Network Rail has revealed the winners on a framework deal to supply, maintain, repair and service its drones.
The nationwide Unmanned Aircraft Services (UAS) deal, worth £2.6m in total, also calls on the companies to deliver expert training to Network Rail’s in-house drone pilots.
Network Rail has 24 drones, which it uses to survey the railway for regular maintenance or following an incident. It intends to expand its fleet and the number of pilots year-on-year.
The firms appointed to the framework are:
Drone Services
- Plowman Craven
- Bridgeway Aerial
- Richard Allitt Associates
- UKDN Waterflow
Training
- Heliguy
- UAV8
- Cyberhawk
Equipment
- Heliguy
- Buzzflyer
Ruairi Hardman, business development manager at Heliguy, whise firm supplies DJI drones and the next-generation mapping drone, the Phantom 4 RTK, said: “We are extremely proud to have been awarded a national framework agreement with Network Rail for the provision of UAS/drone equipment, maintenance, servicing, repairs and training.
“This contract award with Network Rail is the largest of its type in the UK and as such is a testament to our ability to deliver such projects at this level. The whole team at Heliguy is delighted to work with Network Rail’s UAS programme.”
