DJI’s partner Heliguy awarded a major nationwide contract with UK’s Network Rail worth up to £2.6million

The UAV specialist will supply, maintain, repair and service Network Rail’s drones and deliver expert training to the infrastructure group’s in-house pilots

DJI’s Authorised Reseller and partner Heliguy has been awarded a major nationwide contract with Network Rail in the United Kingdom, as part of an Unmanned Aircraft Services framework worth up to £2.6million.

The North East-based UAV specialist has been selected to supply, maintain, repair and service Network Rail’s fleet of DJI drones, as well as to deliver expert training to the company’s in-house pilots.

The three-year contract, which can be extended to five years, will help Network Rail use drones to inspect and maintain an estimated 20,000 miles of track and 40,000 bridges and tunnels along its nationwide rail network.

“Carrying out inspections by air means the railway can be kept open and people kept safe – trains can continue to run which improves performance and reliability, and as engineers aren’t being sent onto tracks, it also improves safety,” said Ruairi Hardman, Heliguy’s Business Development Manager.

The Network Rail Unmanned Aircraft Services framework contract will focus on structures and bridge surveys, embankment checks, overhead line equipment inspections and post-incident condition examinations.

The contract is part of Network Rail’s commitment to embracing drones within its day-to-day business operations. The adoption of the DJI drone technology, which includes the DJI Matrice 200 Series V2 and Phantom 4 RTK mapping drone, is proving to be a cost-effective solution, improving safety and enhancing efficiency making Britain’s railways more reliable.

Heliguy is a National Qualified Entity under the framework of the UK’s Civil Aviation Authority, and its specialist team will deliver CAA accredited drone-pilot training for Network Rail’s pilots. As one of DJI’s largest and trusted European enterprise channel partners, Heliguy is recognised as a Gold Partner, certifying that they can provide expert knowledge and services to interested enterprise customers.

“This contract award with Network Rail is the largest of its type in the UK, and this win is a great signal for DJI, its partner Heliguy in the UK and the enterprise drone industry across Europe. The hard work of our partner Heliguy has paid off thanks to their professionalism and the reliability of the offer proposed in terms of hardware and software powered by DJI technologies and serviced by Heliguy,” said Sunny Liao, Director of Enterprise at DJI

DJI is a global leader in developing and manufacturing civilian drones and aerial imaging technology for personal and professional use. DJI was founded and is run by people with a passion for remote-controlled helicopters and experts in flight-control technology and camera stabilization. The company is dedicated to making aerial photography and filmmaking equipment and platforms more accessible, reliable and easier to use for creators and innovators around the world. DJI’s global operations currently span across the Americas, Europe and Asia, and its revolutionary products and solutions have been chosen by customers in over 100 countries for applications in filmmaking, construction, emergency response, agriculture, conservation and many other industries.