Drone technology has become even more widely accessible over the last couple of years or so, and almost everyone knows a friend of a friend who “has a drone”, but simply having a drone doesn’t mean anything.  Sifting through lists and websites of aerial photographers to find skilled and competent operators to help with your project is time consuming. Large cities such as Manchester, Leeds and Liverpool are constantly being enhanced by modern developments, so using expert drone operators, capable of taking quality images and experienced in operating in challenging locations is quickly becoming more useful Architects, Contractors, Developers, Project Managers etc.

Since 2016, I’ve been working as a specialist drone operator, working regularly in Greater Manchester, Yorkshire and Merseyside in particular, as well as the wider UK.  I’ve had the privilege of photographing some wonderful developments from the ground and air.

If you work in engineering, construction, land & property development or property consultancy, it is almost inevitable at some point you will need to instruct a drone operator to assist with your project. With Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) permission to fly Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) with prestigious Extended Operating Rights (Operating Safety Case) to fly closer to other buildings, people and vehicles, with a construction background and architectural photography skills, I have an almost unique mix of experience to help you.

Ongoing Construction & Engineering Projects

Drone services have many practical uses in construction and engineering. By gaining an aerial view, you and your client get a much better idea of how your project is progressing, you can record commemorative footage of milestone events and capture a completed project for marketing purposes.

Greater Manchester plays host to hundreds of construction and engineering projects every year, and whilst I would love to photograph them all, in the last 12 months I have managed to photograph some high profile, quality projects including Renaker’s Deansgate Square, Crown Street and Castle Wharf developments, Seddon’s Church of The Ascension renovation, and Jones Bros‘ A49 Link Road, Wigan.

What I really love about capturing ongoing construction and engineering project images is you get to see first hand how much progress is being made and the work that goes into doing that.

Examples of my construction and engineering project footage can be seen here.

Completed Commercial Property & Developments

With the help of a drone, it’s possible to take unique aerial photography and videos of your completed or planned commercial property developments. Many architects, main contractors, developers, project managers and marketing teams have been able to use aerial footage to show off their projects and developments in a unique and eye-catching way. By embracing this innovative technology to provide distinctive perspectives and inspiring imagery, you can showcase your expertise and attract more attention to your developments.

In the years I’ve been offering drone services across Greater Manchester, opportunities have arisen for me to take aerial shots of some of the city’s biggest and best commercial property sites.

Peel Group approached me for footage of their TraffordCity, MediaCityUK and wider developments. Alongside Intu, Peel Group also instructed me to take external images of The Trafford Centre. Deansgate Square, Crown Street & Castle Wharf in Manchester City Centre have been captured for Renaker. Wilburn Basin and Middlewood Locks have also been photographed, as well as numerous other developments in and around the city.

Make sure to check out my full commercial property and developments portfolio, where you’ll also see examples of the work completed in Greater Manchester and around the UK for Seddon Construction, CERT Property, Cara Brickwork, TMT Group, Velux Commercial and Wigan Council.

Surveys & Inspections

Helping Building Surveyors and specialist contractors, Midi Aerial Photography uses drones for aerial surveys and inspections to get time-consuming, dangerous and potentially costly jobs completed quickly, safely and for less cost.

Drones are perfect for building inspections, condition surveys, and Party Wall and dilapidations surveys, as they can get to hard-to-reach and dangerous-to-access areas such as large or fragile roofs, high level buildings, unsafe structures and utility infrastructures. They save time, effort and cost in accessing town centres and other congested areas. One drone flight can survey an expansive site or piece of land, gathering details to create 3D maps, digital models and for precise measurements.

For Cara Brickwork’s Manchester and Salford developments, Midi Aerial Photography’s drone services were required to inspect the quality of the  development’s brickwork from top to bottom. Thomasons Surveyors  required an aerial survey of approximately 700 hard-to-reach windows at a student accommodation property. Other works include roof inspections of The Trafford Centre’s Barton Square development, Brighthouse’s distribution centre in Manchester, and difficult city centre projects at Fourways House and 101 Princess Street.

Mike Dinsdale has over 15 years’ previous experience as a Building Surveyor. This priceless understanding and knowledge of the built environment to carry out aerial surveys and inspections competently and comprehensively with accuracy and safety in mind is important for capturing defects, mitigating the risk of poor quality work and completing projects on time.

Midi Aerial Photography’s drone services have been used all across Greater Manchester and the UK for survey and inspection work. Other surveying clients include Aspect 4, Faithful & Gould, Arcadis, R Pickering Ltd, and Savills. With Extended Rights via an Operating Safety Case, we have CAA permission to fly our drones in built-up and congested areas much closer to other buildings and people, ensuring we deliver the most accurate and comprehensive data that most other drone operators would not be able to provide.

Aerial Videography

Using drones equipped with high quality recording equipment, we are able to capture incredibly detailed video footage of your project. This footage offers a unique perspective, giving you the chance to see your project unfold in front of your eyes. You can then use the recordings to gain a better view for surveys and inspections, or you can use them for celebrating milestones and marketing purposes.

The Church of The Ascension in Salford benefitted from video footage showing progress of its extensive repairs after substantial fire damage, and we were able to get as close as possible to work being carried out. The Aurora Stockport industrial park, Top Deck development also made use of aerial footage throughout their progress because the main contractor could see their site and show their clients the development coming to life.

Capturing aerial video footage using drones is a new and exciting way to track the progress of your project and to create marketing content, as well as being able to impressively show off your work to your clients. We have captured project progress and completion across many sites in Manchester and around the UK to help film projects, which you can see examples of here.

Providing Expert Drone Services in Manchester and the UK

No matter what project you’re working on, big or small, Midi Aerial Photography’s expert drone services can help you.

With 15 years worth of experience working in the built environment, six years as an architectural photographer and over five years as a professional drone photographer, Midi Aerial Photography has all the skills, knowledge and experience to capture the perfect images you need. And with approval and extended permission from the Civil Aviation Authority, you can be confident in Mike’s ability to fly drones safely, accurately and legally.

If you’re working on a project in Greater Manchester, Yorkshire, Merseyside, or any other area in the UK, get in touch to discuss how Midi Aerial Photography’s drone services can provide you with stunning images in wonderful locations.