Airborne Insights

14/11/2025

Airborne Insights and Logistics Partners Consultancy are again supportingTransaid this Christmas to transform lives through safe, available, and sustainable transport.
You can join us using the link in the post below.

Your support doesn’t just make a difference today- it helps create safer journeys for the future.

A heartfelt thank you to Logistics Partners Consultancy for joining our 2025 Christmas Appeal: Safer journeys, brighter futures. 🌟

If you want to get involved, you can get support our Christmas Appeal by donating to the campaign directly: https://bit.ly/46m7C8h

11/09/2025

At the start of the year I was tasked to collect images to enable a visual condition inspection of the roof, gutter & downpipes of a local office building. The building was close to the end of redevelopment into a hybrid workspace offering private office, co-working, meeting and creative spaces. The building was completed in the early 1980’s and had an interesting design with roof and guttering over 4 levels.

The weather in the winter months wasn’t ideal for flying: time was spent waiting for rain showers to pass. But thankfully the rain was light & intermittent, the light was good, and there was virtually no wind.

The flight plan was to fly 4 loops of the building to cover each of the 4 roof levels individually to keep the post-processing of the images as simple as possible. However, on the day the car park at the front of the building was being re-tarmac'd and to minimise overflight & distraction of other contractors, each of the west, north and east elevations were flown both horizontally & vertically and also over the roof. When the tarmac'ing was completed the south elevation was flown. This meant that a document mapping of the images to the relevant area of the building was required, increasing the post-processing time.

Both the inclement weather and the flight plan change showed that the ability to adapt and continue are important, but also that work time estimates need contingency time to maintain a reasonable profit margin.

The selected images show that generally the roof, guttering and downpipes are in reasonable condition, but that in some areas the roof covering (standing joint zinc sheet) is heavily stained with algae below the downpipe outlets; some guttering in the shaded areas to the west, north & east have significant vegetation; some gutters are allowing overflowing; and some downpipes are leaking water at the gutter joint & causing localised staining on the surrounding walls. Also, the netting over the gutters was intact & secure and successfully reducing the risk of blockage bird debris, but also a potential hindrance to removal of debris & vegetation.

11/09/2025

Just over a year ago I made a series of posts about a project to inspect the roof of a Whitchurch Silk Mill in Hampshire.

The original task was to take photographs to help identify the cause of damp on part of an external wall just below the roof. Several broken, loose or missing slates and potential gutter problems were quickly identified along with a disconnected lightning conductor laying across the roof above the clock.

This time last year work was undertaken to reposition the lightning conductor tip at on the roof ridge above the clock and secure the conductor cable back into position along the ridge line lead flashing.

A few months ago during a heavy rain & electrical storm a 25m Black Pine tree standing only 5-10 metres from the mill buildings was struck by lightning. The tree is still standing but has a vivid scar showing where the strike occurred and travelled to earth.

The mill has multiple conductors covering the large roof area, so it is well protected. But the effect of a lightning strike on an unprotected part of the roof on the fabric & structure of the 225 year old mill could have been significant to the entire building.

12/06/2025

Ready for a busy day at with Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce.
If you are visiting come and find us on Stand 4 with Logistics Partners Consultancy

21/05/2025

21/05/2025

Beautiful blue skies for 3 drone photography and video flights today in Cambridgeshire for Brimstone Energy.
Watch their feed to see the results!
Contact us if you want to take your marketing into the skies.

07/05/2025

Since the middle of February I have been busy doing sub-contract work for a local business using drones in the construction industry (Sky Revolutions) doing aerial imaging with drones and providing inspection, surveying, film production and pilot training services.

While it's great to be busy and keeping my business accounts looking happy & healthy, my own networking, marketing and professional development has taken a back seat.

So this week I am focusing on refining my skills & experience of image processing, photogrammetry modelling & topographic mapping. I have been using Reality Capture to do the photogrammetry, 3D point cloud modelling & texturing, and 2D ortho-mosaic generation for digital surface/terrain modelling. Then importing the resulting DSM/DTM into QGIS (open source Geographic Information System) to create topographical maps showing land relief using shading and contour line extraction.

