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A detailed digital model of the Rochester Castle conservation work has been created based on drone images.

As part of a collaborative project with the British Heritage and Medway Commission, commercial "aviator" Jeff Watkins flew his craft over this historic building.

The model will be used to monitor the deterioration and condition of the castle to help develop a maintenance plan.

Jeff said: "Drones are more than just taking pictures. They are collecting data that can be used in different ways.

"People can't see what's going on behind the scenes.

"People are very nervous about drones, but in the hands of the right people, they are helping with protection and other tasks. This is not all bad."

Roy Porter, senior curator of British heritage, said the model can be used to enlarge every stone in this nearly 1,000-year-old building.

In this way, experts can plan maintenance or repairs in advance without requiring on-site personnel to assess the situation.

Before this technology appeared, someone had to climb up the building to find any problems, and then come back to solve them.

The digital model also accurately captured what the castle looks like today-which means that the conservation team will not rely on outdated old photos in the future.

It takes about 1,000 photos to form an accurate and detailed model, including some photos from the inside.

Geoff added that taking pictures in this way avoids the use of scaffolding, ladders and other building materials, which means it is safer.

He explained how drones can reduce interference on the scene and enable images to be taken from places that are impossible or very difficult and risky.

Roy agreed and stated that when historic buildings and ruins are as high as the 113-foot-tall Rochester Castle, assessing the situation “becomes a challenge” and therefore it is much easier to use drone technology.

He said: "It's really beneficial. It's exciting, and it's something that people in the Middle Ages couldn't even dream of."

But not everyone can fly a drone, because if you use a drone on a British heritage site, you need to get permission and permission.

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