You Can’t Fix What You Can’t See – Insights with Cushman & Wakefield

Sep 22, 2025

You Can’t Fix What You Can’t See – FairFleet’s Case Study with Cushman & Wakefield at PropTech Connect


At this year’s PropTech Connect, FairFleet took the stage alongside Alex Charlesworth from Cushman & Wakefield with a case study session titled “You Can’t Fix What You Can’t See.” The discussion focused on one of the most pressing issues in real estate and property management: the importance of visibility for identifying defects, planning repairs, and managing assets efficiently.

For those who couldn’t attend, the full recording is available here:


Why Visibility Matters

Real estate professionals face a recurring challenge: critical issues remain hidden until they escalate into costly problems. Visibility is the foundation for informed decision-making — whether it’s spotting structural defects, planning maintenance, or ensuring safety. Without it, portfolios carry risks that are both expensive and avoidable.


Key Takeaways from the Session

During the session, Alex Charlesworth shared how Cushman & Wakefield is embracing drones and digital tools to transform building inspections:

  • Visibility is paramount. You can only analyze and plan effective repairs or maintenance if defects are clearly visible.

  • From ladders to drones. Where hoists and ladders once dominated, drones now provide safer, faster, and more cost-efficient access.

  • A cultural shift for surveyors. Traditionally trained to spend time on site, surveyors can now conduct inspections from their desks — with drones acting as an extension of their eyes.

  • Competitive pricing. The cost of drones now competes directly with hoist companies, often offering a more economical alternative.

  • Data-driven collaboration. Inspection data and dashboards can be shared directly with clients, improving transparency and communication.

  • Protecting the public. Drones reduce the risks associated with sending people onto rooftops or scaffolding.

  • Mainstream acceptance. Clients increasingly see drones as a standard tool for building surveys.

  • Future potential. A next step will be integrating drone inspection results seamlessly into clients’ existing reports and systems.

  • Efficiency at scale. FairFleet supported Cushman & Wakefield by surveying 70 buildings within just a few days — surveyors could analyze results remotely without travel, dramatically reducing time and cost.

Why It Matters for the Industry

The session made it clear: drones are no longer a novelty but a necessity in modern property inspections. They enhance safety, reduce costs, and deliver results at a speed and scale that traditional methods can’t match. For surveyors, this represents a cultural and operational shift — one that allows them to focus more on analysis and strategy, rather than travel and physical site work.

At FairFleet, we see this transformation every day. By combining drone technology with smart workflows and client integration, we enable property stakeholders to see more and therefore fix more.