According to the health and safety government website – Working at height remains one of the biggest causes of fatalities and major injuries. The number one advisory to prevent these fatalities is to just avoid working from height unless completely necessary. Safety when working at height is a key challenge for many maintenance jobs. Working at height is substantial risk, and maintenance is often neglected as access is limited and not necessary.

Just because these maintenance jobs do not appear essential at first does not mean they should be neglected. Not only can applying coatings improve the look of buildings and structures but there are also benefits such as reducing a buildings heat loss and in turn limiting the amount of carbon dioxide being released. By using a drone to complete these maintenance tasks it significantly reduces the safety risks associated as there is removes the need for working at height. Not only does the use of a drone remove the need for people to work at height but it also improves accessibility, reduces costs and is more environmentally friendly.

Here at Aspira safety is at the heart of everything we do and we ensure to take a robust approach to the planning, management, and monitoring of all site work. The safeguarding of anyone involved or impacted by on-site activity (including members of the public) is paramount. Our standards are driven by the principles set out by the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH).

2022 has been our busiest year to date here at Aspira. So much has happened and we are so grateful for all the support we have received. We thought now would be the perfect time to reflect back over what has been an incredibly busy year for Aspira.

Right back at the start of year, in January, Aspira rebranded as ‘Drones and Coatings for Good’, this rebrand came with a whole new website.  This had been a long time coming and there was no better time to launch. Moving into 2022 we had just received confirmation that we had won our latest grant with Innovate UK to adapt our technology to improve the efficacy of wind turbine blades, we had just doubled the size of our team and moved into a new office. Reflecting on all these changes and the direction of the company we felt it was only right that our missions and website mirrored this. Even from the very start of 2022 we knew it was going to be a massive year for Aspira.

February was when we officially launched the start of our latest project for Innovate UK. We received a rather sizeable grant to aid us in developing our drone technology to support the wind turbine sector, this is for an 18-month project where we utilise our bespoke drone technology and coating expertise to clean existing turbines to reduce drag and increase efficiency.  11 months down the line and the team are now well underway with the adaptation of the technology and have even conducted their first flight round a turbine test tower thanks to ORE Catapult.

It has been an extraordinary year for the growth of the company and our community as well. Our social media following has grown by 300% which is just fantastic. Back in May we exhibited at our first facilities show in London. Considering it was our first show we were very apprehensive however it was an absolute hit! We received loads of interest, met some amazing people, heard some fantastic ideas for us to work on and we are still closing on some exciting projects for the new year.

Due to our growing community and developments in our Innovate UK project we have also added 2 new drones to our fleet: the AC4 and the Development Drone. The whole concept of the Development Drone is so that during the development of the project the engineers can easily swap different bits of hardware out and try new technology without causing any damage. Its smaller size and lighter weight also make it much easier for them to take it out and test fly it regularly helping them squash any problems much earlier. Whereas the AC4 is the latest iteration of our drone that can fly round and spray buildings in urban environments.

In the summer our chairman Stephan Falder took retirement, and we welcomed our new chair of the board Frank Hayden. Since joining the team Frank has made a huge impact on the company and we look forward to seeing where he leads Aspira in 2023.

Finally, we had the absolute pleasure of being awarded our first award. Aspira are the winners of the ‘Most Innovative Building Maintenance Company – Northern England’ at the Build Facilities Management Awards 2022. Frank Hayden, our Chair of the Board says “the Aspira team are delighted to be recognised by the building management industry, for our innovative maintenance services. We are proud of our current impact, and we are excited to be working on a range of building heat loss reduction and climate improvement services. These new services will help our customers to accelerate towards their carbon net zero targets.”

We would just like to take this opportunity to thank the team for their continued hard work and dedication to the project, it is fantastic to see everything starting to come together. We would also like to thank everyone for their continued support throughout the year and we cannot wait to see what 2023 brings!

On World Mental Health Day on 10 October 2022, the United Nations highlighted Air Pollution as one of four key contributors to the mental well-being of people. Recent studies by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) have found that Air Pollution – alongside Noise Pollution, Chemical Pollution and Climate Change – is affecting mental health.

The facts speak for themselves as ninety-nine per cent of the global population breathes air that exceeds World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines, with an estimated seven million people dying prematurely due to air pollution. Research also shows that high levels of fine inhalable particles (PM 2.5) can also hinder cognitive development in children. UNICEF’s Danger in the Air report shows that exposure to high levels of air pollution could result in psychological and behavioural problems later in childhood, including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), anxiety and depression.

The WHO reports that Climate change exacerbates many social, environmental and economic risk factors for problems in mental health and psychosocial wellbeing. Yet, despite this impact, large gaps also exist in many countries between mental health needs and the availability and accessibility of the mental health systems and services to address them. In response to these challenges, WHO has developed a policy brief describing the interconnections between climate change and mental health and providing five key recommendations on potential approaches to address the mental health impacts of the climate crisis. The WHO Mental Health and Climate Change Policy Brief provides a holistic approach to the issue and recommends 5 key approaches to address these impacts. Air

Tackling the global issues of Mental Health and Climate change require widescale and coordinated action but, Aspira is committed to innovation that puts practical action within easy reach of local government, industry and commerce. In the process making it possible for everyone from local authorities to socially-minded business to make a real difference.

