King’s College Cambridge Turns to Skytech for Revolutionary Drone Roof Surveys

Marc Mann • February 22, 2025

How Cutting-Edge Aerial Inspections Streamline Historic Building Maintenance

King’s College, Cambridge has taken a significant step forward in maintaining its historic buildings by utilising cutting-edge drone technology for roof surveys. Traditionally, the college relied on cherry pickers to inspect their roofs, a process complicated by high costs, logistical hurdles in obtaining permits to work on public roads, and health and safety concerns for operators and passersby. These challenges led to delays in essential inspections and made it difficult to gain comprehensive coverage of the college’s numerous buildings.


Seeking a more efficient and thorough approach, King’s College commissioned Skytech Cambridge to carry out aerial surveys of multiple rooftops in the city centre. Over the course of just two days, Skytech Cambridge captured thousands of high-resolution images of each designated roof, providing complete visual coverage and revealing issues that might have been missed with traditional methods.


A pivotal outcome of the survey was the creation of a detailed photographic record for all inspected roofs. This valuable archive not only assists King’s College in planning long-term maintenance but also allows them to track emerging issues over time. Additionally, having precise visual documentation enables the college to expedite repair projects. Contractors can assess damage based on the provided imagery, calculate the necessary materials, and submit tenders without needing physical access to often difficult-to-reach areas.


Skytech Cambridge specialises in professional drone surveys, aerial inspections, and high-resolution imaging for both commercial and historic properties. By offering an efficient and cost-effective alternative to traditional surveying techniques, the company helps clients reduce risk, streamline project timelines, and make informed decisions about their asset management and maintenance needs.


For King’s College, embracing drone technology has proven transformative, enhancing their ability to safeguard and preserve the institution’s historic architecture. This project underscores the advantages of aerial surveys for organisations managing complex or hard-to-access buildings. As drone technology continues to advance, Skytech Cambridge remains committed to delivering precise, actionable insights for universities, heritage sites, and businesses alike.


By Marc Mann October 7, 2025
It’s unfortunate to learn that Altitude Angel has entered administration. The company played a pivotal role in the UK drone ecosystem, providing an accessible, centralised platform for UAS operators to review airspace restrictions and obtain digital flight authorisations within controlled zones. On 7 October 2025, FRP Advisory were appointed as joint administrators, drawing a line under a decade in which Altitude Angel helped shape how uncrewed aviation is integrated with traditional air traffic services. For many commercial pilots and hobbyists alike, this creates immediate uncertainty about the availability of data and authorisation workflows they had come to rely on. Founded in 2014 by Richard Parker and headquartered in Reading, Altitude Angel set out to deliver global-scale tools for safe, routine drone operations. Its mission evolved into a full UTM stack that connected regulators, ANSPs , airports, infrastructure owners and operators through a common digital backbone. The company’s messaging consistently emphasised compliance, safety and interoperability, and it backed that up with an expanding portfolio that served both enterprise infrastructure managers and day-to-day pilots, including resources for UK operators on CAA drones guidance .
By Marc Mann August 3, 2025
Reading Case Study: Drone Imagery Highlights Rooflight Corrosion Risk
By Marc Mann May 1, 2025
How SkyTech Cambridge is using drone photography and new technology to better solve old problems.
By Marc Mann March 25, 2025
A428 Black Cat to Caxton Gibbet Improvements
By Marc Mann March 21, 2025
Darwin Green: A New Chapter in Cambridge's Urban Landscape
By Marc Mann February 24, 2025
A Church Lost In Time
By Marc Mann February 20, 2025
Capturing the Past, Protecting the Future
By Marc Mann December 30, 2024
Cambridge Christmas Market Captured in Stunning Drone Timelapse!
By Marc Mann December 7, 2024
Excitement Grows for DJI Mavic 4 Pro : A Potential Game-Changer for Professional Drone Operations
By Marc Mann November 14, 2024
Revolutionising Survey and Inspection Services with Skytech Cambridge