This type of survey information can be used for outline and initial/detailed planning/design for land development.

07/05/2025

In March I was asked by a local business, CE Fuller, to fly over their premises in Soham to capture images and video of their recently started refurbishment of existing buildings & overall site modernisation. The flight was completed on March 16th, and will be the first in a series of flights over the next 12 months or so, to show the progression of the works being undertaken.

In March I was asked by a local business, CE Fuller, to fly over their premises in Soham to capture images and video of their recently started refurbishment ...

07/05/2025

Also in January we were asked by Matt Hilton, the CEO of Brimstone-Energy.UK, to fly over Caxton Village Hall to capture images and video of their recently completed solar panel installation. This flight was completed on the same beautifully clear & dry day in February as the St. Ives Rugby Club flight.

Brimstone-Energy.UK has helped a community to thrive, by installing this solar array and battery storage system in Caxton, near Cambourne in Cambridgeshire. Brimstone-Energy.UK were significantly better value than the competing propositions, using Enphase Energy micro inverters and Eurener 500W panels in this 8 kWp array.

Why? Caxton Parish Council received a grant from South Cambridgeshire District Council to install low-carbon technology. But the Village hall doesn't generate revenue as such, with Hall hire fees cover the basic ongoing costs and anything else needing fundraising. With this solar array, a package has been delivered that is warrantied for a generation - children attending Cub Scouts in Caxton Village Hall today, will be 35 years old when the warranty on the Enphase Energy micro inverters runs out, and can expect to be well into their 40s when it comes time to replace the equipment.

Brimstone-Energy.UK listened to the needs of its customer, and designed a package to suit their circumstances. The GivEnergy All in One will further help support the electricity demands of the facility.

Matt has been a great customer, engaging with the requirement specification and flight planning, to deliver a great result that has satisfied his expectations.



https://youtu.be/iIdHMmTSP1A

In January I was asked by a local business, Brimstone Energy, to fly over Caxton Village Hall to capture images and video of their recently completed solar p...

07/05/2025

In January we were asked by Matt Hilton, the CEO of a local business, Brimstone-Energy.UK, to fly over St. Ives Rugby Club to capture images and video of their recently completed solar panel installation. The flight was completed on a beautifully clear & dry day in February.

The opportunity arose for Brimstone-Energy.UK during a conversation with a coach while Matt was watching his son's Year 7 team play their first match of the season.

Matt helped to identify a funding stream from Huntingdonshire District Council and Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority that was being delivered by PECT and Allia Future Business Centre Peterborough, with several facilitators helping to submit a compelling bid before the funding window closed.

The system Brimstone-Energy.UK installed is a 26 panel 11.6 kWp solar system, paired with a 11 kW 3 phase inverter from GivEnergy and 20 kWh of battery storage. The installation has already dramatically reduced the electricity bill of the club.

Matt has been a great customer, engaging with the requirement specification and flight planning, to deliver a great result that has satisfied his expectations. (And he paid early, which is also very much appreciated!)



https://youtu.be/0OFFzyghOAI

In January I was asked by a local business, Brimstone Energy, to fly over St. Ives Rugby Club to capture images and video of their recently completed solar p...

10/04/2025

We love seeing our customers using the footage we shoot.
And this video shows what a great job Brimstone Energy have done.

At St Ives Rugby Club, Brimstone Energy helped the club to identify and then apply for a grant which enabled them to install an amazing solar and battery sto...

18/03/2025

We have really enjoyed seeing our drone footage in this Brimstone Energy video case study. Showing how they have helped a community to thrive, by installing this magnificent solar array and battery storage system in Caxton, near Cambourne in Cambridgeshire.

Brimstone Energy were significantly better value than the competing propositions, because they listened to the needs of the customer, and designed a package to suit their circumstances.

We love working with local businesses who also share the same business values.

So if you want to install low carbon technology, use professionals who listen to your needs, and prioritise your best interests. And Brimstone Energy is a great place to start.
And if you want aerial footage for your own personal or business use, then please contact us.

Brimstone Energy have been helping a number of community facilities recently with their energy costs. Here we showcase our work at Caxton Village Hall.Caxton...