By applying a clear Nano Titanium to remove N0x and S0x pollutants from the atmosphere, we improve air quality in polluted landscapes.  Our coating is a photoactive ultrafine titanium dioxide (TiO2) colloidal suspension (sol) that is applied onto surfaces for long-lasting depollution and self-cleaning properties. The coating can be applied directly onto a porous surface – such as building facia – in order to render it photocatalytic. It is a transparent, water-based, stable photocatalyst with high activity and neutral pH. In essence, it is a photocatalyst converter that converts harmful pollutants such as NOx and SOx in the atmosphere into less harmful materials. Therefore, when sprayed onto buildings the coating helps to create a cleaner, greener atmosphere.

In simple terms, all that is required is a building and the Aspiracopter drone. We can quickly treat 5,000m2 in order to offset the annual NOx emissions of 450 Euro 6 diesel cars – making it possible for business and public leaders to deliver change. Perhaps most importantly, this practical action available and affordable.

Our Datasheet on Improving Air Quality by Drone outlines everything from the Safety Case to the Coatings Properties – use this link to download a copy.

COP 27 is here, the aim of this is to deliver action on an array of issues critical to tackling the climate emergency. They will build on the outcomes of COP26 to deliver action on an array of issues critical to tackling the climate emergency – from urgently reducing greenhouse gas emissions, building resilience and adapting to the inevitable impacts of climate change, to delivering on the commitments to finance climate action in developing countries. Furthermore, they seek to accelerate global climate action through emissions reduction, scaled-up adaptation efforts and enhanced flows of appropriate finance.

This year’s climate change conference has several visions of what needs to be discussed and achieved during this period. The biggest aspiration going into this is the hope of achieving as much progress as possible across the board on every item under negotiations in a balanced and equitable manner to create a collective action to tackle climate change and its impacts. Whilst at the conference there is also a concentration on finding ways to bridge the existing gaps in particular on mitigation, adaption and climate finance, all work is being based on reliable, credible science. During the gathering there is an emphasis on ensuring that no country is being left behind and ensuring that everybody is clear on the fact that this is a global problem.

Aspira is a unique innovative way that could be used to reduce and fight climate change in a number of different ways. For starters the use of drones helps to cut back CO2 emissions. It has been predicted that the use of drones could help to reduce carbon emissions by 2.4tons by 2030 compared to using more traditional methods, this is equivalent to taking around 1.7m diesel cars off the road for a year. The Reduction in co2 emissions is mainly driven by the idea that drones lead to a reduction in vehicle usage due to the efficiency of drone-enabled solutions resulting in fewer trips to sites and by removing the requirement for vehicles.

Our range of environmental coatings also include improving air quality and reducing building heat loss. Improving Air Quality is a clear Nano Titanium coating that utilises photocatalytic conversion to remove N0x and S0x pollutants from the atmosphere and improves the air quality in polluted landscapes in areas that were previously inaccessible. 5000 Sqm of treated surface will offset the annual NOx emissions of 450 Euro 6 diesel cars. Reducing building heat loss is a water-based fluoropolymer that is clear semipermeable coating which improves waterproofing and reduces heat loss of buildings and structures. Reducing heat loss by up to 20%. Improving energy consumption and your carbon footprint.

Aspira are proud to announce that we have won ‘Most Innovative Building Maintenance Company – Northern England’ at the Build Facilities Management Awards.

Our service allows FM companies to provide intelligent treatments to structures that were previously inaccessible.  We’re helping our clients save energy, reduce cost and reduce maintenance whilst improving the environments in which we live and operate.  Please get in touch if you would like to hear more.

It was a great honour just to be nominated for an award but to actually win means so much for the company. Over the past few years an awful lot of work has gone into building the company to where it is today and to be recognised for this work is a huge achievement. As a company we are still only at the start of where we want to be so hopefully this award is the next step in taking the company to new heights.

Frank Hayden, our Chair of the Board says “the Aspira team are delighted to be recognised by the building management industry, for our innovative maintenance services. We are proud of our current impact, and we are excited to be working on a range of building heat loss reduction and climate improvement services. These new services will help our customers to accelerate towards their carbon net zero targets.”

Dave Jolley, Director added, “Aspira has been and continues to be committed to innovative research and development to deploy our drone technology and coatings in the Facilities Management arena and a growing number of areas.  I am delighted that the achievements to date by our team has received this prestigious recognition from the Build Magazine, Facilities Management Awards. I‘m expecting great things from our latest project to apply this technology for improving the efficiency of wind turbines.”

