Case study overview
Heathrow worked with Sensat to expedite data capture in an essential aviation project saving £20m.
The project
To support Europe’s busiest airport, the Heathrow Airport team required a highly-accurate 3D digital model of the 29 km2 site. This was to facilitate the design process for a third runway, better engage with local communities, and reduce the need for engineers to be on site.
The solution
Utilising drones, Sensat safely captured the required data in just 16 days, with zero delays to the airport. Sensat’s drone solution meant the data could be collected quickly, without the need for land access approval, and without putting boots on the ground. This saved an estimated 100,000 worker-hours and £20m in project costs which was as much as 40x cheaper than a traditional ground-based survey.
