FAQ reference · Updated 7 August 2026
Drone survey FAQs
Common questions about UK drone regulations, CAA permissions, airspace, costs and what happens during and after a commercial survey — answered by Image Surveys Limited.
Who is answering these questions?
Image Surveys Limited (CAA Operator ID GBR-OP-K3GKP2JCP5DJ, PDRA-01 Operational Authorisation, registered in England & Wales no. 15344902). Director Mark Carr LLB is a former criminal solicitor, CRFP-registered forensic expert witness and expert drone survey operator. Tel: 0800 999 1295.
Qualifications & credibility
Are you CAA-authorised to fly commercially?
Yes. Image Surveys holds a CAA Operator ID (GBR-OP-K3GKP2JCP5DJ) and a PDRA-01 Operational Authorisation — a Specific Category permission issued by the Civil Aviation Authority. This authorises us to conduct commercial drone operations in residential, commercial, industrial and recreational areas that are off-limits to standard Open Category operators. All our remote pilots hold a GVC (General Visual Line of Sight Certificate) and operate under a CAA-accepted Operations Manual.
What is PDRA-01 and why does it matter?
PDRA-01 (Pre-Defined Risk Assessment 01) is the Civil Aviation Authority's Specific Category authorisation for visual line-of-sight drone operations in populated and congested areas. Without it, a drone must stay at least 150 metres from buildings, people and recreational areas — making most commercial building survey work impossible to conduct legally. Holding PDRA-01 means we can fly close to structures, in city centres, on live industrial estates and around complex building envelopes that are simply inaccessible to operators without this authorisation. When you commission us, you are not creating a legal liability — you are working with a fully authorised operator.
What insurance do you carry?
We carry £5 million public liability insurance as standard, with £10 million available on request for projects where a higher limit is specified by a client, landlord or insurer. We also hold £2 million professional indemnity insurance covering the survey data, reports and professional opinions we produce. Both policies are maintained with specialist aviation and professional indemnity underwriters and are available for inspection on request.
Are you members of any professional bodies?
Yes. We are a member of Drone Pilots UK which is a register of verified UK drone pilots; our listing appears at dronepilotsuk.co.uk. Image Surveys is also a member of Unmanned Support (US), a professional body for commercial drone operators that requires members to demonstrate appropriate CAA authorisations and professional operating standards. We are also registered with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO no. ZB865563) for data protection purposes.
Are you Google-rated and independently reviewed?
Yes. We hold a five-star rating on Google with verified client reviews. All our survey work is guaranteed — if a report does not meet the agreed scope or standard, we will revisit and rectify at no additional cost. Our reviews are from commercial clients including property managers, local authorities, NHS trusts, heritage bodies and agricultural operators.
Can you provide evidence of your authorisations before we instruct you?
Yes — on request we can provide copies of our CAA Operator ID certificate, PDRA-01 Operational Authorisation, public liability and professional indemnity insurance certificates, and GVC qualification records for the pilot attending your site. Many clients — particularly NHS trusts, local authorities and large corporate estates teams — require these as part of their procurement process, and we are accustomed to supplying them quickly.
What makes aerial photographic evidence admissible?
Admissibility turns on three well-established principles. First, authenticity: every image we produce carries embedded EXIF metadata recording the exact time, date and GPS coordinates at capture — an independently verifiable record that the image was taken at the stated location and time. Second, integrity: we preserve all raw files alongside delivered imagery, maintaining a documented audit trail of any processing applied. Third, methodology: where evidence is to be used in formal proceedings, a methodology statement explaining how the survey was conducted is available on request. Our director is a former CRFP-registered forensic photographer and expert witness with experience of photographic evidence tested in both civil and criminal courts.
Regulations & permissions
Can a drone fly close to buildings and structures?
Under the standard Open Category rules, a drone must stay at least 150 metres horizontally from residential, commercial, industrial and recreational areas — ruling out most commercial survey work in built-up environments. Image Surveys holds a CAA PDRA-01 Operational Authorisation which allows our GVC-qualified pilots to fly in close proximity to structures, within congested areas, on live industrial estates and inside urban environments. We handle all the regulatory compliance; you do not need to do anything.
Do you need permission to fly a drone commercially?
Yes. Anyone operating a drone for commercial purposes in the UK must hold a CAA Operator ID and — for operations in populated or congested areas — a Specific Category authorisation such as PDRA-01. Our Operator ID is GBR-OP-K3GKP2JCP5DJ. All our remote pilots hold a GVC and operate under a CAA-accepted Operations Manual. We are fully authorised for the commercial environments we routinely work in.
What is a CAA PDRA-01 Operational Authorisation?
