West India Consultancy Services
Surveying & Designing Solutions
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Drone mapping and surveying
is the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to capture aerial data and create maps of an area. Drone mapping is a fast, cost-effective, and accurate way to survey and map land, and is used in many industries, including construction, agriculture, forestry, and mining.
Here are some things to know about drone mapping and surveying:
How it works
Drones take photos of the ground from different angles, and then software combines the images to create 2D and 3D maps. Drones can also carry LiDAR sensors to measure distances and object heights.
Uses
Drone mapping can be used to create detailed maps of an area, including its contours, elevation, and features. Surveyors can use these maps to identify potential hazards or areas with unstable terrain.
Benefits
Drones can fly at a much lower altitude than manned aircraft or satellites, which makes them faster, less expensive, and independent of atmospheric conditions.
Workflow
The workflow for drone mapping includes surveying the site, setting up a mission, flying, taking photos, processing the photos, interpreting the data, and sending the data to the client.
Factors to consider
When mapping an area, you can consider factors like overlap, sidelap, and flight altitude.
Digital surface models (DSM)
Drone images can also be used to create DSM models of the area. Each pixel contains 2D information (X, Y) and the altitude (Z value) of the highest point for this position.
File formats: GeoTiff (.tif), .xyz, .las, .laz
3D textured mesh
The 3D textured mesh is a reproduction of the edges, faces, vertices and texture of the area shot by the drone. This model is most useful for visual inspection or for when external stakeholders or public involvement is essential for a project.
File formats: .ply, .fbx, .dxf, .obj, .pdf
Orthomosaic maps
Drone images are corrected for image distortion and stitched together during post-processing to create a highly-accurate orthomosaic map. Each pixel contains 2D geo-information (X, Y) and can directly procure accurate measurements, such as horizontal distances and surfaces.
File formats: geoTIFF (.tiff), .jpg, .png, Google tiles (.kml, .html)
Digital terrain model (DTM)
After filtering objects such as buildings, the drone images can be used to create DTMs with each pixel containing 2.5D information (X, Y, and Z value of the highest altitude).
File formats: GeoTiff (.tif)
Contour lines
Depending on the project requirements, either the DTM or DSM model, with custom contour intervals, can be used to create a contour lines map, giving you a better understanding of the surface of the area shot by the drone.
File formats: .shp, .dxf, .pdf
3D point cloud
A densified point cloud can be generated from drone images. Each point contains geospatial (X, Y, Z) and color information. It provides a very accurate model for distance (slant and horizontal), area and volume measurements
File formats: .las, .laz, .ply, .xyz