Drone mapping – is a process of aerial data collection using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Orthophotography and drone photogrammetry are the main categories within drone mapping. Lidar scanning and other types of data gathering are also included. It is a broad umbrella term that encompasses a lot. Let us deconstruct all parts of drone mapping and fully understand what the term implies.
The Drone Part
Technological advancements in drones and UAVs made drone mapping a staple of surveying in the last ten years. The aerial mapping used to be the domain of airplanes carrying huge cameras. The cost of such technology and services meant they were accessible to governments and international corporations only. With the advancing tech of semiconductors, electric propulsion, cameras, and batteries, consumer camera drones have become mainstream among the general public. At the same time, high-precision enterprise solutions became affordable for small businesses.
The Mapping Part
With the technological barrier gone, digitization and mapping for surveying purposes became one of the primary uses for drone cameras. Mapping consists of three main stages:
Data acquisition is aerial photography with a specific purpose and subject. While the target can be anything on the earth’s surface and beyond, the process may require certain aspects. For example, if a photogrammetric 3D surface is needed. As a result, we must keep to the best practices of capturing photos for photogrammetry. For survey grade results – specific precision requirements for the equipment are often the case. The data acquisition stage also contains processes during which we collect additional data, for example, GCPs.
Data processing is an inevitable second step of the drone mapping workflow. Data processing is mainly automated, with human input only guiding the software and the hardware to create something entirely different than raw data. In a photogrammetric process, you might need to press only a single button to turn your 2D photos into 3D models and use them for various measurements and simulations.
Lastly, data analysis – is the most crucial step, where all the value resides. With the help of various tools, people use drone data analysis to achieve what otherwise would be impossible with high altitude or satellite data. Drone mapping provides resolution and accuracy far beyond what can be achieved with high-altitude flights and the flexibility to create data for entirely new use cases.
We use aerial imagery wherever we can physically capture it. Construction companies use drone mapping for progress monitoring and inspection. Mining industry professionals measure stockpiles and design pits to ensure safety. Green energy sector use drones to inspect and design solar farms. City planners and architects use drone photogrammetry to visualize and simulate future changes in the cities. Even the entertainment industry uses drone imagery to create entire virtual worlds for games and movies. Drone mapping use cases are limitless, and new ones become apparent daily.
Starting Drone Mapping?
To start your own venture, you must be able to do all three stages mentioned before. Acquire drone piloting skills and licenses for gathering data. Master your data processing techniques and software. Learn to analyze the data to create tangible value in the specific use case. It may be a long and arduous process, but you can begin right here on our blog:
Drone mapping – is an integral part of modern society. Nowadays, no construction process starts without it. No mining operation runs without aerial data gathering. You might not see drones working daily to capture the world for someone to improve it, but they are. Without this technology, our progress as a species would be slower than today. If you think you might have a use case for drone mapping, do not hesitate to embrace the latest tech and improve your workflow and results today.
Drone mapping (also called aerial surveying) is the process of taking pictures from the air and using software to digitally “stitch” them together into a 3D map of a worksite.
Drone data processing solutions usually involve one of three choices – Processing the data using software installed on a local desktop computer or network, Uploading the data to a cloud-based system for automated processing, Giving the data to experienced professionals who will handle the processing.
Drone analytics, thus, includes tracking of flight of the drone, creating 2D and 3D visualizations of the area or the site which is being surveyed, and processing the visualizations in such a way, so that the user can view and edit it to suit his/her needs.
Drones create exciting possibilities for data collection
They are essentially little flying sensor modules that can soar high across areas inaccessible to humans. Drones can serve as the operator's eyes (or even ears) and gather an immense amount of data that can improve the operator's ability to perform their job.
Georeferencing: Every time a drone takes a picture, it records the precise coordinates (i.e. longitude, latitude, and relative altitude) in the image's EXIF data. These coordinates are then used to assist in scaling the model during processing and underpin the ability to capture accurate measurements.
Drones work much like other modes of air transportation, such as helicopters and airplanes: the engine is turned on, it starts up, and the propellers rotate to enable flight.Then, the pilot uses the remote control to direct its flight from the ground. Many drones have the option to set a course automatically.
LAS (LASer) File Format: This is a standard file format for the interchange of 3D point cloud data. It's often used for LiDAR data and is supported by many software packages used in GIS, 3D visualisation, and CAD (Computer-Aided Design).
For processing aerial data collected with a drone, we recommend one of our partner software providers: Pix4D, DroneDeploy, Simactive, Agisoft, Bentley, Site Scan for ArcGIS or Autodesk. We have tested each of these platforms and can stand behind their robust data processing and analysis functionality.
If you don't use RTK (or PPK), those coordinates will have relatively large margins of errors, often several meters. With RTK (or PPK), a correction was applied, reducing the errors dramatically.
Drone mapping provides high-resolution aerial data that is more accurate and detailed than traditional survey methods. This increased accuracy can lead to better decision-making and more informed planning and analysis.
Geospatial Information Systems (GIS) is a field that heavily benefits from using professional GIS mapping drones because of their capacity to collect information that can be utilized for geospatial data visualization. UAVs provide functions absent in other forms of remote sensing.
: an uncrewed aircraft or vessel guided by remote control or onboard computers: such as. a. : a small remotely-operated rotorcraft usually with a mounted camera.
The Cost for Drone Inspections, Mapping, and Drone Surveying
Project costs vary greatly depending on the complexity and our clients can expect to pay between $60-$160 per acre. Drone images to AutoCAD processing are charged on a per-acre basis. Complex as-built feature extraction projects are generally $80/acre.
Determine your methodology. The goal of any mapmaking and associated data collection is to accurately represent objects and places on Earth's surface. ...
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