Drone Technology is the leading technological disrupter of 21 century! From delivering parcels to doorstep to saving lives in remote areas by medical supplies; it’s a technology that cannot be overlooked by any industry, not even by geospatial. Drones have made it possible to map an area very quickly in a very cost-effective manner, pushing those days back when just satellite imagery was an option. Industries like construction, agriculture, healthcare, disaster support, mining, infrastructure inspection etc. are heavily using drone mapping and surveying, as clear, precise image or 3D model of a project area with accurate measurements makes their decision-making work easy. Quick result delivery and low cost add an additional reason to go for it! Drones are able to fly to places larger aircraft can’t – including mines or quarries as well as to sites where it’s unsafe to send people, such as precarious structures or remote locations. With aerial imaging, you can get a more comprehensive view of, and greater insight about, your asset or project. With drone technology, the sky is not the limit: the only limit is your imagination!
Using LIDAR, infrared, orthomosaic and other sensors and technologies, drone mapping services can quickly capture image data and convert it to 2D, 3D, and 4D maps that can be annotated and shared in the cloud. These capabilities allow the measurement of distances and volumes, the development fast topographic, hydrographic and thermal maps, and the ability to see volumetric calculations for stockpiles and monitor regularly for changes. The view of heat maps and flood insurance maps accurately identifies property boundaries, map construction sites, and topographical features that affect engineering project requirements. These are just a few ways drones greatly streamline and simplify surveying and mapping today.
Drones equipped with a LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) instrument are just what you need to map land formations or bodies of water using lasers and other technology. Scientists and surveyor can view and document environments accurately. They can create data for geographic information systems that can be used for emergency response, for example. Additionally, once multiple drone images are captured, they can be “stitched” together to create an orthomosaic image. The result is a detailed photographic map – geometrically corrected to remove distortion using photogrammetry – which is far superior to a 2D map. The Civil engineers & contractors can use drone technology to speed land development projects at a fraction of what it would cost them to hire manned aircraft.
Anything with a temperature above absolute zero is going to emit infrared radiation. Viewing objects through a thermal imaging camera will enable you to see variations in temperature, thus you can detect things in the environment without light. Aerial thermal imaging can help safety personnel fight wildfires or perform surveillance. In the construction industry, it can detect water leaks or energy loss. In agriculture, thermal or-near infrared aerial imagery can aid in crop production to assess the soil, locate weed outbreaks, and evaluate crop consistency using a mathematical interpretation to determine the Normalized Difference Vegetative Index (NDVI). The use of multi-spectral imaging in farming is what is referred to as “precision agriculture.”
From quick deliveries at rush hour to scanning an unreachable military base, drones are proving to be extremely beneficial in places where man cannot reach or is unable to perform in a timely and efficient manner. Increasing work efficiency and productivity, decreasing workload and production costs, improving accuracy, refining service and customer relations, and resolving security issues on a vast scale are a few of the top uses drones offer industries globally.
You can also request a quotation for UAV/Drone Mapping and Aerial Survey services by sending us an e-mail at: [email protected] or by calling us on: +254-719-672296.