In 1163, the cornerstone of Notre-Dame de Paris was laid in the presence of King Louis VII and Pope Alexander III on Île de la Cité, a 56-acre island in the River Seine. Maurice de Sully, the Bishop of Paris, was responsible for overseeing the construction of what would go on to become one of the most beloved Catholic cathedrals. Famous for its impressive French Gothic architecture that pioneered the use of rib vaults and flying buttresses, the massive rose windows, three pipe organs, and bells, Notre-Dame is one of France’s most cherished landmarks.

In 2018, an average of 13 million people visited Notre-Dame, roughly 30,000 daily. On peak days, this number has been recorded at over 50,000 visitors. For those not fortunate enough to visit the cathedral in person, incredible drone footage of Notre-Dame was released in November 2018. The drone captured the sweeping grandeur of the cathedral from both exterior and interior perspectives. What no one realized was that this drone footage would be the last such images taken of the cathedral before tragedy struck on April 15, 2019.

Nearly 856 years to the day of the laying of the cornerstone, a fire broke out in the attic of the cathedral. The ancient wood supporting the lead roof, along with poor communication, led to the fire quickly getting out of hand. Parisians watched in horror as firefighters tried to battle the flames that had engulfed the structure, climbing up the 315-ft spire that had watched over the city for centuries. Shortly before 8 p.m., the spire collapsed, with the fire finally being brought under control a few hours later.

One of the problems the Paris fire brigade faced was not having a way to get water high enough to douse the flames quickly enough. What they did have, Gabriel Plus, a spokesman for the fire brigade, explained, were several DJI drones. “The drones allowed us to correctly use what we had at our disposal,” Gabriel said. With the drones, firefighters were able to safely navigate a dangerous environment and create a plan of action that prevented further devastation. President Emmanuel Macron vowed that Notre-Dame would be restored to its former glory, staying true to its original design and materials by 2024.

Drones would play a large part in the restoration process of the historic landmark. The first step was using drones to map out safety routes for the stabilization of the structure and removal of debris. Then, Livio De Luca, Research Director at the French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS), was charged with overseeing the restoration project using the best of modern technology while maintaining the integrity of Notre-Dame’s ancient materials. In a paper titled A Digital Ecosystem to Document, in Space and in Time, the Restoration of Notre-Dame de Paris, Livio outlines and explains how drones would be critical to the restoration process.

Livio and the many partners who contributed to the restoration project used drones to create digital twin maps of what Notre-Dame once was and would soon become. These drone-enabled maps allowed construction teams to recreate the cathedral in a way that honored Bishop Maurice de Sully’s original vision. Throughout the restoration process, photographer Tomas van Houtryve had the opportunity to document much of the work. He was able to persuade authorities to allow him to use drones to capture the progress both inside and outside the structure. His drone footage has shown the world how the tragedy that befell Notre-Dame brought together a nation with a passion to honor one of its most treasured architectural masterpieces.

On Saturday, December 7, 2024, President Macron welcomed 2,500 guests to the reopening of Notre-Dame. A few days before the grand reopening, a drone video tour of the fully renovated cathedral was released. As the drone pans around the structure, Notre-Dame can be clearly seen as a sign of hope, with the Parisian City of Lights glowing around it. Notre-Dame’s official website stated, “The reopening of Notre-Dame is a testament to a monumental collective effort. Thanks to the commitment of the Church, the State, patrons, the teams from the Public Establishment, the craftsmen, artists, and businesses, the challenge of rebuilding in five years has been successfully met. This achievement illustrates what unity and mobilization can accomplish in the face of adversity.” The collaboration of hard work, advanced technology like drones, combined with a dedication to traditional architectural principles, has once again made Notre-Dame a place of awe.

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