A COUPLE of weeks after announcing an innovative way to check local pavements, Thurrock Council has now gone up in the world and is using drones to investigate potential problems across the Borough landscape.

Last month the authority announced it had drafted in technology to make surveying the regions pavements a lot more efficient.

The council has hired the services of an innovative mapping service called MAVIS, which uses a motorised scooter that is equipped with a specialist 360° camera and surveying technology which allow the Council to capture detailed information about the borough's footway network.

And the latest step takes technology into the air – and also undergound!

Drones are being deployed to inspect highway structures across Thurrock, helping engineers identify defects, without the need to enter hazardous locations.

The technology has been trialled on culverts at Dunstable Road and St Margarets Road, where steep embankments, dense vegetation and confined spaces can make traditional inspections difficult and potentially dangerous.

Using specialist drones equipped with high-resolution cameras and GPS technology, surveyors were able to capture detailed images and condition data without putting staff at risk.

Thurrock Council leader Richard Bingley said: "Using new technology like this can help us inspect our highway infrastructure more safely, quickly and efficiently.

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"These surveys give our engineers detailed information without needing staff to enter difficult or hazardous locations, helping us identify issues earlier and make better decisions about maintenance and repairs.

Council leader Cllr Richard Bingley has welcomed the use of new technology, particularly drones.

"It is a good example of how we can use innovation to improve the way we look after important infrastructure across Thurrock."

The surveys were carried out by specialist contractor ProDroneWorx, which uses advanced imaging technology to create digital records of structures and identify defects requiring further investigation.

The information gathered will help the council prioritise maintenance work, target repairs and inform future investment in its highway network.