High-resolution mapping

Tailored for Surveying and Mapping needs.

We have decades of field experience with Drone Surveying and Drone Mapping.

Drone Solutions for Surveying and Mapping

In our experience, drones are the fastest, least encumbered, safest, and most effective way to perform a mapping or aerial survey mission.

Drone platforms are integrated into surveying workflows to enable land surveys, photogrammetry, 3D mapping, topographic surveying, and much more.

What exactly is a drone survey?

Surveying is the precise science of determining the positions of, and the distances between, points in 2D and 3D space.

Surveys provide necessary information for informed decision-making on construction sites, planning the design and upkeep of infrastructure, and delineating cadastral property boundaries for property ownership management, among many other documentation requirements.

A drone survey is simply an aerial survey using an appropriately accurate drone.

Drones for surveying are better than traditional methods

RPAS (Drones or UAVs) are fantastic at acquiring data from a perspective typically inaccessible to humans.

Drones are an unmatched solution in challenging terrain, which is difficult for human surveyors to access.

Traditional surveying methods require meticulous measurement, preparation, and planning, while drones can capture comparable data in dramatically shorter timeframes. Highly accurate elevation models can be derived for LIDAR sensors that generate precise point clouds that traditional methods cannot achieve.

Drone surveying deliverables:

Depending on your choice of data sensors and surveying software, drone surveying can produce a variety of deliverables with use cases in many industries:

• 2D Orthomosaic Map. Surveying software can stitch together hundreds or thousands of digital photos captured by your drone and produce high-quality 2D Orthomosaic maps.
• 3D Orthomosaic Map. Large numbers of digital photos of your surveying site can be compiled into a 3D orthomosaic map and can provide actionable topographic data.
• 3D Models. Generate 3D models of targets in your surveying site for a quick comparison with BIM.
• Thermal Map. Survey with a thermal camera and quickly identify targets with abnormal heat signatures.
• LIDAR Point Cloud. Produce a high-density point cloud.
• Multispectral Map. Capture multispectral data from beyond the visible light spectrum to give insight into agriculture and crop management.

Drones Surveying and Mapping for Construction Needs

We have partnered with 3D Designs to provide an end-to-end solution for construction clients that include:

• Surveys
• verified Views
• Visualizations Stakeholder presentations
• 3D CAD Modeling and Visualizations
• BIM (Building Information Models)
• Scan to BIM / 3D Laser Scanning.
• Revit Modeling
• Ground Modeling
• As built surveys
• RPAS Topographic Surveys
• RPAS Building Surveys
• RPAS Volumetric Surveys
• RPAS Progress Monitoring
• UAV Inspection Surveys

At each stage of the construction process, high-resolution 3D photogrammetric or laser models captured by drones can be overlaid on and compared with pre-planned BIM objects. This allows the builder, owners, and other stakeholders to measure and manage the project’s progress.

Early detection of these issues can reduce construction error, omission, and re-work, and this project oversight has made drones an essential part of modern construction.

Are drone surveys accurate?

High relative accuracy is sufficient for some applications, like checking crop growth or construction progress. Drones are equipped with real-time kinematics (RTK) and post-processing kinematics (PPK) capabilities for other jobs that also require high absolute accuracy. When paired with a few GCPs, survey-level accuracy can be achieved. 

In an independent study by DroneDeploy, the DJI Phantom 4 RTK achieved 2 cm relative vertical accuracy and 1.20 cm relative horizontal accuracy.

What drone surveying solution do you need?

The answer ultimately lies with your priorities. Surveying accuracy requirements, data sensors, and cost will all be considered.

Curious about Surveying and Mapping Drone Solutions? Then…

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