NR also use drones for various purposes. I wonder when those will take over this role from helicopters. It has to be a racing certainty that will happen eventually given the cost differential.
The helicopter will likely still have a place, as its range and payload means it can survey more of the line with a wider variety of kit.
As well as this, using drones may cause some difficulties when operating close to airports. For example, at Heald Green where the aircraft pass over the railway at a couple of hundred feet on final approach to Manchester.
Even at Stockport about 5 miles from the airport, aircraft are at 1500 feet on final and coordination via Air Traffic Control is required to ensure safety clearances are met.
Just the other day helicopter G-NTWK was required to hold north of Stockport while surveying the line out of Piccadilly to allow landing aircraft to pass.
This sort of coordination will be required in the vicinity of other airports - think Gatwick and Birmingham for example.
Basically, large airports have a 5km restriction zone for drones and prior permission is required to fly a drone inside that area
So helicopters will still have a role
and NR deciding not to maintain its own aircraft lease but to simply contract a commercial supplier for the bits it needs.
The NR helicopter fleet is owned and operated by PDG Helicopters who have a contract with NR to do these inspections - see about 5m45 in the Geoff Marshall video.
