Scottish drone business flying high following support from Business Gateway

A family-run business based in Lanarkshire has successfully expanded its services to offer the latest drone technology across the UK after its owners accessed support from Business Gateway.

Horizon Drone Surveying Ltd provides state-of-the-art drone surveying services using the latest technology to deliver high-resolution images and data in the most challenging of environments, including land, sea, and in the air.

Horizon Drone Surveying’s team includes certified pilots who use equipment and techniques to provide a wide range of drone surveying services, including aerial photography, thermal imaging, topographic mapping, and site surveying.

The business, launched in April 2023, was founded by John and Robert Garvie, who were on a mission to use technology to deliver precision and accuracy in surveying while ensuring safety and efficiency.

With John and Robert both coming from a background in health and safety, they felt strongly about providing a quality surveying service that was safety focused and approached Business Gateway for support to elevate their start up.

The pair were introduced to a business adviser, Debbie Dawkins, who has provided them with ongoing one-to-one support, which included help with developing a business plan, and advice on maintaining cashflow.

John and Robert also attended workshops, including trading online and WordPress for beginners, which allowed them to pick up the skills required to develop a website.

Through Business Gateway, John and Robert were signposted to funding, and secured £1,000 from the South Lanarkshire Business Start-up Grant, as well as £1,000 from South Lanarkshire Council’s Micro Business Support Grant. This funding was critical to purchase the equipment required, as well as a subscription service for drone mapping software.

Thanks to the support, and the grants received, John and Robert have been able to begin trading properly, and have successfully grown their business to offer a range of surveying services.

Looking ahead to the future, with an overarching goal of promoting their business to a wider audience, John and Robert will receive fully-funded consultancy support from a marketing expert which will help with SEO and advertising.

John Garvie, Horizon Drone Surveying Ltd, said, “The support from Business Gateway in the background has been invaluable. Our adviser is always on the end of the phone for advice, a chat or to direct us to other resources to continue our grow as business owners and operators. With Business Gateway’s continued support, I’m confident we can continue to grow into a sustainable business and contribute to our local communities.”

Debbie Dawkins, Business Gateway adviser, said: “We have been able to support Horizon Drone Surveying Ltd with a range of Business Gateway’s start-up services, which have helped John and Robert get their feet off the ground. It has been fantastic to watch the business expand and develop this year, and I look forward to watching them continue to grow in the future.”