Drone Surveys

Taking Data Collection To New Heights

Fully licensed drone pilots. The best 4K equipment on the market. And a team that cares. If you’re looking for detailed maintenance reports or professional insight into your next development, look no further than Impact Aerial – the West Midland’s number one drone surveying company. Our state-of-the-art aerial drones provide footage more exhaustive and meticulous than any survey conducted by hand – and it’s much safer than in-person assessments, too. Don’t take unnecessary risks. Work smarter and safer with our specialist drone surveying services.

What are drone surveys?

Also known as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), drones are essentially airborne robotic devices that can be controlled remotely from the ground. They can be linked to GPS systems and come in a variety of sizes to serve different purposes. 

With the right piloting expertise, aerial drones can be used to navigate complex terrains and spaces, making them ideal for safely surveying land. What’s more, they cover this terrain much more quickly than traditional methods, saving you a lot of time and effort, as well. Examples of drone surveys include drone land surveying, drone construction surveying, and drone roof surveys, among many others. Find out more in our guide below.

A Guide To Drone Surveys

What is drone surveying?

Put simply, drone surveying is the process of piloting unmanned drones above selected buildings or plots of land, in order to gather valuable information using the machines’ built-in sensors. 

We are all familiar with photography drones, designed to capture aerial images and video footage of landscapes or events. These images are frequently used for promotional and entertainment purposes. However, the 4K footage captured by our aerial drones can be used for so much more than that. 

Capable of capturing high-definition images from literally any angle, the photographic data collected by our drones can be brought together to form a full, 2D, or 3D model of the site you are surveying. Each picture represents a different data point or geolocation, which, when brought together, will give you the most accurate depiction of your building, roof, or land. This is achieved without you having to climb up there yourself or spend hours wandering around, potentially forgetting significant details. 

It’s not just image depictions, either. Our drones can also capture other data, such as heat data using specialised thermal sensors, for example. Find out more about the different types of drone surveys below. 

Types of Drone Surveys

The drone survey process can be divided into two distinct stages: data collection and data processing. 

During data collection, drones use a variety of sensors to collect information. These may include: 

• RGB sensors – Red-, green- and blue-scale images are stacked on top of one another to produce a full colour image.  
• Multispectral sensors – Also capture red, green, and blue light.  
• LiDAR sensors – LiDAR drones direct pulses of light at the ground, allowing them to detect small objects during mapping. Because they operate using lasers, they can see through trees and ground cover, producing unique insights for our clients.
• Thermal sensors – Heat cameras allow us to identify and monitor things like water lines, supply lines and pipes. They therefore prove incredibly useful when it comes to repairing leaks and dealing with energy loss, as well as informing development decisions.

We then use professional software to process this information, transforming it into useful models.

One of the most common ways of processing the data collected by aerial drones is to stitch images together to create high-resolution 2D and 3D models. This process is called photogrammetry. Here are just a few examples of the types of models we can create:

Orthomosaic maps

Orthomosaic maps are similar to the maps you might find on Google Earth. However, they are much more detailed. They are created by combining a series of images called orthophotos, together. 

Orthophotos are much sharper than ordinary aerial images because they have been specially corrected for improved perspective and accuracy. Essentially, this means there is no distortion. Orthomosaic maps can therefore be used to measure accurate distances, just as you would on an ordinary road map. They’re great for surveying large plots of land, as well as for inspections and monitoring changes over time, among many other uses.

Topographical maps

Topographic surveys allow you to get a lay of the land. The most basic 2D contour maps show the peaks, valleys, and troughs of your terrain, using isolines to connect points of equal elevation. 

Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) are essentially colourful, 3D contour maps, where each different elevation is highlighted in a separate colour. 

Digital Surface Models (DSMs) and Digital Terrain Models (DTMs) are both specific types of DEM. Whilst DTMs constitute a model of the Earth’s surface without any additional features like buildings or trees, DTMs capture everything on the ground.

Other advanced 3D models 

Aerial survey techniques have come a long way since drones were first implemented. We can now create complex 3D models, such as 3D point clouds and 3D texture mesh models, which show all the intricate colours, textures, and details of the area you are inspecting. Contact us to find out more.

