Faced with fires, natural disasters and time erosion, innovation in the preservation of heritage is an essential response. Drones equipped with sensors, quadruped robots and artificial intelligence allow today to intervene faster and more precisely on damaged historical sites. In York Minster as in Notre-Dame de Paris, these advances transform the evaluation of damage and the restoration of monuments, mixing human expertise and automation to protect the vestiges of the past.
In 1984, a fire devastated York Minster cathedral after a violent thunderstorm. Forty years later, Historic England, in collaboration with the local authorities, has unveiled a technology that could have changed the course of events. Spot, a robot developed by Boston Dynamics, as well as drones equipped with cameras and laser scanners, are now capable of assessing damage and intervening in areas inaccessible to humans. For Jon Bedford, expert in geospatial surveys within Historic England, these tools allow us to act faster and safely during a disaster. As the Times explains, Spot and its counterparts are not simple gadgets, but precious allies in the safeguard of historic sites.
How do drones and robots transform the intervention in the event of a disaster?
Until recently, inspecting a monument after a disaster required risky scaffolding and human interventions. From now on, the combined use of drones and robots allows immediate and detailed evaluation. According to BBC, Spot can move on damaged land, mount stairs and scan the interior of a building with great precision. Drones, on the other hand, replace the traditional means of inspection, in particular to reach the areas in height without endangering the teams on site.
In York Minster, these technologies have been put to the test to demonstrate their effectiveness. During the 1984 fire, access to the disaster areas had taken years. Today, a robot can go there in a few minutes and transmit 3D images to guide the decisions of the experts. These innovations make it possible to make faster and better informed decisions, thus reducing the deadlines and costs of restorations.
The example of Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral, ravaged by flames in 2019, also illustrates the importance of these new methods. Laura Cotter, from York Minster Fund, explains to Rockingrobots that the use of robots to move debris after the fire has shown how much technology can change the situation in crisis.
The future of heritage preservation
If robots and drones are now deployed in reaction to disasters, their role could soon extend to the prevention and maintenance of monuments. Thanks to 3D models and artificial intelligence, it becomes possible to monitor the state of the buildings continuously and to anticipate interventions before a drama occurred.
York Minster illustrates these new practices. After the restoration of the southern transept, it remains difficult to access certain parts of the building, including the famous Window rose, cracked in 40,000 pieces during the fire in 1984. As Historic England indicates, even with the most advanced drones, monitoring the solidity of stained glass without risk of collision remains a challenge. However, progress in digitization and automation could soon remove these obstacles.
The rise of these technologies is part of a broader trend in modernization of heritage conservation. Through its center of excellence for heritage professions, York Minster already incorporates techniques such as digital imagery and computer -assisted stone cutting to restore its structures. For Historic England, these innovations are only on the start. They will shape the future of the preservation of monuments, by combining ancestral know-how and advanced tools.
While the risk of disasters remains, technology stands out as an essential lever to protect witnesses from our history. Drones, robots and intelligent systems do not replace experts, but offer them new perspectives to ensure the safeguard of World Heritage.
With an unwavering passion for local news, Christopher leads our editorial team with integrity and dedication. With over 20 years’ experience, he is the backbone of Wouldsayso, ensuring that we stay true to our mission to inform.
