Mapping with Drones: A Closer Look

Drone 3D mapping has the potential to significantly improve mapping within many different industries and sectors. Research by AUVSI highlights the significant economic impact Unmanned Aircraft Systems technology could have if integrated into many areas of industry, predicting an economic impact of $82bn by 2025.

Drone mapping services combine the speed and efficiency of drones with specialised cameras and mapping systems to create accurate maps much more quickly than traditional methods.

Drone mapping is an aerial survey conducted by a drone and specialist cameras, which can include RGB, multispectral, thermal or LIDAR sensors. This range of technologies creates high-quality data which can then be processed through mapping software to create tangible assets such as 3D models, digital maps, and models and traditional 2D maps which can help inform decision-making or an understanding of the mapped area. Combining mapping with drone land surveying allows businesses to better plan for future operations and developments.

How do Drones Help With Mapping?

Drone mapping provides us with the opportunity to revolutionise how we map and survey land, supporting specialist pilots and mapping professionals to work more efficiently and accurately. From drone surveying in civil engineering to mapping for urban developments, there are multiple ways to benefit from the mapping potential of drones. Drones offer many alternatives to traditional mapping including:

High Resolution & Accuracy

Drone mapping provides high-resolution aerial imagery and other data. This data is much more accurate than that collected using manual and traditional survey methods and this allows for better decision-making and more accurate planning.

Improved Safety

Drones can fly safely into areas which are nearly impossible for people to reach. They can also reach areas which would be dangerous for people to access and therefore you can minimise the potential risk to your team when mapping dangerous or unknown terrain.

Time and Resource Efficiency

Drone mapping can minimise or completely eliminate the need for manual data collection and data is also collected in real time, allowing for quicker processing and analysis. Both time and resources are saved.

A Sustainable Future with Drone Mapping Technologies

In a case study carried out by FEDS, they found using a combination of expert pilots and drones made the process of mapping farmlands across the UAE much more efficient. The project was commissioned by the UAE’s Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MoCCaE), as they sought to use detailed agricultural data to better manage resource efficiency. With the support of eBee drones, the pilot team were able to map a huge 1,100km2 area in just 64 working days.

Without the use of drones, it would have taken years to collect the data to allow for a large-scale sustainable plan for agriculture.

FEDS is a specialist Dubai survey company utilising the latest drone 3D mapping and technologies to create a more efficient and sustainable future.