2014 Attwood Shield – Stuart Thomas

CICES provided a welcome and extensive buffet for this evening event, held in the historic Town House in Inverness and attended by both CPDC members and members of the public. CPDC was also pleased to welcome the Provost of the City of Inverness Councillor Alex Graham to the event. A splendid venue for such an occasion, with the intricately-carved wood panels, high carved ceiling, huge portraits of past city dignitaries, war memorial plaques and even a marine connection with a name board from ‘HMS Inverness’.

The evening opened with a welcome from CPDC Chairman Alan Higgins, who then gave a brief outline of the career and accomplishments of Professor James Attwood, in whose memory the annual lecture event is held. Alan Higgins also gave brief details of one of Professor Attwood’s projects in Inverness, that of installing five different plaques in various locations around the city. Later in the evening, Provost Graham pointed out the portrait of former Provost Alexander Ross hanging in the hall. One of Professor Attwood’s plaques honoured his life of service to Inverness.

Following an introduction by Mr Bob McKellar of CICES, the ‘James Attwood Memorial Lecture’ for 2014 on ‘Unmanned Aerial Vehicles’ was given by Mr Stuart Thomas, Survey Manager for Cyberhawk Limited of Livingston, Scotland.

During the course of the lecture, Stuart described the two types of unmanned aerial vehicles that his company uses, both fixed wing and rotary units. He also touched upon the techniques used for both survey and inspection programmes, as well as the regulations and licences required for these vehicles, as well as the training and standards required by pilots. He also explained aerial ortho-photography, 360 degree surveillance and how access was gained to difficult locations, both on and offshore, to survey everything from pylons to platform flare booms. He also referenced some case studies including a refinery fire in Holland and the righting of the ‘Costa Concordia’ in Italy. Following the lecture, Stuart spent some time answering a varied and considerable number of questions from the audience on many different aspects from his lecture.

Bob McKellar gave a vote of thanks to Stuart Thomas for the lecture. Thereafter Provost Alex Graham also thanked him and presented him with the CPDC Attwood Shield to commemorate the occasion.

Alan Higgins rounded off the evening with thanks to all those who had played a part in the evening and reminded everyone to look out for Professor Attwood’s plaques around Inverness.

It was pleasing to note that a number of the audience remained after the event, to talk to and ask further questions of the speaker and also to examine the UAV model that he had brought along for this purpose.

The CPDC Committee is very grateful for the opportunity to hold this event in the unique environment of the Town House in Inverness and would like to thank the Inverness City Council for this privilege.