance, and safety-first procedures. NDTScan manages the full permissions process, including flight authorisations, risk assessments, and stakeholder coordination.
All our operators are fully certified under the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) with General Visual Line of Sight Certificates (GVCs) and adhere to EC785/2004 insurance standards. We develop detailed flight plans and site-specific method statements, ensuring our operations meet the safety expectations of both clients and regulators.
Whether operating near critical infrastructure, in controlled airspace, or within congested urban zones, NDTScan’s drone-based aerial surveying and inspection services are underpinned by full regulatory assurance.
Capturing the Full Picture for Smarter Maintenance
One of the key advantages of drone-based aerial surveying and inspection is the ability to capture comprehensive site conditions in a single flight session. This holistic visibility supports root-cause analysis, proactive maintenance, and efficient contractor scoping. Instead of relying on fragmented or outdated records, stakeholders gain a full, current understanding of asset condition and context.
This aerial perspective is especially valuable when used alongside other non-destructive testing methods. For example, drone imagery can help prioritise areas for ultrasonic or GPR follow-up, improving the efficiency of broader inspection strategies.
When integrated into wider structural health monitoring regimes, Drone-Based Aerial Surveying and Inspection surveys contribute to informed asset stewardship, capital planning, and long-term risk reduction.