HDS – Kier and Birmingham City Council Lead the Way with Drone Technology for Safer, Smarter Surveys

In an industry where safety and sustainability are paramount, HDS (Highways Drone Services), in partnership with Kier and Birmingham City Council (BCC), is pioneering a new approach to infrastructure inspections.

By integrating drone technology into traditional surveying and maintenance processes, they are redefining safety standards, improving efficiency, and delivering significant environmental benefits.

The Risk of Working at Height in Highways and Construction

Working at height remains the single biggest cause of fatalities and life-changing injuries in the highways and construction sectors. According to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), falls from height accounted for 36 percent of all workplace deaths in the UK in 2023/24, with 51 fatalities in construction alone. Non-fatal injuries are equally concerning, with over 4,000 incidents reported annually, many of which result in long-term absences, legal consequences, and increased insurance costs.

For decades, surveying and maintenance work on highways and lighting infrastructure required operatives to climb ladders, operate cherry pickers, or work from elevated platforms, all methods that inherently expose workers to significant risks. Recognising the urgent need for change, Kier and BCC partnered with HDS to implement drone technology, a transformative approach that eliminates many of these dangers.

The HDS Drone Survey Solution

By deploying drones for large-scale surveys, HDS has introduced a faster, safer, and more efficient alternative to traditional working-at-height methods.

During an initial two-week trial, HDS used a single Peugeot Boxer and drone system to inspect 751 lighting columns, averaging 75 inspections per day. In comparison, the traditional setup—using an IPV, MEWP, and 3.5T dropside vehicle, completed 145 columns (14.5 per day). HDS delivered over 5x more inspections and an 86% reduction in CO₂emissions, saving 751 kg of carbon across the trial.

– HDS CO₂ output: 122.94 kg
– Traditional CO₂ output: 874 kg

These results provided a clear business case and led to a full-scale rollout.

Scaling Up the Programme

Since the successful trial, the drone-based inspection programme has grown substantially:

• 7,137 lighting columns surveyed
• 65 columns inspected per day on average
• 418 inspections completed without requiring IPVs
• 0 accidents or near misses recorded
• 71% to 86% reduction in survey time compared to traditional methods
• CO₂ emissions reduced by 86% compared to traditional methods

The time savings alone are substantial. Using traditional methods, 418 inspections would typically take approximately 28 days. Drones completed the same volume in just 4 to 7 days, an efficiency improvement over 80%.

A Commitment to Safety and Sustainability

Safety remains central to this initiative. By eliminating the need for operatives to access high-risk areas, HDS and its partners have significantly reduced exposure to working-at-height dangers. Fewer requirements for IPVs also mean fewer operatives working near live traffic, further enhancing site safety.

On the sustainability front, the drone method’s dramatically lower carbon output is a game changer. With an 86% drop in CO₂ during the trial, and further improvements possible as the programme scales, this approach supports both local and national net-zero goals.

Additional environmental benefits include:

• Reduced CO₂ emissions from vehicles idling in traffic due to road closures
• Lower fuel consumption from diversions and congestion
• No disruption to commuters or local businesses during inspections

Marc Hobbins, Director of HDS highlights the impact of this shift:

“Drone surveys have changed the way we work in infrastructure inspections. By keeping our workforce safe and improving operational efficiency, we are making a real difference. This technology allows us to deliver accurate data faster, while also reducing our environmental footprint, proving that innovation and safety can go hand in hand.”

Ian Daves, General Manager at Kier acknowledges the significant role of HDS in bringing these innovations to the sector:

“Our collaboration with HDS and Birmingham City Council in adopting drone technology underscores our dedication to safeguarding our workforce while delivering efficient and sustainable infrastructure solutions. HDS has been instrumental in making this transition seamless, their expertise in drone surveying is helping us push boundaries and set new standards in safety and efficiency.”

Setting the Benchmark for the Industry

The success of this initiative is setting a new benchmark for the highways and infrastructure sector. More organisations across the UK are now looking to replicate this model, recognising drones as a safer, faster, and greener alternative to traditional inspections.

HDS, Kier, and Birmingham City Council continue to lead this shift, demonstrating how collaboration and innovation can deliver real-world improvements in safety, sustainability, and operational performance.

With 5x more inspections and 751 kg less carbon emitted, HDS cut CO₂ by 86%,proving that faster, safer surveys can also be dramatically cleaner.

This partnership isn’t just modernising inspections. It’s redefining what best practice looks like across the industry.

Find out more about HDS here