About David Justin

Land by Drone is founded and operated by David Justin, a Class 1 Chief Engineer with over 25 years of engineering experience across international merchant shipping and senior shore-based technical management.

Every survey is underpinned by deep engineering knowledge: understanding what thermal anomalies mean, what causes them, and what you need to do about them. From defect identification to maintenance decision support, you get professional judgement with every report.

David holds a formal qualification in Thermal Imaging for Building Professionals, certified by iRed, the UK's leading thermography training provider, alongside iRed Level 1 Thermographer certification.

He is CAA regulated and operates within full legal frameworks for commercial drone operations in the UK, carrying £10 million public liability insurance.

Professional survey drone fitted with a dual thermal and visual camera gimbal

Class 1 Chief Engineer CoC explained

The highest engineering qualification at sea.

The Class 1 Chief Engineer Certificate of Competency is the highest engineering qualification in the UK maritime industry. It requires passing rigorous academic examinations across multiple engineering disciplines, the equivalent of a senior-level mechanical and electrical engineering degree programme. Three of those subjects are directly relevant to thermal survey work.

Applied Heat

Thermodynamics and heat transfer. The science behind reading thermal imagery, understanding heat loss and identifying insulation failures.

Electrotechnology

Electrical machines, power systems and protection circuits. Directly applicable to solar farm inspections and electrical panel surveys.

Applied Mechanics

Structural forces and material behaviour. Fundamental to assessing building condition, roofing systems and defect severity.

The engineering behind every survey

More than a collection of images.

Planned & Preventive Maintenance

25 years managing complex maintenance programmes across large fleets. Every thermal survey is delivered with a PPM mindset, identifying issues before they become failures, not after.

Defect Management

Finding a defect is only the start. Every report includes clear severity ratings, root cause analysis and recommended corrective actions, so you know exactly what needs fixing, in what order, and why.

Condition Monitoring

Understanding degradation mechanisms, failure modes and how to trend data over time, so you get surveys that actually inform decisions, not just a collection of images.

Future Proofing Assets

Drawing on experience managing multi-million pound asset portfolios, using thermal data to plan ahead, prioritise spend, extend asset life and avoid costly reactive maintenance.

Work with an engineer, not just a drone pilot.

Tell us about your project. We respond to every enquiry within 24 hours, usually much sooner.

Get a Free Quote

Engineering Expertise