Use of Commercial Drones For Surveying. With Thanks to DJI for Use of video.
Collecting land data using traditional surveying methods has been to date one of the most time-consuming elements for many projects.
The advancement of drone technology is changing the nature of a land and construction site surveyor’s role, effectively allowing them to accomplish more in less time.
Today the use of commercial drones or UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) for land surveying has become common practice in some countries. It is becoming more widely used here in the UK.
Drones capture data that can be used in a wide variety of mapping applications:
- Automated mapping – by establishing ground control points UAVs are able to plan a flight path allowing the drone to fly autonomously.
- Cadastral surveying – establishing property boundaries consisting of land and building is valuable information for real estate. UAV generated imagery, with low acquisition data costs, will help to identify boundaries and property assets.
- Volumetric calculations – UAVs are excellent tools for volumetric applications resulting in greater reference points, safer data collection methods and accurate readings.
Use of Commercial Drones For Surveying
However, before you jump up and phone a drone operator that overs the ability to survey. Do ask what equipment they have and what mapping software they are using?
- Are they surveying with standard drone technology, what automated mapping software is being used?
- Do they use GCP’s (ground control points)?
- Are they aware that standard drones have an accuracy of around 2.5m?
- How many surveying projects have they worked on?
- Do they also used fixed wing technology as well as quadcopters?
- Do they have the ability to offer RTK drone technology and do they have the ability to offer a GNSS Ground Station as well to use with the drone?
- Can they operate for a full day with enough batteries to operate drones and gear?
- Do they adequate training and permits to operate on a construction site?
- Do they have full PPE (Personal Protective Equipment)?
Use of Commercial Drones For Surveying
Here at Skylark Aerial Photography the company have drones dedicated for filming and dedicated for aerial survey/inspection. All in all, we can deploy up to 5 drones.
Surveying requires a completely different skill set than that of filming. You need to be able to use sophisticated mapping software, calculate areas of coverage, use of automated drone software for flights. The latter you need to be converse with the programming.
If you have the correct equipment, skill set and are familiar with the use of drones on construction sites and have been inducted with the safety requirements. Then you should be able to earn two to three times the amount of that for aerial filming. As a lot of the work for large projects will continue for many months it should be possible to negotiate a contract to provide drone surveying for the extent of the project.
At Skylark Aerial Photography we can offer RTK accuracy
The DJI Phantom 4 RTK can produce extremely accurate data.
This custom built quadcopter is crafted from the ground up with accuracy in mind.
This results in:
- 1cm+1ppm RTK Horizontal Positioning Accuracy
- 1.5cm+1ppm RTK Vertical Positioning Accuracy
- 5cm Absolute Horizontal Accuracy of Photogrammetric Models
The new technology in the Phantom 4 RTK means that fewer ground points are required to achieve the same high level of accuracy.
Fixed Wing
For large mapping areas we use a fixed wing which can cover the ground far quicker than a Quadcopter.
The All Weather Drone
Although not used for accurate survey work it does provide the ability to film during rain and snow for site updates when required.
https://www.dji.com/uk/phantom-4-rtk
Lake District Drone Service – Skylark Aerial Photography
https://www.skylark-aerialphotography.co.uk/blog/
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