What PDG Aviation Services does

PDG Aviation Services (trading name of PLM Dollar Group Limited, registered in Scotland, company number SC157532) is a UK and Ireland-based aerial services operator founded in 1974, headquartered at Inverness with operational bases in Cumbernauld, Wolverhampton, and Ireland. The company provides five integrated service lines: aerial survey and inspection (multi-sensor imagery, IR, UV corona detection, LiDAR with cloud-based reporting); aerial lifting (UK's largest onshore helicopter fleet including Kaman K-Max K-1200 for loads up to 9,000kg); aircraft charter (largest private charter helicopter fleet in UK and Ireland); aerial filming (professional cinematography for broadcasters and studios); and, since the April 2025 acquisition of Team UAV, drone-based inspection, survey, response, and data capture. Proprietary equipment includes the world-first GSS C516 50MP camera system, Cineflex V14HD, Shotover M1/F1, FLIR Star Safire HD380, and FLIR-Polytech Corona 350III, mounted on Eurocopter AS350/AS355/AS365/EC135 platforms.

The business model is professional services delivered direct-to-enterprise via a UK/Ireland field sales motion, with revenue from contract-based survey cycles, project-based lifting, bespoke charter, and production-hire engagements. Customers are concentrated in critical national infrastructure — UK DNOs (SSE, Northern Powergrid, Scottish Power, UK Power Networks), Network Rail, BT, Balfour Beatty — together with defence (QinetiQ, BAE Systems, Babcock), conservation bodies (National Trust, NatureScot), maritime authorities (Trinity House, Commissioners of Irish Lights), and broadcast clients (BBC, ITV, Sky, Warner Bros Discovery, National Geographic). 75% of business is repeat, 8,500–10,000+ flight hours are flown annually, and over 200,000 hours have been logged since 1995.

Go-to-market relies on reputation, regulatory credentials (CAA approvals, ISO 9001/14001/45001, Achilles UVDB verification, BHA membership), and operational scale across four bases. The company is privately held with no disclosed external investors. Leadership transitioned in April 2026 when Jason Keith (ex-Wood Group, 30+ years) assumed the CEO role from Shaun Strain, who retained CAA Accountable Manager duties as Group Executive & Engineering Director.

Name

PDG Aviation Services

Legal name

PLM Dollar Group Limited

Website

https://pdgaviationservices.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

PDG Aviation Services is a UK and Ireland-based aerial services operator providing helicopter survey, inspection, heavy lifting, charter, filming, and drone services to enterprise clients across utilities, rail, telecoms, defence, and broadcasting since 1974.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Aerial Survey and Inspection Services

NAICS

Surveying and Mapping (except Geophysical) Services (54137), Surveying and Mapping (except Geophysical) Services (541370)

SIC

Aircraft & Parts (3720), Aircraft (3721)

akta.pro primary industry

Civil/Commercial Helicopter Manufacturing (IMABABAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Aerial Surveying & Crop Scouting (Imaging, Mapping, Stand Counts) (AFACAIAJ), Small Unmanned Aerial Systems (sUAS) & Multirotor Drones (IMABAIAA), UAS Ground Control Stations (GCS) & Remote Operations Infrastructure (IMABAIAL)

Keywords

• Aerial survey services
• Helicopter lifting operations
• Infrastructure inspection services
• Helicopter charter services
• Aerial filming services

Headquarters

HQ city

Inverness

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Aerial Survey and Inspection Services: Provides comprehensive aerial survey, inspection, and integrity assessments using helicopters and aerial platforms equipped with specialized camera and sensor technology for power lines, pipelines, telecoms, rail, wind turbines and other critical infrastructure.
2. Aerial Lifting Services: Specialist helicopter lifting services for engineering, construction and transportation projects including footpath construction, power line builds, and infrastructure work in remote and urban locations.
3. Aircraft Charter Services: Private helicopter charter services operating the largest fleet of private charter helicopters in UK and Ireland, offering bespoke charter solutions for corporate events, sporting activities, and sightseeing tours.
4. Filming and Production Services: Aerial filming and photography services for TV broadcasters, movie production companies, advertising agencies, and freelance photographers, working with major studios including BBC, ITV, Warner Bros, Sky, and National Geographic.
5. UAV/Drone Services: Drone inspection, survey, response, and data capture services following the acquisition of Team UAV, providing precision surveying, infrastructure inspections, and remote data collection.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

PDG Aviation Services provides helicopter-based aerial survey, inspection, and integrity assessment of critical national infrastructure (power lines, pipelines, telecoms, rail, wind turbines) using proprietary multi-sensor gyro-stabilised camera systems producing geo-referenced imagery, IR, UV corona, and LiDAR data with cloud-based reporting. The company also operates heavy-lift aerial crane operations (up to 9,000kg using the UK's largest onshore helicopter fleet), private helicopter charter for corporate and leisure clients, professional aerial filming services for broadcasters and film studios, and—via the April 2025 Team UAV acquisition—drone inspection, survey, response, and data capture.

Product overview

PDG Aviation Services operates as a provider of aerial solutions across the UK and Ireland, offering a portfolio of integrated services including aerial survey and inspection (using specialised multi-sensor camera systems for video, imagery, IR, UV corona discharge, and LiDAR), aerial lifting (using the UK's largest onshore helicopter fleet with heavy lift capability up to 9,000kg), aircraft charter (largest private charter helicopter fleet in UK & Ireland), and aerial filming (professional camera systems including Shotover M1, Cineflex V14HD, FLIR, GSS S516, and Shotover F1). Following the April 2025 acquisition of Team UAV, the company expanded to include drone-based inspection, survey, response, and data capture services. The fleet includes Eurocopter AS350, AS355, AS365, EC135 T2+, and Kaman K-Max K-1200 heavy lift aircraft. Services support critical national infrastructure sectors including power, utilities, rail, telecommunications, renewables, marine, defence, and national parks, as well as film and television production.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Team UAV: A leading provider of drone inspection, survey, response, and data capture services acquired by PDG in April 2025.

