Texo Group
Texo has conducted the UK's most extensive asset inspection on the Leadenhall Building, a 557-foot skyscraper in the heart of Central London.
About Texo
Texo is an asset inspection and surveying company committed to aiding clients in the safe maintenance and longevity of structures, natural landscapes, and essential infrastructures. Their approach combines industry-leading technologies with expert knowledge to ensure project success across various sectors, enabling clients to build, maintain, upgrade, and improve their assets for future generations.
Texo Group
Texo completed the UK's largest asset inspection of the Leadenhall building, a 738ft skyscraper located in Central London.
About Texo
Texo is an asset inspection and surveying company committed to aiding clients in the safe maintenance and longevity of structures, natural landscapes, and essential infrastructures. Their approach combines industry-leading technologies with expert knowledge to ensure project success across various sectors, enabling clients to build, maintain, upgrade, and improve their assets for future generations.
Coptrz Are Trusted By
Coptrz Are Trusted By
Coptrz Are Trusted By
The Task
Texo were contracted by Mace Group to complete a glass and facade inspection of the Leadenhall Building in London. Over 3-weeks, Texo executed over 60 drone flights to thoroughly document the building's condition prior to its final approval. This feat was achieved without compromising safety, thanks to the strategic use of the diverse drone fleet, each chosen for their specific strengths in dealing with the challenges presented by the urban environment and the building's architecture.
The Impact of Drone Technology
2 Weeks of Planning
Several considerations were pivotal for this project, such as the building's location, its closeness to surrounding structures, the safety of pedestrians below, and practical concerns for drone operation like launch and landing zones and maintaining clear drone visibility.
25 Hours of Flight
During the three-week operation, the team successfully conducted over 25 hours of drone flights, utilising a diverse fleet to meet the project's demands. The winter season posed a challenge, offering only a five-hour daily window for flight operations to gather the necessary high-quality data.
8000+ Images Captured
The project achieved a comprehensive visual record of the building's exterior, capturing over 8,000 images. The drones provided incomparable imagery, clarity, and coverage, enabling a detailed documentation of the building's condition at sign-off, which will serve as a reference for future inspections.
Up to £300k & 8 Weeks Saved
Opting for traditional methods like rope access or scaffolding in this project would have not only incurred significant time and financial costs but also heightened safety risks for personnel working at heights. Furthermore, these conventional approaches would have yielded less comprehensive data than the data captured via the use of drones.
The Task
Texo were contracted by Mace Group to complete a glass and facade inspection of the Leadenhall Building in London. Over 3-weeks, Texo executed over 100 drone flights to thoroughly document the building's condition prior to its final approval. This feat was achieved without compromising safety, thanks to the strategic use of the diverse drone fleet, each chosen for their specific strengths in dealing with the challenges presented by the urban environment and the building's architecture.
The Impact of Drone Technology
10 Months of Planning
Several considerations were pivotal for this project, such as the building's location, its closeness to surrounding structures, the safety of pedestrians below, and practical concerns for drone operation like launch and landing zones and maintaining clear drone visibility.
125 Hours of Flight
During the three-week operation, the team successfully conducted over 125 hours of drone flights, utilising a diverse fleet to meet the project's demands. The winter season posed a challenge, offering only a five-hour daily window for flight operations to gather the necessary high-quality data.
8000+ Images Captured
The project achieved a comprehensive visual record of the building's exterior, capturing over 8,000 images. The drones provided incomparable imagery, clarity, and coverage, enabling a detailed documentation of the building's condition at sign-off, which will serve as a reference for future inspections.
Up to £300k & 8 Weeks Saved
Opting for traditional methods like rope access or scaffolding in this project would have not only incurred significant time and financial costs but also heightened safety risks for personnel working at heights. Furthermore, these conventional approaches would have yielded less comprehensive data than the data captured via the use of drones.
Leadenhall Inspection Hardware
All solutions below were used to facilitate the data collection that assisted the success of Texo’s Leadenhall operation
DJI Matrice 350 RTK
The DJI Matrice 350 RTK was chosen for its robust design, offering increased wind resistance and the ability to gather data from extended distances using multiple payloads. Its IP55 rating was particularly crucial during the winter inspection period, ensuring reliable operation with minimal weather-related interruptions.
