Robot dogs used to protect heritage sites like York Minster

Robot dogs and drones could be used if a disaster like 1984’s devastating fire at York Minster was to happen at a major heritage site today, Historic England has said.

A lightning strike at the minster was believed to have sparked the catastrophic blaze which caused more than £2.25m of damage.

The minster and Historic England have now joined forces to showcase the latest tech available in the wake of such a disaster, including a robot called Spot which can be operated remotely to assess risk and damage.

Jon Bedford, from Historic England, said: “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.”

“When disaster strikes a historic building, every minute counts,” he added.

Spot, made by US-based robotics firm Boston Dynamics, can re-balance if knocked over, can navigate uneven or rough terrain, and carries a scanner which can show operators the state of a badly damaged building, according to Historic England.

Meanwhile, drones can be used access disaster-hit buildings where previously scaffolding would have been needed to assess the damage.

Mr Bedford said: “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, from York Minster Fund, the organisation which oversaw the fundraising campaign for the restoration of the fire-hit South Transept, said seing robots moving debris at Notre Dame following the blaze there in 2019 had proved how vital technology could be in such situations.

Ms Cotter, the fund’s research and innovation manager, said: “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 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.”

She added: “Technology will continue to advance, and it will change the way heritage buildings are monitored and maintained around the world.”