Operating Model

Responsibilities

Of the tens-of-millions of high-resolution analogue aerial images held by NCAP, most are UK government public records that were declassified by the Ministry of Defence. NCAP maintains these under arrangement with the National Archives. The permanent preservation of the imagery, and ensuring it is publicly accessible, is a statutory responsibility under the Public Records Act (1958) and associated access to information legislation.

Costs

NCAP strives to be a world-leader in the preservation, digitisation and online dissemination of historical aerial imagery. The preservation of the records in our care, their digitisation, the storage of the digital files and making imagery publicly accessible all come with significant costs. These operational and development costs are funded through commercial income generation and grant funding.

Commercial Income

The use of historical aerial photography by the European bomb disposal market forms the core of our current business. We supply the aerial imagery used to locate unexploded Second World War bombs and to identify contaminated land where development is being planned throughout much of Europe. We are increasingly diversifying our customer base beyond the risk management sector, beyond Europe, and to businesses working on environmental and land use change issues.

NCAP trades through Historic Environment Scotland Enterprises Limited.