Drone + AI + rope access
Drone facade surveys, AI defect detection and IRATA rope access repairs from a single contractor. Find the defects, prove them and fix them, without scaffold.
The problem
Modern facades combine curtain wall glazing, precast concrete, aluminium cladding and composite panels. Their defects usually start in places you cannot inspect from the ground, and stay hidden until they become costly reactive repairs, tenant disruption or a safety incident.
Traditional inspection needs scaffold or machines, which is slow, expensive and disruptive. So most buildings are not inspected until something has already gone wrong.
High-level facades, roof junctions, parapets and balcony structures.
Water ingress, falling facade elements, structural damage and risk to the public.
Access is the barrier. Scaffold or MEWPs just to look is hard to justify.
See everything by drone, then send rope access only where it is needed.
Watch the process
A live model of our four-step system. Tap a step to jump to it.
The drone flies a pre-planned pattern across every elevation, capturing high-resolution images of the whole building envelope.
Our 4-step inspection system
The building exterior is captured with high-resolution drone imagery, flown by our sister company 901 Aerial Surveys.
Software automatically detects cracks, failed sealant, loose facade elements and water ingress areas.
Technicians inspect and confirm each defect, and carry out any immediate make-safes.
Targeted repairs by rope access, avoiding unnecessary disruption and cost.
Your building as a digital asset
You get a live, auditable record of facade condition that supports compliance, budgeting and long-term asset management.
Each defect pinned to its elevation and position.
The whole envelope, not a sample.
What it is and how urgent it is.
Recommended actions, ready to cost and schedule.
Fully downloadable PDF reports, without the hours other firms spend compiling them.
Materials the software assesses
Typical programme
Savings are estimates against traditional scaffold or machine access and vary by building.
Case studies
Problem. Premium rooms were taken out of service in December over suspected structural issues, costing revenue.
Solution. A non-intrusive drone survey with AI defect detection assessed the facade, and critical remedial works were identified, costed and scheduled.
Result. Invictus costed, planned and delivered the rope access repairs, and the rooms were reinstated in time for the New Year’s Eve peak.
Problem. Significant damp from water getting in through a solid rear wall, putting the building fabric and guest areas at risk.
Solution. A drone survey with AI defect detection pinpointed the failures, giving a targeted, fully costed scope of works.
Result. Rope access repairs fixed the root cause in the brickwork while the hotel stayed fully operational.
How to protect your building
Reactive teams in 24–72 hours, emergency call-outs and ad hoc works.
Quarterly or bi-annual visits, preventative inspections and cleaning cycles.
Priority response, pre-contracted rates, a direct line and a team that already knows your building.
Annual facade inspection programmes for residential towers, commercial offices, hotels and mixed-use developments. Ask about framework agreements and long-term maintenance packages.
Insured for drone work
Our £5m public liability policy includes an Unmanned Aerial Vehicles extension, and every flight is flown visual line of sight under a CAA PDRA01 Operational Authorisation.
Flown by 901 Aerial Surveys
Our sister company 901 Aerial Surveys flies every survey under CAA-authorised operations, using pre-planned capture points so every elevation is covered the same way each time.
FAQs
High-resolution imagery of the whole building envelope is analysed by AI defect-detection software, which maps cracks, failed sealant, loose facade elements and signs of water ingress to their exact location on each elevation.
No. Our IRATA rope access teams verify the defects the survey finds, make anything dangerous safe on the spot and carry out the repairs. Inspect, analyse and repair, from one contractor.
Flight approvals usually take 0 to 5 days, the drone survey around 2 days and the AI defect dashboard 5 to 7 days. A rope access team can be mobilised within about 3 days of you reviewing the facade report. On a recent hotel project the survey was completed within 24 hours and repairs within 48.
Surveys are flown by our sister company, 901 Aerial Surveys, under CAA-authorised drone operations, with a pre-planned capture pattern for every elevation.
Brick, glass, precast concrete, fibre composites, render, aluminium, concrete block, stone, ceramic, timber and composite facades.
We identify the risk areas and recommend a cost-effective access strategy. Call 07931 406308 or email info@invictusaccess.com.