Flyability Elios 3
The Elios 3 was deployed in tight spaces and GPS-compromised zones. It utilises a SLAM LiDAR Algorithm for navigation, eliminating dependence on GPS. This caged drone can navigate closely around structures, mitigating the risk of impact, which ensures both the drone and the structure remain unscathed. This capability allowed for data collection in areas inaccessible to traditional drones, thus avoiding potential data gaps.
DJI Mavic 3 Enterprise
The Mavic 3 Enterprise was used due to its compact size and smart features akin to the Matrice 350 RTK. This includes advanced waypoint navigation, enabling the team to automate flights efficiently. Combining this with its 4/3 CMOS 20MP Camera & 56x Zoom capabilities, the M3E provides reliable imagery from a safe distance.
DJI Zenmuse P1
The DJI Zenmuse P1 camera, equipped with a 45MP full-frame sensor, captures the highest quality image possible on a DJI drone. Its capacity for low-noise, high-sensitivity imaging allows for extended operational timeframes, which was important for the time of year.
DJI Zenmuse H20
The DJI Zenmuse H20 camera's powerful 23x optical zoom and up to 200x maximum zoom were crucial for capturing detailed data from a distance . This capability was instrumental in maintaining the consistency and quality of data collected, even in challenging flying conditions and environments.
DJI Mini 4 Pro
The DJI Mini 4 Pro, weighing just 249g, was operated in scenarios where flying larger drones over the public was not permissible. Its smaller size allowed the team to carry out the operation within the safety guidelines set by the Civil Aviation Authority, ensuring compliance without compromising on the quality of the inspection.
Leadenhall Inspection Hardware
All solutions below were used to facilitate the data collection that assisted the success of Texo’s Leadenhall operation
DJI Matrice 350 RTK
The DJI Matrice 350 RTK was chosen for its robust design, offering increased wind resistance and the ability to gather data from extended distances using multiple payloads. Its IP55 rating was particularly crucial during the winter inspection period, ensuring reliable operation with minimal weather-related interruptions.
Flyability Elios 3
The Elios 3 was deployed in tight spaces and GPS-compromised zones. It utilises a SLAM LiDAR Algorithm for navigation, eliminating dependence on GPS. This caged drone can navigate closely around structures, mitigating the risk of impact, which ensures both the drone and the structure remain unscathed. This capability allowed for data collection in areas inaccessible to traditional drones, thus avoiding potential data gaps.
DJI Mavic 3 Enterprise
The Mavic 3 Enterprise was used due to its compact size and smart features akin to the Matrice 350 RTK. This includes advanced waypoint navigation, enabling the team to automate flights efficiently. Combining this with its 4/3 CMOS 20MP Camera & 56x Zoom capabilities, the M3E provides reliable imagery from a safe distance.
DJI Zenmuse P1
The DJI Zenmuse P1 camera, equipped with a 45MP full-frame sensor, captures the highest quality image possible on a DJI drone. Its capacity for low-noise, high-sensitivity imaging allows for extended operational timeframes, which was important for the time of year.
DJI Zenmuse H20
The DJI Zenmuse H20 camera's powerful 23x optical zoom and up to 200x maximum zoom were crucial for capturing detailed data from a distance . This capability was instrumental in maintaining the consistency and quality of data collected, even in challenging flying conditions and environments.
DJI Mini 4 Pro
The DJI Mini 4 Pro, weighing just 249g, was operated in scenarios where flying larger drones over the public was not permissible. Its smaller size allowed the team to carry out the operation within the safety guidelines set by the Civil Aviation Authority, ensuring compliance without compromising on the quality of the inspection.
Don't just take our word for it.
Over the past five years, our partnership with Coptrz has significantly enhanced our operational capabilities. While Texo has always been at the forefront of utilising drone technology, the comprehensive support from Coptrz, encompassing various hardware systems, payloads, software solutions, and expert consultancy, has been instrumental in scaling our UAS operations seamlessly into our existing workflows. Their expertise has not only complemented our skill set but has also amplified our capacity to deliver superior service to our clients.
James Arnott, Director - Texo Group
Don't just take our word for it.
Over the past five years, our partnership with Coptrz has significantly enhanced our operational capabilities. While Texo has always been at the forefront of utilising drone technology, the comprehensive support from Coptrz, encompassing various hardware systems, payloads, software solutions, and expert consultancy, has been instrumental in scaling our UAS operations seamlessly into our existing workflows. Their expertise has not only complemented our skill set but has also amplified our capacity to deliver superior service to our clients.
James Arnott, Divisional Director - Texo Group
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