christopher.shiny
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For surveyors who, perhaps, are considering expanding their business to include aerial services, Tully says it is no simple step and should be considered carefully. A large part of what companies like Aerial Services do is actual mapping. “Don’t underestimate the complexity and difficulty of making a map. It’s not the same as surveying and its not simply ‘aerial photography,’” he says.
Remote sensing and mapping require a good technical understanding of photogrammetry; this includes knowing how to stitch remotely-sensed data together to make a uniform dataset that can be objectively tested for accuracy. Surveyors should also understand the limitations of processing software that depends upon the science of photogrammetry, which today automates a lot of the unmanned processing phase. “There are assumptions and compromises that software is making to produce these datasets very easily and very quickly,” Tully explains. “If the practicioner does not understand them, they might misrepresent the quality or accuracy of the product that comes out the other end.”
Many of Day’s clients see the introduction of drones as a way to bring total surveying or mapping projects under one roof. Unfortunately, he says many companies have tried this with manned aircraft before and have failed. He expects the success rate with drones to be higher, but highlights that to be safe, legal, deliver exceptional data and be cost effective requires a dedicated group of people. “Any surveyor who wants to perform aerial work with drones should know that they do not necessarily make data collection cheaper. Although the cost of entry is cheaper, other factors like labor and incidentals can be higher. Also, you will crash them and there is a steep learning curve to the software to generate products.”
To those surveyors considering manned operations, Day says aircraft break, digital cameras are expensive and post-production software is not cheap. In order to support these costs and make business sense, aerial surveying should be performed in large quantities.
On the other hand, Simard acknowledges that drones have been perceived as a threat by many surveying and mapping businesses; the rationale being that their low price could allow anyone to start collecting data and become competition. Echoing Tully’s point though, Simard says, “The truth is that the process is not that simple, at least not if results are to meet certain quality standards. The main challenge for anyone new to aerial surveying is to learn and understand the whole photogrammetric process to achieve desired project requirements.”
In the grand scheme of things, every technology represents just another tool — including drones and LiDAR sensors. What surveyors and mappers really need is to make sure the people using those tools are capable and competent and licensed, Tully says. “The problem is not with the technology. The potential risk is the exploitation of that technology by unqualified people.”
Day agrees that the key challenge is ensuring that quality does not suffer in the pursuit of reduced prices and increased automation. “Both land survey and aerial survey or photogrammetry has a long tradition of quality,” he says. “In a data-driven culture where timeliness is crucial, aerial surveying will still be relevant and useful, if we are willing to adapt.”
Remote sensing and mapping require a good technical understanding of photogrammetry; this includes knowing how to stitch remotely-sensed data together to make a uniform dataset that can be objectively tested for accuracy. Surveyors should also understand the limitations of processing software that depends upon the science of photogrammetry, which today automates a lot of the unmanned processing phase. “There are assumptions and compromises that software is making to produce these datasets very easily and very quickly,” Tully explains. “If the practicioner does not understand them, they might misrepresent the quality or accuracy of the product that comes out the other end.”
Many of Day’s clients see the introduction of drones as a way to bring total surveying or mapping projects under one roof. Unfortunately, he says many companies have tried this with manned aircraft before and have failed. He expects the success rate with drones to be higher, but highlights that to be safe, legal, deliver exceptional data and be cost effective requires a dedicated group of people. “Any surveyor who wants to perform aerial work with drones should know that they do not necessarily make data collection cheaper. Although the cost of entry is cheaper, other factors like labor and incidentals can be higher. Also, you will crash them and there is a steep learning curve to the software to generate products.”
To those surveyors considering manned operations, Day says aircraft break, digital cameras are expensive and post-production software is not cheap. In order to support these costs and make business sense, aerial surveying should be performed in large quantities.
On the other hand, Simard acknowledges that drones have been perceived as a threat by many surveying and mapping businesses; the rationale being that their low price could allow anyone to start collecting data and become competition. Echoing Tully’s point though, Simard says, “The truth is that the process is not that simple, at least not if results are to meet certain quality standards. The main challenge for anyone new to aerial surveying is to learn and understand the whole photogrammetric process to achieve desired project requirements.”
In the grand scheme of things, every technology represents just another tool — including drones and LiDAR sensors. What surveyors and mappers really need is to make sure the people using those tools are capable and competent and licensed, Tully says. “The problem is not with the technology. The potential risk is the exploitation of that technology by unqualified people.”
Day agrees that the key challenge is ensuring that quality does not suffer in the pursuit of reduced prices and increased automation. “Both land survey and aerial survey or photogrammetry has a long tradition of quality,” he says. “In a data-driven culture where timeliness is crucial, aerial surveying will still be relevant and useful, if we are willing to adapt.”