What is Drone Surveying and How Does it Work?

Drone surveying is the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) equipped with RGB cameras, multispectral cameras or LiDAR loads to collect data. This data is then transmitted to special equipment on the ground near the UAV operator. Drone land surveying involves the use of UAVs to assess large plots of land. When equipped with high-tech downward-facing sensors and cameras, a drone can quickly capture images and data in the terrain below it.

Advanced mapping software processes the drone's data and converts it into high-quality 3D maps and models that accurately represent the Earth's geography and topography. In a nutshell, a drone survey is an aerial survey conducted by a drone. Using sensors, such as RGB or multispectral cameras, or LiDAR loads, drones can capture a large amount of data quickly. Aerial surveys combine sensors together with ground points and aerial targets suitable for topography to align the data with the ground precisely.

Drone mapping

(sometimes called drone topography) is a fairly simple way to collect data with drones. As the name suggests, it consists of mapping an area of your choice with a drone to produce all kinds of useful results, such as orthomosaic, digital elevation models and 3D models.

Drone mapping makes it possible to collect very detailed data over a large area that is not possible using satellite images or traditional topography of the terrain. The good news for beginners to drone mapping is that there are many applications that can help you with drone mapping. Then, the data from the drone survey is processed and visualized on an interactive 3D map to track progress, measure volume, improve team collaboration, and more. However, depending on what you need to achieve, the software you use can make your drone surveying experience a success or a failure. In this beginner's guide, we'll discuss what a drone topographic survey is, its advantages compared to traditional terrestrial studies, and the different types of cartographic and measurement data it can offer. Whether you're actively interested in creating a drone topography program for your workplace or just want to learn more about some of the many uses of drones, you've come to the right place. But it also has a support team made up of customer service engineers whose sole objective is to ensure that Propeller customers have all the resources they need to successfully implement and execute a drone topography program.

The software and, more importantly, the equipment connected to that software can have an enormous impact on the outcome of drone topography programs. Thanks to its ease of use, reliable accuracy and positive effect on worker safety, many contractors are moving from traditional topography of bases and explorers to drone topography. During a drone study with an RGB camera, the floor is photographed several times from different angles and each image is labeled with coordinates. Aerial images taken by drones greatly accelerate and simplify topographic studies for land management and planning. Like other technologies that have revolutionized industries, drone surveying will not eliminate surveyors, but will dramatically change the methods of surveying, the skills and tools with which surveyors must be trained to remain competitive. 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.