Drone on...

Some years ago, I knew a chap who had a business which was unique, a far as I could see!

He had a special Land Rover, which was fitted out with an extending pole, on top of which a camera was attached for taking high-level photographs of buildings etc! He controlled the images from a small 'studio' in the back of the vehicle! I always thought this was an imaginative addition to sale or rental particulars, especially where industrial buildings were being advertised, as I'd see a lot of these items!

Nowadays, it seems that any house on the market has the drone treatment, if the overall view is acceptable, the gardens look good etc! The larger estates come to life with these high-level views, and can clearly influence a prospective buyer!

When my neighbours bought their house, they had an extensive survey carried out, and that included sending a drone up to the roof to check on the structure, and a great job it did too! In the 'old days' we'd have had to get a ladder and scrabble around up there for ages to make the report!

Back in the days when I'd avidly read 'The Eagle', these machines were the essence of fantasy - rather like one semi/serious comic strip in a similar publication for boys, where a sort of alien but 'British' lad directed a robot from some sort of metal switchboard attached to his arm - presumably a forerunner of the modern Apple Watch...