Pwc have recently released a very captivating article ‘Skies without limits’. Within this article there were many very encouraging stats regarding the advancement of the drone industry over the next 8 years.

During the article Pwc highlight a multitude of uses for the UKs developing drone technology – from surveillance to delivery to search and rescue to BVLOS. The current rate of expansion of the drone industry is very exciting and very promising for Aspira. Pwc estimate that by 2030 (8 years from now) that there could be more than 900,000 drones operating in the UKs skies and that the industry could contribute up to £45bn to the UK economy.

As you may be aware drones can be used to save time and money when used, in the case of Aspira, for coating buildings. Not only does it save money on maintenance, but the technology from one of coatings can also be used to reduce the heat loss form a building and in turn save money on your energy bills – Pwc have estimated that the adoption of drones could save British companies around £22bn in net cost savings by 2030. Not only could the use of drones decrease energy bills but this in turn reduces carbon emissions due to the reduction in energy usage. Not only that but the use of a drone for jobs such as delivery and maintenance working from height rather than more traditional methods is much more sustainable and environmentally friendly as they produce a significantly less amount of carbon emissions – in fact Pwc predict that drones could help to reduce carbon emissions by roughly 2.4m tons by 2030.

As a UK based drone company, it is fascinating to see what other developments are going on around us. As drones are starting to be used for jobs other than just surveillance, it is still a very new concept and it is important that we all support each other going forward to make sure that we make it known that the use of drones are safe, efficient, and accepted across all sectors.

Click the here to read the full article.

There has been another big change here at Aspira. Stephen Falder has retired as our chairman. We would just like to take this opportunity to thank Stephen for everything he has done for Aspira and wish him well in his retirement.

Stepping up as our new Chair of the Board is Frank Hayden.

Franks Bibliography:

Frank is one of Europe’s leading industrialists, having led the strategic and operational transformation of a number of high-technology businesses, including LAND ROVER, BMW, AIRBUS, BAE SYSTEMS and ROLLS-ROYCE. He played a leading role in the launch of the BMW Mini, Airbus A380, Eurofighter Typhoon, F-35 Joint Strike Fighter and Rolls-Royce engines for the Boeing 787 & Airbus A350.

He now works as a consultant and non-executive director and has served more than 300 client leadership teams, across a wide range of industries all over the world. Most frequently, helping the owners of medium size, high-technology businesses to accelerate their business growth and resilience plans. Frank served the UK Cabinet Office in 2020, leading the work to accelerate the scale up of Covid-19 rapid test devices.

Frank’s passion is: “Coaching senior executive teams, to help them plan and implement ambitious business transformation strategies.” He adds: “Global business competition nowadays is ferocious. In my experience, the top performing businesses over the long term, are those which are led by high-impact, low-ego leaders who have a deep understanding of conditions at the front-line of their businesses.” 

Further information: www.linkedin.com/pub/frank-hayden/5a/446/b7b

Email: fchayden@gmail.com

Tel: +447720427298

It is great to have him on board and we cannot wait to see what he will bring to the company!

World environment day is taking place on the 5th June 2022. It gives everyone the opportunity to really raise awareness of the problems our environment is facing and the many different ways we can help combat that.

Climate change, nature and biodiversity loss, and pollution and waste is all evidence that Earth is at “code red” and this is happening all around us and growing more ominous every day. The way out of this dilemma is to transform our economies and societies to make them inclusive, fair, and more connected with nature. We must shift from harming the planet to healing it.

#OnlyOneEarth calls for collective, transformative action on a global scale to celebrate, protect and restore our planet.

At Aspira sustainability and the green agenda is at the heart of all our applications. Aspira’s mission is to use drones and coatings for good so that we may better the environment we live and work in. Organisations need to act decisively and swiftly to meet their green agenda obligations, it is both a moral and legal requirement on us all. Our technology and coatings can directly tackle air pollution, support carbon reduction, and increase material lifespan – significantly improving our environment. Our unique approach helps to mitigate the risk associated with working at height, improve accessibility, provide more cost and time efficient methods of delivery over traditional methods. Our mission of Drones and Coatings for Good will positively contribute towards our client’s sustainability agenda.

It is of upmost importance to us that as a company we do our best to support the protection of our environment. Our technology and coatings can directly tackle air pollution, support carbon reduction and increase material lifespan – significantly improving our environment.

We are now 3 months into our 18-month Innovate UK project, and we are pleased to announce that we are still fully on track!

The AC3 has completed its final development stage and is ready for flight around building fascia. During this development we have had the opportunity to try out new hardware and find the best fits for Aspira and now we are one step closer to the final product.

Not only this but the team have also managed to get the simulator built and updated the environment to replicate the wind turbines. This simulator is crucial to over development as it allows us to test out our software developments in a realistic environment without the worry around wasting too much time out in the field or damaging hardware.

Above shows Harry on of our technical engineers putting together the final pieces to the AC3 and next to this is a screenshot of our drone in point cloud from our new simulator.