Digital facade inspections take off

Melbourne Airport’s recent facade condition assessment is redefining how large-scale infrastructure inspections are approached. Faced with complex operational constraints, Australia Pacific Airports Melbourne (APAM) partnered with Veris and AECOM to deliver a comprehensive, UAV-enabled photogrammetry and laser scanning programme across more than 10km of building exteriors. The result was a digitally integrated, sub-millimetre-accurate dataset embedded within a building information model (BIM). This is streamlining capital works planning and setting a new benchmark in digital asset management for complex infrastructure.

Melbourne Airport, the primary international and domestic gateway in Victoria and Australia’s second-busiest airport, has expanded significantly since opening in 1970. Its precinct today includes four passenger terminals, two multistorey car parks and numerous ancillary facilities, all with varied construction types, condition levels and access limitations. To support operational excellence and informed capital investment, APAM commissioned a full assessment of over 10 linear kilometres of facades, equivalent to 11 hectares of vertical surface. Traditional inspection methods such as rope access or elevated work platforms (EWPs) were deemed inefficient, costly and disruptive to airport operations. A new approach was required that would prioritize safety, scalability and data richness.

Project challenges

The inspection programme presented three primary challenges: managing operational scale and access, operating UAVs within regulated airspace, and ensuring high-resolution data integration. Capturing consistent, high-quality data across such expansive and irregular vertical surfaces required a method that avoided physical contact with the structures. Disruption to terminal activity, public spaces and secure aviation zones was not an option. Uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV or ‘drone’) technology was identified as the most suitable capture method. However, operating drones in restricted airspace introduced a new layer of complexity.

The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) imposes stringent conditions on UAV operations near active runways. Veris needed to engineer a UAV solution that was fully compliant, reliable and capable of sustained performance within tight regulatory constraints. Beyond compliance, APAM required sub-millimetre resolution data to inform asset condition and investment decisions. The dataset also needed to be geospatially structured and compatible with BIM and the broader enterprise digital twin.

Integrated spatial capture and digital delivery

Working alongside AECOM, Veris deployed a multi-modal spatial capture methodology combining tethered UAV photogrammetry, terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) and handheld digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) photography. This combined approach ensured full spatial and visual coverage across tall, irregular and access-restricted surfaces.

To overcome airspace restrictions, Veris developed a tethered UAV system using an electric auto-reeling winch and portable power supply. This innovation enabled precise UAV movement and continuous power, allowing safe, controlled data acquisition while meeting CASA requirements. A detailed drone approval process was coordinated with CASA, Airservices Australia and APAM. Each inspection area was compartmentalized, with formal approval requests and a structured request for information (RFI) process streamlining stakeholder engagement. This allowed the project to maintain momentum while going through rigorous approvals.

The tethered system was subject to strict constraints, including maximum distances from structures, height limits and aircraft clearance requirements. Internal and external road closures, along with physical site restrictions, added further operational complexity. The UAVs, equipped with 45MP high dynamic range (HDR) cameras, captured more than 55,000 images. Capture angles were carefully planned to optimize coverage while preserving geometric integrity for 3D modelling. For areas inaccessible to drones – such as under eaves, around entrances or near pedestrian zones – handheld DSLR photography filled the gaps, resulting in around 6,000 supplementary images. TLS provided millimetre-accurate scans across ground-level and occluded areas, with over 3,500 full-colour point cloud captures supporting structural accuracy and defect identification. Due to the site’s length and complexity, survey control required a 13km traditional traverse and level run. This was undertaken at night to reduce operational disruption.

Data processing and BIM integration

The photogrammetry, TLS and DSLR photography data was all processed into a georeferenced 3D photo mesh. This model was visually rich and spatially accurate. The processing was technically complex due to variable lighting, acute viewing angles and pixel-matching challenges caused by reflective surfaces and tethered flight paths. Defect tagging and classification were conducted within the model via a desktop-based assessment platform. This enabled efficient audit workflows. The UAV and TLS data were then converted to point clouds and integrated into Autodesk Revit to build detailed 3D facade models. These models were embedded within APAM’s BIM environment and linked directly to the enterprise digital twin. This enabled dynamic asset condition tracking, maintenance planning and capital works prioritization.

Defect annotations and image data were also mapped into a GIS-based system to automate the generation of defect reports and an asset register. All of this content was hosted within Veris’ spatial cloud platform. This allowed remote access via a secure web interface supporting 3D navigation, annotation tools, version control and scalable data storage.

Outcomes and industry impact

The complete inspection and processing phase was delivered in just four months, which is significantly faster than when using traditional methods. The approach eliminated the need for rope teams or EWPs, reducing labour and safety costs while maintaining CASA compliance. The high-resolution dataset captured detailed facade conditions, from surface cracking to cladding distortion, all accurate to sub-millimetre tolerances. This level of detail now supports confident budgeting, prioritization of remediation works and repeatable, long-term monitoring.

Integration with BIM and the digital twin enabled a queryable condition reporting framework. This categorized each element’s criticality and condition, laying the foundation for predictive maintenance and asset lifecycle optimization.

Conclusion

Melbourne Airport’s digital facade journey is a strong example of how innovation in data capture can lead to smarter infrastructure management. The facade condition assessment demonstrates how UAVs, laser scanning and BIM integration can modernize asset inspections. This is especially impactful within complex, high-risk environments. The success of the project highlights the value of combining spatial technology, regulatory compliance and digital transformation in infrastructure management.

For operators facing increasing pressure to reduce risk and optimize spending, this project provides a clear path forward. By embracing spatial data capture, structuring it for enterprise use and delivering it through accessible digital platforms, organizations can shift inspections from manual overheads to strategic, data-driven processes.