Organisations are under increasing pressure to be more efficient, innovative and ambitious.
Drone solutions can be faster, safer, cheaper and better for the environment than alternative approaches. They can produce actionable insight in near-real time, enhancing stakeholder communication while minimising risks.
Our dedicated Drone Team was set up in 2018. We use drones routinely in our Audit and Deals businesses, and advise clients on their own drone digital transformations.
Drone Digital Transformation
We work directly with you to unlock tangible business benefits through the adoption of drone technology and visual asset management software, following our 4-step drones workflow.
We support new drone implementations and assist businesses to get the most out of their current drone operations.
Typically, a kick off workshop is followed by a “Case for Change” business case. If this is viable, we progress from proof of concept to company wide implementation and full integration with business as usual. This often includes RFQ (request for quotation) drafting and selection of a drone services vendor. See case study.
Thought Leadership
We aim to support the drone industry by contributing to the debate on market potential, socio-economic impact, perception and removing barriers to growth.
Drones economic impact:
- Skies Without Limits v3.0 (2024)
- Skies Without Limits v2.0 (2022) with BEIS
- Skies Without Limits (2018)
Future Flight Challenge:
Drone perception:
We are also active participants in the Drones Industry Action Group (DIAG) which aims to grow the UK drone economy.
Drone Programme Assurance
If your business already has drone operations in place, we can help you test how effective, safe and compliant they are using our Drone Programme Assurance framework.
If the appropriate controls are not in place, you may face a range of consequences including; ineffective processes, reputational damage, endangering staff or prosecution for illegal operations.
Our approach can provide you with a point in time independent review, periodic health checks and/or guided self assessments.
Drones in Audit
Drone technology is transforming the way we audit inventory. Having first used drones to support the audit of stockpiles in 2018, we have since supported multiple audits across various sectors in the UK and globally.
Volumetric measurements calculated from drone-captured data are used to test the stock volumes reported by our audit clients, whether they use drones, laser-scanning or other techniques.
Asset Visualisation
We use data from drones, light aircraft and ground cameras to deliver a simple and intuitive cloud visualisation of real estate assets. This can be accessed from any browser and enables our clients to "walk around" the asset and see numerous perspectives (both internal and external from the ground and the air).
Asset Visualisations have been used to support our Deals team on multiple sell-side and restructuring engagements.
See an example of Asset Visualisation in action.
Drone Applications
The majority of drone use in the UK is for inspection and survey but other applications, such as drone delivery, are likely to increase over time.
Inspection typically involves capturing images of a subject that enable an inspector (or Artificial Intelligence) to assess the subject against predefined criteria to identify defects and arrive at an inspection rating. This can then trigger actions such as repair or maintenance.
Survey data capture is all about measurement. It often replaces traditional methods of land survey data capture and aims to create a measurable model of the real-world. Most capture is of images which are built into 2D and 3D representations of the subject using a technique called photogrammetry. Of the other capture techniques, laser scanning is most prevalent, but there are others.
Most drone capture is carried out by a pilot who can see the drone at all times, referred to as VLOS (Visual Line of Sight). Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) flight, where the drone could be several kilometres away from the pilot, has the potential to deliver further benefits. For example, refer to our Future Flight Challenge Report powerline inspection use case where BVLOS was 34% cheaper than VLOS drone inspection.
How can we help you?
We combine the right people, experience and technology to maximise the value of drone solutions to your business. Our sector-specific expertise and ability to integrate drone data with business-as-usual delivers tangible results at the lowest risk.
Why PwC?
- A specialist team since 2018, we have deep experience in drone and software implementation and routinely use drones in our own business.
- Our approach unleashes the power of drone solutions, managing risk, maximising efficiency and ensuring that drone data is effectively integrated with your existing business.
- We are vendor agnostic and have a strong track record of selecting drone service, hardware, software and training vendors to deliver the optimal solution.
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