Land surveying is the latest industry to be revolutionized by drones. Not only is the use of drones or UAS technology is growing in North America, it’s making survey work more approachable and hopefully much more accurate in parts of the world where surveyors have limited access to the terrain and to modern equipment.
Drone Technology Makes Land Survey Work Faster and More Precise
Land surveying has become another industry where turn-around time matters. Using drone technology in the field, professional surveyors can get the detail that they need for precise mapping and improve turnaround time for a more competitive business.
At Waypoint, Rachel Kohlman, SLS, P. Surv and Project Manager at Meridian Surveys (Alta) Ltd. says a UAS saves time and helps surveyors get a “very complete set of data.” It’s also been a boon for safety, she says, as drones can go into areas that would otherwise be hazardous to people and come back with better data.
UAS Technology Helps Land Surveyors Grow Their Business
Having keener eyes and more comprehensive data collection technology available almost anywhere, drones are helping early adopters grow their business with a combination of excellent results and reasonable rates. Brian Kerr, O.L.S., C.L.S. , who is the Senior Project Manager at McIntosh Perry in Canada, tells Waypoint that UAVs are where good work and good pricing points can converge.
He explains that drones “provide an affordable alternative to field survey personnel”, which enables complete and comprehensive work at a lower cost and using fewer people on the job. This technology, he says, allows staff to focus on areas of the job that require “on-the-ground detail acquisition.
Check out what a drone can do in locations where the terrain is unforgiving:
Drones Improve Mapping Capabilities in Remote and Developing Areas
In parts of the world with unforgiving terrain, lower accessibility and less access to full crews, drones help surveyors get more accurate data for mapping as well as risk assessment for natural disaster research. Researcher, Matthew Cua, along with his group at SkyEye Analytics, Inc., has developed drone technology designed for that type of mapping work.
Cua tells ABS-CBN News that his project developed from his undergrad thesis. While working in the field in the Philippines, he discovered an alarming trend. People wouldn’t evacuate their homes before or during a disaster for fear of losing their land in the aftermath. With drone technology and better land surveying and mapping, a more complete set of data is available to protect landowners and perhaps even improve safety in the community during a disaster.
Drones go where people can’t, they see better than people can, and they collect more data than people are capable of on their own. Whether you call the technology drones, UAVs or UASs, these small, unmanned aerial vehicles are expanding the reach of land surveyors for clearer, more precise mapping from the air and better safety and efficiency on the ground.
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