Key benefits of drone surveying 

Drone surveys serve a variety of purposes, whether you need to assess your land, determine your boundaries or examine your roof. Here are just some of the reasons you should choose drone surveying:

Save time and money

Drone surveying doesn’t have to be a costly process. In fact, it could save you a lot of money over time. Need to survey a large area of land? Why spend months planning and executing a mammoth task when a drone could do it in just a fraction of the time? Turn days and weeks of paid labour into just a few hours of careful exploration, leaving you with more time and money to dedicate to the rest of your project. 

Access all areas

Unfortunately, not all areas are easy to access. Perhaps you want to assess the condition of a narrow chimney or need to find out what’s on the other side of that rocky mound, acres away from your starting point? Wherever it is, you need to reach – be it confined spaces or large expanses of land – aerial drones ensure you get all the data you need without any hassle or risk of potential injury. 

Keep your team safe

Surveying can be dangerous, regardless of whether you need to assess complex terrain, review areas that are difficult to reach, or simply evaluate the condition of your roof. Even when equipped with the latest safety gear, accidents can happen, and it’s simply not worth putting your employees at risk. Avoid costly lawsuits, remove the need for expensive equipment, and keep your conscience clean by surveying your site with Impact Aerial. 

Get better measurements

Because drones use multiple sensors to capture information from all angles, they are able to capture thousands of data points all at once. When combined, these data points can be used to create astoundingly detailed 2D and 3D models. Our drones capture a wealth of information that’s simply not possible to capture using traditional survey methods. 

Back yourself up

Even when armed with professional photographs, in-person surveyors are likely to miss key details and forget certain information with the passage of time. The advantage of drone surveying is that you are able to review the footage captured time and time again, ensuring that no detail is overlooked. What’s more, if you’re ever involved in a legal dispute and need to prove due diligence or fulfilment of your obligations, you’ll have the evidence right there, ready and waiting. 

Drone survey sectors 

Property

We help property developers and property management teams to survey land they’re planning to work on, even when situated in remote or challenging locations. We use the high-resolution footage we capture during our orthomosaic and topographic surveys to create complex 3D models of your site. The top-quality images we collect also prove invaluable when assessing property conditions. When it comes to project planning, there’s no service more reliable than Aerial Impact’s drone surveys.

Building services

Surveying buildings can be a time-consuming process, especially when working on large commercial and industrial properties or large-scale domestic developments. Contracting licensed professionals to do the work for you using piloted drones can therefore save you time and money. It’s also much safer than asking staff to explore hard-to-reach areas in person or sending them up older, potentially weakened buildings that perhaps contain hazardous materials. Get the high-value data you need without the risk with Impact Aerial.

Advertising

At Impact Aerial, we do everything we can to help you achieve your goals. As a full production service, we’re able to capture stunning footage from every angle imaginable, creating unique perspectives unlike any other you’ve seen before. Our professional team of filmmakers know exactly what goes into a great marketing strategy, helping you to shoot the perfect campaign for your business, whether you’re a small start-up or a nationwide brand looking to truly get things off the ground.

Virtual tours

Looking for a unique way to promote your business? What better way to bring customers to your area than with high-quality, 360º aerial footage of your property and its surroundings? Whether you’re located right in the heart of a thriving metropolis or want to show off the beautiful, rolling countryside right on your doorstep, the West Midland’s greatest drone specialists are on hand to ensure that you paint the experience you have to offer prospective clients in the best possible light.

Construction

With Impact Aerial, getting the data you need for your next construction project has never been easier. We use our fleet of cutting-edge drones in construction, piloted by licensed professionals, to measure volumes, distances, and temperatures, presenting you with all the information you could possibly want for your next build, without the need for scaffolding or other expensive equipment. We’ll save you both money and time, and, most importantly, eliminate the risk of human error, giving you peace of mind that’s otherwise difficult to secure.

Case Studies

Information to be provided by the client:

Drone Survey Testimonials 

Current Google Reviews

“Nigel and the team at Impact Aerial were fantastic from start to finish. We weren’t aware of all the rules and regulations that a business like Impact Aerial has to conform to, but now we know, we are glad we booked such a professional company. We would recommend Nigel and his team at Impact Aerial to anyone looking for an excellent drone video and photography business service”. Sally Farmer

“Service of the highest quality from these guys. Thanks a lot for your help at short notice and willingness to adapt to changing circumstances”. Chris Marquis

“Great service, professional team. The work is class! Highly recommend”. Kashif Raja