Service 01
Aerial mapping and terrain models
The foundation service. A scaled, measurable picture of a site plus the surface underneath it, captured with RTK positioning and delivered in the formats your engineering team already works in.
What you get
- Georeferenced orthomosaic at the ground sample distance agreed for the site
- Digital surface model and digital terrain model
- Contour lines at your chosen interval, delivered as DXF or SHP
- Point cloud in LAS or LAZ
- RTK tagged source imagery on request, for teams processing in their own software
Choosing your accuracy level
- Relative: internally consistent geometry for measuring within the site
- NTRIP absolute: corrections streamed live from an Alberta base network for real world coordinates
- Verified: independent checkpoints flown and the residual error reported with the deliverables
Capture reference
- Aircraft
- DJI Mavic 3E, RTK
- Typical GSD
- 2 to 3 cm/px
- Positioning
- NTRIP or on site base
- Reference RMSE
- 0.01 m achieved
- Processing
- WebODM Lightning
- Delivery
- 3 to 5 business days
On an aggregate pit in central Alberta, 1,000 aligned frames captured with NTRIP absolute positioning produced a 2.51 cm/px ground sample distance at 0.01 m RMSE. RTK tagged source imagery was handed over alongside the processed outputs so the client's own engineering software could reprocess independently.
Used for
7 applicationsLand development and site planning
Existing conditions capture before design, delivered as an orthomosaic and terrain model your civil team can work over.
Golf course terrain
Contours, drainage and low point analysis across a full property from a single morning of flying, with a high resolution image of every hole.
Cemetery and grounds records
Plot level imagery accurate enough to digitise section and plot boundaries against, pairing with geotagged marker photography.
Aggregate pits and quarries
Face position, haul road planning and terrain for reclamation reporting on a repeating cycle.
Reclamation and environmental
Baseline and progress terrain for regulatory reporting, repeatable year over year.
Corridors and right of way
Continuous capture along linear projects rather than stitched from separate visits.
Acreages and rural property
Full property imagery and terrain for planning, drainage or sale.
Recognise your project in that list? Send the site and the deliverable and a scoped quote comes back, usually within one business day, with the positioning method and delivery window stated and your licence to use the imagery included.
Get a quote for mapping and terrain modelsCommon questions
Answered plainlyHow accurate is drone mapping compared to ground methods?
With RTK positioning and live network corrections, a Drone360 capture typically returns a 2 to 3 cm ground sample distance. On a recent aggregate pit the reported residual error was 0.01 m RMSE against independent checkpoints. That is accurate enough for volumes, grading and design work on most civil projects. Where a project needs the error stated rather than assumed, checkpoints are flown and the result is reported with the deliverables.
What file formats do you deliver terrain data in?
GeoTIFF orthomosaics, LAS or LAZ point clouds, DXF or SHP contours, and digital surface and terrain models. RTK tagged source imagery can be handed over as well, which suits teams who process in Correlator3D, Pix4D, Metashape or similar.
How long does a site map take?
Most single site captures are flown in a day and delivered in three to five business days. Weather and airspace authorization set the front end of that, not processing.
Do I need lidar or is photogrammetry enough?
Photogrammetry is the right tool for open ground, stockpiles, pavement, pits and construction sites, and it costs a fraction of a lidar mobilisation. Lidar earns its cost where you need ground returns under tree canopy or vegetation. Drone360 sources lidar payloads per project when the job genuinely calls for it.
Other services
Drone360 ImageryVolumetric measurement
Material volumes and cut and fill figures reported against a stated reference surface, on a repeatable cycle.
03Area and quantity measurement
Measured areas and quantities reconciled in a workbook and shown over a scaled image anyone can verify.
04Thermal imaging
Radiometric thermal capture for hot spots, moisture, electrical and mechanical faults, and heat signature search support.
05Asset and structure inspection
Close visual inspection of structures and assets that are difficult, expensive or hazardous to reach on foot.
06Multispectral mapping
Index maps that show plant stress before it is visible to the eye, flown on your schedule rather than a satellite's.
07Progress documentation
Repeat capture from logged positions, so this month lines up with last month and the sequence reads as progress.
08Aerial media and events
Cinematic aerial film, facility and property imagery, and live event coverage with standoff planned in advance.
09Lidar capture
High density lidar for ground surface beneath vegetation, captured with RGB in the same mobilisation.