Back to Index

Drone Fleet Upgrade – BVLOS Bird Survey Capability

Proposal #2 · Submitted 2026-08-06
100
Recommend Approval
Strong financial return with acceptable payback period and positive NPV.
Requestor
Name
James Whitfield
Email
Role
Senior Ornithologist
Region
EMEA – UK North
Business Unit
Ecology & Nature Recovery
Proposal
Description

Replace two ageing DJI M300 drones with DJI Matrice 350 RTK units plus Zenmuse H30T thermal camera payloads and BVLOS regulatory approval package. Supports seabird colony and upland raptor survey contracts.

Strategic Rationale

BVLOS capability opens >£180k of new survey contract revenue annually that we currently subcontract out at 35% margin loss.

Approver Information
Urgency
Medium – ahead of spring survey season
Risk Level
Medium
Risk Description
CAA BVLOS approval may take 4–6 months; phased revenue realisation assumed.
Alternatives Considered
Subcontracting model retained — foregoes margin and client relationship ownership.
Vendor / Supplier Shortlist
DJI Enterprise, Flyability, Percepto
Implementation Timeline
5 months
Dependencies
CAA regulatory approval
Regulatory Requirement
Yes – CAA BVLOS Operational Authorisation
Carbon / Sustainability Impact
Minor increase in battery disposal offset by reduced subcontractor travel
Financial Metrics
CapEx £94,000
Annual OpEx Change £8,500
Annual Benefit £67,000
Useful Life 6 yrs
Payback Period 1.61 yrs
ROI (life-of-project) 273.4%
NPV £176,438
ROIU (yr 1) 62.2%
Cumulative Return (£)
YearCumulative (£)
Yr 1 £39,833
Yr 2 £10,320
Yr 3 £56,760
Yr 4 £99,759
Yr 5 £139,573
Yr 6 £176,438
Committee Decision
Current status: Pending