Network Rail using helicopters to check faults on the Weymouth-Waterloo line

It is part of a drive to provide better journeys for passengers.

Inspecting the railway by air allows Network Rail to deliver improvements to performance, reliability and safety, with no disruption to train services.

Operating high-tech thermal and visual imaging equipment, the aerial operations team are able to identify the smallest of faults and inspect a wide area of infrastructure in a short space of time.

The helicopter is capable of covering the route from London's Waterloo station to Weymouth station in around three hours, including hovering over equipment to capture the critical thermal and high definition images.

The flights also reduce the need to send members of the workforce onto the track when trains are operating, improving safety for teams.

The helicopter is equipped with a full high-definition camera system that provides a gyro-stabilised image with embedded location data in the digital video.

A ‘fault spotter’ on the flight reviews the live footage and can feed information back to maintenance teams on the ground, who can respond within minutes to inspect and repair the infrastructure.

The surveying will be carried out approximately every four weeks and will provide comprehensive reviews of the state of infrastructure across the route.