Property firm wants 12 drones in London

London-based property management company Aspect says it wants to have up to 12 unmanned drones operating across the capital by the end of 2016.

They will do everything from delivering keys for viewings to delivering small parts for developers or repairs.

Aspect's property manager Paul Rowland is to meet with the Civil Aviation Authority to discuss the proposal.

Drones are rapidly becoming increasingly popular in the residential industry. Helmores, a small Devon estate agency which has its own drone and claims that it may have been the first agency in the UK to do so, says it has had to secure permission from the Civil Aviation Authority to use footage, which cannot be shot from over 400 feet.

"Effectively we are using the same airspace as civil and military aircraft which meant we had to produce our own operations manual and learn a great deal of general aviation knowledge as well as health and safety says one of Helmores' owners, Rob Stoyle.

"An aircraft like this can see a lot more and so it is important that we are sensitive to the flying path and how close I get to livestock, home owners and other unrelated properties. I am incredibly careful to use this footage where appropriate and assess the suitability of a property for this marketing tool he says.

EAT has previously explained how any agent using a drone must have CAA consent in order to secure the appropriate insurance.