Unmanned Aerial Vehicles: A Step-by-Step Guide to Drone Surveying

In this post, we'll discuss the step-by-step workflow of using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) or drones for inspecting the facade of a building. Drone photogrammetry is an advanced technique that combines the capabilities of drones with high-resolution cameras to capture accurate aerial images. Companies can use 3D images of the work site with drones to demonstrate that their work is complete and, when necessary, identify site conditions and reduce hazardous risks. The following are the features currently available in Propeller's drone topography software solution that earthmoving project managers, among other functions in earthmoving and civil construction companies, use to gain information on the progress of their work sites.

Propeller's drone topography software solution offers earthmoving professionals the ability to quickly and easily import their design files in TTM or DXF formats and view them in 3D, even using a local site coordinate reference system. In this step, the operator basically ensures that no one approaches the drone during takeoff or landing and that the weather conditions remain optimal for the reconnaissance mission. Drone surveying platforms can generate a variety of exportable data that earthmoving companies use to manage their projects. A platform like Propeller allows earthmoving companies to easily export an orthophoto of any polygon measurement in regular, composite surveys, which means that interested parties can continue working with the data they captured in drone topographies. However, public safety personnel also use drones to carry out inspections in situations that are not active or ongoing, such as using aerial data captured by drones to create orthomosaic maps of public places to prepare for a possible active shooting scenario, or using aerial data to investigate a crime scene. Balancing competitive estimates with productive operations requires knowledge and experience in earthworks and, to prepare detailed offers, you need accurate data that comes from inspecting your site with a drone.

As you can see, the data you get from conducting surveys with a drone can be used in many ways to improve your business and improve communication with your customers and the project team. The best drone topography software solutions, such as Propeller, offer easy, cloud-based access to real-time data for anyone who needs it. Orthomosaic and digital surface model created from aerial images taken by the WingtraOne topographic and cartographic drone. Compatible with several types of payloads, including high-quality cameras with exceptional zoom functionality through DJI's Zenmuse camera series, the DJI Matrice 300 is currently the standard drone model when it comes to finding an inspection drone for most external inspection needs. But before we dive deeper, here's a brief explanation of what drone topography really is and how point clouds and photogrammetry fit into the mix. Ensuring that data collected from a drone survey mission is properly shared with stakeholders as needed is essential for any successful project.

To do this effectively, it is important to have a clear understanding of what type of data is being collected and how it will be used. It is also important to have an efficient workflow in place for sharing this data with stakeholders as needed. This includes having an easy way to export data from the drone surveying software platform into other formats that can be used by other parts of an earthmoving company's workflow. Having access to real-time data from a drone survey mission can help project managers make informed decisions quickly and accurately. By having access to this data, project managers can ensure that their projects are completed on time and within budget.

Additionally, having access to this data can help project managers identify potential risks or hazards before they become an issue.