Editor's note: This brief was summarised by The Property AI Newsroom from a report by Mortgage Solutions. Read the original article for full details. Many UK teams now handle this with dedicated property inventory software.

Drones Speed Up Property Surveys While Raising Industry Trust Concerns

Recent data shows that buying a house in the UK now takes over four months to exchange contracts, with delays in property surveys cited as a key frustration for brokers. Many in the sector have turned to automated or desktop valuations to cut costs, but these methods have led to widespread concerns about accuracy and reliability.

A study by Alto estate agents found that 73% of property professionals do not trust the figures generated by automated valuation models (AVMs). This mistrust has prompted the industry to seek alternative technologies that can deliver both speed and accuracy in property assessments.

One approach gaining traction is the use of drones and aerial footage. According to Jonathan Ambrose, a legal disrepair surveyor and founder of DroneSurveyors.co.uk, drones can quickly identify issues such as lifted ridge tiles, loose flashing, blocked gutters, and slipped slates—problems that could lead to significant repair bills if left unchecked.

A study by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) found that integrating drone analytics into property assessments can reduce on-site scheduling by 25% and provide more detailed evidence than traditional methods. The study also reported that using drones in commercial asset and housing evaluations can lower overall structural inspection costs by approximately 34%.

For letting agents and inventory clerks, drones offer timestamped, permanent digital records of a property's condition at the point of sale. This can provide greater certainty for lenders and help pre-empt late-stage down-valuations that often delay transactions. Drones also allow surveyors to inspect hard-to-reach areas, such as roofs and chimneys, in under 15 minutes, bypassing the need for scaffolding and ladders.

However, the report notes that drone technology is intended to support, not replace, the professional judgement of surveyors. Companies using drones must also adhere to strict guidelines.