Last week marked the completion of our final Peatland Restoration survey of the year, and the Scottish weather certainly delivered one of its most dramatic performances. We arrived at the base of the hill long before sunrise, greeted by low cloud, drifting mist and temperatures that made even the toughest gloves feel inadequate. At first glance, it didn’t look promising.
However, as we began the steep off-road ascent by quad bike, climbing to roughly 700 metres, the landscape transformed around us. We broke through the cloud inversion and emerged into an entirely different world — brilliant sunshine, absolutely zero wind and a spectacular blanket of cloud stretching as far as the eye could see. High in the hills above Loch Tay, we were treated to some of the most breathtaking flying conditions we’ve had all year.
Once on site, we spent around an hour laying out our temporary Ground Control Points (GCPs) before getting the aircraft into the air. With both drone pilots operating two DJI Matrice 4E systems, we were able to cover the full 1,500-hectare site smoothly and efficiently. The only interruption to an otherwise flawless survey came midway through the day, when a pair of Golden Eagles swept in to investigate us. They circled overhead for a good ten minutes, clearly curious about the unusual visitors sharing their hillside.
By mid-afternoon the final grid lines were complete, the data logs looked excellent and we were ready to wrap up. We made it back down the hill in time to collect every GCP and reach the vehicles just as the sun dipped behind the peaks — the perfect end to a truly memorable survey day.
Another successful Peatland Restoration aerial survey, another unforgettable reminder of why we love working in Scotland’s wild and ever-changing landscapes.
