Drones will replace difficult work done by surveyors, says a Manchester property business.

LC Building Consultants, a chartered building surveying business, which is part of the Ardwick-based Livingcity Group, has launched a new drone to help survey buildings.

And one of their surveyors has been awarded a pilot’s licence to fly it.

The drone is called Ascent, and officially it is an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV).

The cutting edge quad-copter, camera and gimbal system takes HD quality video at 60 frames per second, which can then be converted into high quality still images.

Robert Barnes, the firm’s senior building surveyor, has gained his remote pilot qualification and obtained approval from the Civil Aviation Authority to fly the drone commercially.

Established in 2000, Livingcity Group works in the property asset sector managing residential, mixed use and some commercial buildings and Barnes is the first practising Chartered Building Surveyor to gain CAA approval to operate a drone commercially.

Ascent will be used to survey building elevations in real time, including areas where access would otherwise prove difficult or prohibitively expensive.

The drone provides a unique perspective for condition surveys, dilapidation and checking the roof and is a cost effective alternative to existing access options, such as scaffolding and cherry pickers.

It is also safer than asking staff to work at great heights.

Ascent can also be used for marketing/ promotional videos and photography, as well as for any other corporate requirement that demands an aerial capability. Each flight will be planned in advance and will strictly adhere to the guidelines set out by the CAA, including rigorous pre-flight checks.

Relevant notifications are also made to neighbourhoods where Ascent is being used.

Barnes said: “The popularity of UAVs has soared over the past 12 months but Ascent is not a toy; it is a professional service so it was imperative that we launched it with the approval of the CAA.

“The examinations and flight assessment that I went through were tough but the process was worth it.

“I’m now looking forward to rolling Ascent out to clients across the UK.”