At the core of our drone services are the data products that we produce for clients, and they extend well beyond basic aerial photos. With the specialized staff and software that we have working behind the scenes, we are able to offer more than the average UAV firm. Anytime a client chooses us for UAV-related work, they also get access to our UAV Data Hub where all results are accessible in one place to view, download and interact with.
Professional photography and high definition video are at the heart of any UAV program’s core products. We prefer custom solutions that allow us to have full manual control of our cameras that we are mounting on our UAVs, and the data that we are ultimately delivering to our clients. We shoot our video in 4K and use a 24 MP camera for our oblique photos. In addition to standard photography, we can capture multispectral and thermal imagery. You can read more about the cameras and drones that we operate here.
We like to map with our drones! After we execute mapping missions, we produce orthophotos. An orthophoto is an aerial photograph that is geometrically corrected so that the scale is uniform and distortions are removed – this means that it can be measured accurately (like a map). If you would like to measure distances and areas, or produce accurate maps of your study area (e.g. In a GIS), then we can provide you with orthophotos at a very high resolution. All of our imagery is 3 cm/pixel GSD or better, depending how high that we fly the mission.
Example: Oyster River imagery
When we fly mapping missions with our UAVs, the end result includes a high density point cloud (denser than LiDAR) that gives us elevation data. After post-processing, we can deliver a Digital Surface Model (DSM) with all surface features, or a Digital Terrain Model (DTM) with bare earth terrain data for the site. Contours at 0.5-metre intervals are commonly delivered to our clients. When we are providing survey data, we always record Ground Control Points (GCPs) in the study area with an industrial grade GPS to maintain absolute accuracy.
For project planning and logistics, it can be very useful to view your site as a 3D model. This can make measurements easier as well, to give you the full perspective of your site elements. Following our drone missions, we can produce 3D models from the data we capture, whether it’s a forested landscape, or one from the built environment. This is one of the standard products we can provide in the Strategic UAV Data Hub.
After capturing UAV imagery for mapping, there are many ways to present the data to make it more useful. One of these methods is to classify the data and create thematic maps. Would you like to highlight the percentage of your study area that is forested? Track assets on site? Automatically count features or crops on site? All of our drone work is backed by a strong team with remote sensing and GIS expertise. Our ultimate goal is to help you to get the most out of your data.
If we are providing you with mapping data, we aim to get it in your hands as soon as possible. You don’t need to have expensive GIS software to be able to interact with the data that we provide. We load your data into a web map that can be accessed on a secure environment. Our web maps will have tools that will allow you to measure and identify key features in your study area.
Often provided as extras to our clients, we produce 360-degree drone panoramas of the sites that we operate at. This can give you a unique perspective of a site and reduce the number of site visits necessary from other staff members. We provide the eyes in the sky, which can be especially useful for remote sites that are costly to access by helicopter or other means. We can also help you to compare your study area over time, with “time sliders” and other tools.
All of the quotes we provide are customized based on your project needs. Give us a call at 250.287.2246 (ask for Mike at Ext . 278) or email us from the Contact page for more information.
We look forward to working with you!
