Bluesky advances operations with two-year update cycle shift

Bluesky International is ramping up its operations. Moving from a three-year to a two-year update cycle, Bluesky has spent the last two decades capturing the essence of Great Britain through aerial survey imagery and height data, initially with five-year intervals, then transitioning to a more frequent three-year pattern.

The latest progressive move means it will be able to offer customers a level of currency not matched by any other UK supplier. Rachel Tidmarsh, CEO, explained: “The move is part of our long-term strategy to provide our customers with the most up to date and highest resolution imagery and height data for the whole of Great Britain. We have invested in additional aircraft, operators, technicians and technology to be able to achieve this ambitious schedule by the end of 2024.”

New expectations

This new flying programme will ensure every 240,000 square kilometres of Great Britain is updated every two years. It will see the introduction of a 5cm resolution as standard capture for all urban areas, with the remainder captured at 12.5cms. The decision also benefits updates to Bluesky’s other products, such as its DSM and DTM height products and the National Tree Map (NTM) and National Hedgerow Map (NHM) and makes them relevant for even more applications.

Rachel Tidmarsh: “We are all too aware of the pressures faced by our customers who need current data at their fingertips to accurately support the delivery of their projects. There is an expectation today of increased capture frequency and with growing concerns about tackling issues like climate change and achieving targets for carbon emission reduction, we need to ensure we are in position to meet their needs.”

Tidmarsh asserts that Bluesky is striving to establish itself as the sole UK aerial survey company capable of achieving this ambitious level of currency.