PDRA-01 (Pre-Defined Risk Assessment 01) is a Specific Category authorisation issued by the Civil Aviation Authority under UK drone regulations. It permits visual line-of-sight operations in residential, commercial, industrial and recreational areas — environments off-limits to standard Open Category operators. To hold a PDRA-01, an operator must submit and receive CAA approval of a detailed Operations Manual and employ remote pilots who hold a GVC qualification.
Do you need planning permission to fly a drone?
In most cases, no — CAA airspace authorisation governs the flight, and planning permission is not generally required for the drone operation itself. If your intended use of the aerial data (for example, a planning application for a new development) requires specific types of survey evidence, that is a matter for your planning consultant rather than your drone operator. We advise on what data formats and accuracy specifications planning authorities typically expect.
Can you fly a drone near a prison or secure facility?
Yes, with careful pre-flight planning. Prisons and secure facilities carry specific flight restrictions under UK law — flying near a prison without authorisation is a criminal offence. We assess restrictions around all relevant facilities as part of our standard pre-flight planning, and we manage any required permissions or notifications before attending site. We regularly work in areas near secure facilities including HMP Risley, HMP Altcourse, HMP Walton, HMP Berwyn and HMYOI Hindley, among others.
How close can you fly near an airport?
Airports are protected by Flight Restriction Zones (FRZs) and Aerodrome Traffic Zones (ATZs), within which drone operations require prior permission from Air Traffic Control. Many of our operational areas fall within or adjacent to controlled airspace — including Liverpool John Lennon Airport, Manchester Airport, Hawarden Airport, Blackpool Airport and Warton Aerodrome. We conduct a full airspace assessment before every flight and manage all ATC liaison and notifications as part of our standard process.
Operations & practicalities
Can you fly a drone in winter or bad weather?
We operate year-round. Our equipment is rated for cold temperatures, and many surveys are conducted successfully in winter. We do not fly in high winds (typically above 10 m/s at drone altitude), heavy rain, low cloud below safe operating altitude, or conditions that would compromise image quality or safety. We monitor weather forecasts closely and will reschedule if conditions are unsuitable — at no extra cost. For emergency callouts, we attend as soon as conditions allow and keep clients updated throughout.
Can you fly a drone at night?
Night operations require specific authorisation beyond our standard PDRA-01. In most cases, building inspections and mapping surveys are conducted during daylight hours when image quality is highest. Please contact us to discuss your requirements if a night operation is needed.
How long does a drone survey take on site?
This depends on the scale and type of survey. A single commercial building roof inspection typically takes one to three hours on site including set-up, pre-flight checks and the flight itself. A large industrial estate or multi-building campus may take a full day. A golf course mapping survey is usually completed within a morning. We give you a realistic time estimate when we quote.
What do I receive after a drone survey?
The standard deliverable package includes: high-resolution still photography of every elevation and roof area indexed by location; a 4K video walkaround where appropriate; a written condition report with annotated observations, identified defects and recommended actions; and all raw imagery in a format you can share directly with contractors, insurers or solicitors. For mapping and 3D modelling projects we additionally deliver georeferenced orthomosaic plans, digital terrain models, contour plans and 3D mesh files. Reports are typically delivered within 48 hours of the flight.
Do I need to be on site during the survey?
Not usually, though it helps if someone with site knowledge is available at the start to confirm access arrangements and highlight any specific areas of concern. For tenanted or occupied buildings, we liaise directly with site contacts. For complex or sensitive sites — heritage buildings, live industrial processes, occupied healthcare premises — a brief site familiarisation call beforehand is often useful.
Coverage, cost & booking
Do you charge for travel?
We do not charge travel costs for sites within our standard operating area across the North West and North Wales. Our base is Heritage House, Hoghton Street, Southport PR9 0TE. Sites within approximately 50–60 miles — covering Lancashire, Merseyside, Greater Manchester, Cheshire, North Wales and parts of Yorkshire — are covered without a travel surcharge. For sites beyond this area, we discuss any travel cost transparently as part of the quotation.
How quickly can you attend site?
For standard bookings, most surveys are scheduled within a few working days of instruction. For emergency callout — storm damage, post-incident insurance inspections, urgent structural concerns — we are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and aim to attend as soon as it is safe and legally permissible to fly. Call 0800 999 1295 at any time for emergency attendance.
What areas do you cover?
Our primary operational area covers Lancashire, Merseyside, Greater Manchester, Cheshire, Cumbria, North Yorkshire and North and Mid Wales. We regularly work across Liverpool, Manchester, Preston, Lancaster, Wigan, Warrington, Chester, Wrexham and the surrounding towns and rural areas. We can mobilise further afield for larger projects — call us to discuss.
How do I get a quote?
Contact us through the enquiry form, call 0800 999 1295, or email contact@imagesurveys.com. We provide fixed-price quotes before any work begins — no hidden costs, no post-survey variations. For straightforward building inspections, we can often turn around a quote the same day.
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