Historic England Uses Cutting Edge Technology at York Minster
Historic England and York Minster have joined forces to showcase some of the cutting-edge technology available to heritage sites in the wake of disaster.
On 9 July 1984, York Minster suffered a catastrophic fire in its South Transept that investigators concluded was most likely started by a lightning strike.
40 years later, the Minster has welcomed Historic England's geospatial survey team to show how the response to a similar disaster today would be somewhat different, with Spot the robot dog and a flying drone potentially being the first on the scene.
Both machines can be remotely piloted, allowing human operators to assess conditions from a safe distance using technology not even dreamt of in 1984.
A mobile robot made by Boston Dynamics, Spot can enter spaces without risking human lives, all the time feeding back detailed information on his surroundings to his pilot.
Spot can handle rough terrain and stairs and can even re-balance if knocked over, all of which would be skills needed if responding to a disaster on the scale of the 1984 fire.
The Historic England team also use a laser scanner mounted on the robot dog's back, which scans millions of points and could be used to show the state of the building in detail without the need for humans to set foot inside.
Similarly, using technology such as a remote camera and similar laser scanning tools on Historic England's drones allows quick and easy access to areas that would be difficult or impossible to enter otherwise.
Where previously extensive scaffolding would have been needed to evaluate conditions, a drone can safely fly within the Minster to build an accurate and explorable model of a space within a matter of minutes.
When disaster strikes a historic building, every minute counts. Our robot dog and drones can quickly and safely enter potentially dangerous areas, giving us detailed 3D models and images of what's happening inside.
Having used these tools in many varied high-risk environments, I've seen first-hand how they can navigate debris, climb stairs, and reach elevated structures that would normally require expensive and potentially risky methods of access. This means we can make faster, better-informed decisions about protecting a heritage site.
Our drones and mobile robot, Spot, are tools that would have been invaluable during the 1984 fire. They aren't just clever gadgets – they're helping us safeguard our heritage and keep people safe.
Laura Cotter is Research and Innovation Manager for York Minster Fund, the organisation that oversaw the fundraising campaign for the South Transept restoration 40 years ago and continues to support works to the Minster's fabric today.
Laura has travelled worldwide to discover how different heritage estates use technology to respond to today's challenges.
Much of this technology is being brought together in the Minster's new Centre of Excellence for Heritage Craft Skills and Estate Management, which houses 2 state of the art Computer Numerically Controlled (CNC) stone cutting and milling machines, 3D imaging and modelling equipment, and a conferencing suite which will allow the Minster to maintain its international connections and partnerships.
During a visit to Notre Dame in 2019, only 9 weeks after the fire, I saw robots being utilised to move debris from beneath the fallen tower. The anniversary of the 1984 York Minster fire highlighted to me the lengths people went to rescue the Minster's fabric and contents without robotic assistance.
I considered what innovations in technology could be utilised today to capture vital data, in unpredictable and hazardous conditions, to inform repair priorities and approaches.
The 1984 fire caused the rose window to shatter into 40,000 pieces and took four years to access and repair. Without extensive scaffolding, we still do not have the ability to access the rose window to monitor how the repairs are performing.
It is incredibly difficult to reach this area, even with modern drone technology, without putting the Minster's precious medieval glass at risk of collision. Technology will continue to advance, and it will change the way heritage buildings are monitored and maintained around the world.
