Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have revolutionized the way land is surveyed. Equipped with high-tech downward-facing sensors and cameras, drones can quickly capture images and data in the terrain below them. This data is then processed by advanced mapping software to create high-quality 3D maps and models that accurately represent the Earth's geography and topography. Drone surveys have a wide range of applications, from establishing boundaries and defining lines to capturing historical evidence and creating records for legal documents.
In addition to their many uses, drones are ideal for land management studies. They can fly much closer to the ground than satellites or airplanes, providing land managers with accurate data to make better decisions. Drone topography generates high-resolution orthomosaic maps and 3D models of areas to create accurate cadastral maps. Urban planners can quickly gather updated data from a complex urban area with fewer staff to study the existing social and environmental conditions of the sites.
To perform highly accurate drone inspections, it is necessary to precisely locate the position of a drone in flight. This can be done using ground control points (GSP), a real-time kinematic study (RTK), or a kinematic post-processing study (PPK). Surveyors can perform highly accurate distance and surface measurements using high-resolution orthomosaic photographs of drone topography. Understanding the legal landscape of the state in which you operate will prevent drone pilots from being accused of “practicing topography without a license.” The images obtained from drone topography can be used in 3D mapping software, from which volumetric measurements are obtained.
