Drone Sensing

A New Perspective on Ecology

Get above it all

Drones offer a powerful way to observe, measure, and understand landscapes —from canopy to coastline, hedgerow to heathland. With high-resolution imagery and advanced sensors, drone sensing brings speed, accuracy, and access to ecological work that would otherwise be slow, costly, or impossible from the ground.

What is drone sensing?

Drone sensing combines aerial photography, remote sensing, and spatial data analysis. Drones equipped with high-resolution cameras and specialist sensors can map terrain, assess vegetation, monitor habitat change, and even detect thermal signatures —all while minimising disturbance to wildlife.

Why it matters

What we can measure from the air

Habitat structure
and extent

Vegetation health (NDVI and other indices)

Tree canopy condition and gaps

Species-specific surveys(e.g., bird counts, nest detection)

Thermal surveys for wildlife activity or bat emergence

Topographic mapping for landform and hydrology analysis

Before-and-after restoration monitoring

Compliance checks and offset tracking

How it fits into ecological consultancy

Drone surveys can enhance traditional fieldwork —adding a layer of insight that supports planning applications, ecological impact assessments, and long-term management. The data collected is not just visually compelling; it’s spatially precise, repeatable, and mappable.

Use Cases

Fast, flexible, and future-ready

With drone sensing, ecological surveys can now be quicker, safer, and more comprehensive —with the added advantage of producing visually compelling material for stakeholder engagement, public reporting, or client updates.