Products and services

• Survey and Inspection Aerial integrity assessments of critical national infrastructure using helicopters and other aerial platforms equipped with multi-sensor camera systems delivering high-resolution video, digital imagery, IR, corona discharge, and LiDAR data capture with geo-referencing and cloud-based reporting, for utilities, rail, telecoms, pipelines, wind turbines and similar operators.
• Aerial Lifting Helicopter crane operations using PDG's onshore helicopter fleet (including the Kaman K-Max K-1200 capable of lifting loads up to 9,000kg) for engineering, construction, and transportation projects such as footpath construction, power line builds, and complex lifting in remote and urban locations across the UK and beyond.
• Aircraft Charter Private helicopter charter services operating the largest fleet of private charter helicopters in the UK and Ireland, offering bespoke charter solutions for corporate events, transfers, golfing activities, sporting activities, and sightseeing tours.
• Filming Aerial filming and photography services for TV broadcasters, movie productions, advertising agencies, and freelance photographers, delivered by professional pilots, camera operators, and UAV technology across the UK and Ireland, with capabilities including gyro-stabilised systems supporting up to 8K resolution.
• Team UAV Drone inspection, survey, response, and data capture services including precision surveying, infrastructure inspections, and remote data collection, operating as a PDG subsidiary since the April 2025 acquisition and serving power, utilities, and rail industries.

Quantifiable outcome

• 75% repeat business rate
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability4 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• SSEcoreOthersMajor UK energy company partner for power line surveys and infrastructure inspection services across the utilities sector.
• Northern PowergridcoreOthersDistribution Network Operator partner receiving aerial survey and inspection services for electrical infrastructure maintenance.
• Network RailcoreOthersExclusive support provider for UK rail infrastructure, delivering survey, inspection and transportation services.
• Balfour BeattymajorOthersConstruction and infrastructure services partner requiring aerial support for major infrastructure projects.
• BBCcoreOthersMajor broadcasting partner for aerial filming services across productions, live broadcasts, and documentaries.
• ITVmajorOthersBroadcasting partner for television aerial filming and photography services.
• SkymajorOthersMedia partner for aerial filming services on productions and broadcasts.
• Warner Bros DiscoverymajorOthersFilm and television production partner for aerial cinematography on drama and movie productions.
• Scottish PowercoreOthersEnergy company partner for power network surveys and infrastructure services.
• UK Power NetworkscoreOthersDistribution Network Operator partner for electricity distribution network aerial services.
• General Lighthouse Authority (GLA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPDG exclusively supports the UK and Ireland's General Lighthouse Authority, providing unique maritime infrastructure support services.
• Trinity HousecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Trinity House for lighthouse and maritime navigation infrastructure support.
• Commissioners of Irish LightscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Irish maritime light infrastructure services and support.
• National TrustmajorOthersConservation partner for environmental and infrastructure projects on protected land.
• NatureScotmajorOthersGovernment nature agency partner for environmental surveys and conservation work in Scotland.
• QinetiQmajorOthersDefence and security partner for aviation support services.
• BabcockmajorOthersEngineering and support services partner for critical infrastructure projects.
• BAE SystemsmajorOthersDefence and security partner for aviation support services.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Bristow Group: Global helicopter operator with significant UK presence serving offshore energy, SAR and government contracts. Comparable as a large, established commercial helicopter operator competing on similar inspection, lifting and charter work, but with a broader international footprint.
• CHC Helicopter: One of the world's largest commercial helicopter operators, serving offshore oil & gas, search and rescue, and infrastructure. Comparable for fleet-based aerial services delivered to enterprise customers with regulated procurement.

Others

• Costain Group: UK infrastructure construction and support contractor (and PDG customer for aerial lifting work). Comparable as a UK infrastructure customer/partner ecosystem participant and potential in-house aviation capability buyer/competitor.

Direct peers

• Sloane Helicopters: UK-based helicopter sales and charter operator providing VIP charter and aerial work. Overlaps with PDG's Aircraft Charter segment and competes for similar corporate and high-end customer work in the UK.
• Specialist Aviation Services: UK-based helicopter operator providing aerial work including survey, lifting, filming and emergency services. Closest UK peer in terms of service mix, fleet type and customer base (DNOs, broadcasters, infrastructure).
• Sky-Futures: UK-headquartered drone inspection specialist serving power, oil & gas, and infrastructure operators. Highly comparable to PDG's Team UAV business, competing for similar UAV-based inspection tenders in the same end markets.
• Cyberhawk Innovations: Drone-based inspection and visual data services for utilities, oil & gas, and construction. Directly competes with PDG's UAV segment (post Team UAV integration) and increasingly with PDG's helicopter survey work as drone substitution accelerates.
• 2Excel Aviation: UK-headquartered aerial services company offering filming, survey, surveillance and charter across multiple specialist platforms. Overlaps directly with PDG's filming/charter and special-mission aviation services.

Emerging players

• Terra Drone: Global drone services and inspection company with strong infrastructure inspection offering. Comparable as a UAV-based inspection competitor to PDG's Team UAV business across power, utilities and rail.

Regional players

• NHV Group: Belgium-headquartered helicopter operator focused on offshore energy and emergency services across Europe. Comparable fleet operations and inspection/survey service profile, though primarily competing outside PDG's UK/Ireland core geography.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/pdgaviation
• Facebookfacebook.com/pdgaviation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pdgaviationservices

Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about PDG Aviation Services