Bonningtons Launches the New Industry Specific Aerial Observation Service

READING, ENGLAND, November 14, 2010 (Press-News.org) Bonningtons, a Chartered Building Surveying practice established in 1990, today announced the launch of its new industry specific service, the Building and Construction Observation Service (BCOS), providing aerial inspection and observation.

BCOS is tailored specifically to the needs of the building and construction industry and offers customers a rapidly deployed and safe inspection service, without the need for hydraulic platforms or to erect scaffolding equipment and having staff scaling tall buildings and other structures. It also offers customers access to high definition digital video and photography equipment.


BCOS currently utilises a Microdrone MD4-200 quadcopter to provide instant, high definition video footage of any building or construction project, allowing customers to review and monitor progress either in real-time, as a Bonningtons pilot films, or as a movie play back or frame by frame. This allows customers to extract the most precise and accurate images, which can be viewed as printed photographs or enlarged on a computer screen. Alternatively, high resolution stills cameras can be used should the customer so wish.

The MD4-200 is a UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) designed specifically to perform tasks in the field of documentation, coordination, exploration, surveying, communication, inspection and observation. It has a modular payload concept, high resolution digital stills imagery and several video solutions tailored to different lighting conditions.

As part of the BCOS solution Bonningtons offers customers a choice of the following services:

•HD video and/or 12 mega pixel photographs on CD/DVD. Photographs and high definition videos are not edited as standard, to enable the customer and their team to edit the raw information.

•Downlink from the UAV to a base station laptop and video scanner to allow the customer to see exactly what the photographic equipment is looking at in real time as standard. This gives the customer the ability to direct the pilot in manoeuvring the UAV to the most advantageous position for their project.

•Photographs and high definition videos are edited as an additional service.

•One or more jpg format pictures of the actual flight path superimposed on to Google Earth. This can be undertaken during a customer visit so they can chose the shots they require, or Bonningtons can supply a selection of images that highlight the most beneficial information from the flight. This is standard up to a previously agreed number of images with additional images being an additional service.

•Bonningtons can provide its expertise in Chartered Building Surveying as an additional service eliminating the need for customers to employ similar professionals separately. This also means that Bonningtons can provide pilots with the relevant experience and knowledge in what to look for during commissions, potentially reducing front end professional costs for customers.

As part of the BCOS facility Bonningtons will be introducing the larger Microdrone MD4-1000 in late November/early December, 2010. This equipment operates with longer flight duration, increased payload with consequently a wider range of photographic and other equipment such as air quality monitoring, and higher wind speeds.

This announcement follows Bonningtons' continued success in chartered surveying and is part of its growth plans to develop unique and specific services for the individual needs of its customers. Bonningtons will also be appointing further pilots to service specific customer needs. The new pilots will include both qualified and non qualified Chartered Building Surveyors to offer a cost effective solution for customers that already have a professional team in place.

Andrew Bonnington, Principal and proprietor at Bonningtons, commented: "Bonningtons offers a high level of expertise in Chartered Building Surveying and can adapt its BCOS solution to the specific needs of the customer and their requirements. Whether it is a 'one off' service or regular site visits to monitor progress on site is at the choice of the customer. The service is environmentally friendly, safe and rapid. As businesses focus more on cost effective services in such an uncertain economic climate it makes sense for a business such as Bonningtons to tackle these issues in one simple solution and provide customers with a competitive solution for inspections relative to scaffold, hydraulic platforms and vehicle mounted camera options. Part of Bonningtons' focus is to enable businesses to work more efficiently and BCOS allows the building and construction industry to do this with ease."

MEDIA CONTACT:

Laura Hawksfield
E: laura.hawksfield@jargonpr.com
T: 01189 255 754

Charlotte Oakman
E: charlotte.oakman@jargonpr.com
T: 01189 255 730

ABOUT BONNINGTONS:

Andrew Bonnington is the responsible person, the Pilot In Charge, of the SUA/SUSA (Small Unmanned Aircraft/Small Unmanned Surveillance Aircraft - as defined by the Air Navigation Order 2009). Andrew is a Fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors since 1990 and has been a fully qualified member of the RICS since 1987. In 1990 Andrew formed Bonningtons Chartered Building Surveyors.

Having been employed in Local Authority building control in Kirklees and Leeds City Council in West Yorkshire for over six years in the late 1970s and early 1980s Andrew was subsequently employed by the Burton Group property division where he was responsible for arranging maintenance and refurbishments, including redevelopments of the property portfolio of large retail properties and department stores. Andrew's responsibilities were later expanded to redevelopment of town and city centre properties.

More information can be found on the Bonningtons website: http://www.bonningtonsaerialsurveys.co.uk