St Paul’s Cathedral
A closer view of the cross above the dome and other difficult-access roof details.
Inspection where access matters most.
Vidda supported the stonemasons preparing to remove the cross at the top of St Paul’s dome. Aerial inspection provided close visual views of the cross before the planned work, alongside imagery of other roof features that are difficult to assess from the ground.
Operating within the Central London drone restriction zone required careful permission management, site-specific risk assessments and flight planning around the cathedral and surrounding city environment. Vidda managed these requirements as part of the operation.
The aim was to give the specialist team useful visual evidence for planning its next steps while limiting the need to access every feature simply to look at it.
See the cross before removal.
The cross sits high above the dome, where direct viewing is difficult. Drone imagery helped the stonemasons inspect its visible condition and surrounding details ahead of removal, giving them a closer reference for planning the work.
The imagery supports the specialists’ assessment; decisions about the stonework and removal remain with the conservation team.
Look beyond the dome.
The same aerial approach recorded other hard-to-access roof areas and architectural details. These views can help the team locate features, review visible conditions and decide where closer hands-on investigation is needed.
For a heritage building, the value is in giving the people responsible for its care clearer evidence without unnecessary contact with delicate fabric.
A wider view in three dimensions.
This photogrammetry view brings the cathedral’s roof forms and architectural features into one spatial reference. It complements close photographs by making the relationship between the dome, towers and surrounding roof easier to understand.
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