The British Geological Survey (BGS) was initially founded as the Geological Survey of Great Britain in 1835. In 1965, the Geological Survey of Great Britain merged with several other organisations to form the Institute of Geological Sciences under the Natural Environment Research Council. NERC is one of nine research bodies that falls under UK Research and Innovation and has a particular focus on environmental sciences.

The Institute of Geological Sciences became the British Geological Survey in 1984. In 1981, the BGS began contracting the commercial survey firms Hunting Surveys Ltd and J A Story Ltd to take aerial photographs for research purposes. NERC – the parent organisation of BGS – acquired its own aerial survey capability in 1983.

Originally using a Piper PA31 Navajo Chieftain (and later a Dornier DO 228-101), the Airborne Research and Survey Facility (ARSF), provided NERC with the ability to use a variety of airborne instruments and sensors to collect data for a multitude of environmental research projects.

From 1983 to 2005, the ARSF collected aerial photography on behalf of the BGS. The resulting negative films were processed by the aerial survey company Simmons Aerofilms, while the production of prints and enlargements and any required film scanning was carried out by BKS Surveys.

The Sea Mammal Research Unit (SMRU) was established in 1978 by NERC from the merger of the Seals Research Division and Whale Research Unit. Originally based in Cambridge, SMRU moved to the University of St Andrews in 1996 where it functions as an independent research group and a NERC National Capability Delivery Partner.

Under its Royal Charter, NERC is required to supply advice to the UK Government on matters relating to the management of seals in the UK and its sovereign waters. SMRU was created to ensure that NERC was able to fulfil these requirements and this continues to be one of SMRU’s central roles.