The Advantages of Using Aerial Surveys for Land Development
Aerial surveys are an important tool for land development projects and are growing in popularity. They are primarily used when conducting topographical surveys in locations that are hard to reach by foot or require a birds eye view, meaning that they can provide a detailed overview of the land and help land surveyors clients to make informed decisions about the best use of the space.
These types of survey, whether by UAV ( drone ) or full sized survey aircraft, can now be used for projects large or small and that are required in a short amount of time. The aerial unmanned vehicles – UAVs – allow surveyors to carry out the following:
- Measured Building Surveys, Including Elevations and Roof Survey
- Inspection Work, Including Roofs
- Topographical Surveys
- 3D Revit Models and BIM (Building Information Modelling) projects
This article will discuss what aerial surveys are, how they are used in land surveys, as well as the advantages of using them for land development. What’s more, how our team at Merrett Survey uses them to produce data that is accurate, efficient and cost-effective.
The Definition of Aerial Surveys
Aerial surveys use highly technical and advanced equipment to map land or buildings or structures using high-spec drones, from high-up in the sky. They provide accurate representations of the terrain being surveyed, by capturing close-up details of the site, plus the surrounding land.
Using high resolution cameras and other specialised instruments, surveyors can obtain precise measurements of distances, angles, and elevations which can then be used to create maps and 3D models via a photogrammetric process. The use of aerial photography allows surveyors to easily identify features that may not be visible from ground level.
Aerial Mapping has been performed in this way for many decades, but what is new is the ability of software to rapidly process thousands of images, merge them and create terrain models that previously required manual process of ‘stereo mapping’.
The surveyors use specific drones that are controlled by trained pilots on the ground, so that the right imagery is captured. Navigating the drone on pre-programmed flight paths across the required areas.
Types of Aerial Surveys
Aerial surveys are an invaluable tool for land development as they provide accurate, up-to-date information about the land in question with minimal effort. Different types of aerial surveys can be used depending on the needs of the project. These include photographic (photogrammetric) surveys, infrared surveys, video surveys and lidar surveys:
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Photographic surveys
The images gained from the aerial surveys are loaded into photogrammetry software to help build accurate and photo realistic 3D models and can even be plugged into BIM software (Building Information Modelling). Plus they are an efficient way to document changes in terrain over time, as they create images of the land which can be used to compare any changes that have occurred.
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Infrared Surveys
Infrared surveys allow for identifying vegetation and wildlife patterns or analysing soil moisture content without disturbing them. Plus it is ideal for fault finding on solar (PV) panels.
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Video surveys
Video surveys are ideally suited to inspection surveys where the drone can access tall structures and obtain a close up view of the condition of the asset such as transmission towers, telecom masts and bridges.
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LiDAR
Additionally, lidar (Light Detection and Ranging) uses a laser beam to measure distance, enabling it to capture 3D models of terrain or buildings with incredible accuracy. It has the capability to map the surface beneath foliage, which is it’s primary advantage over photogrammetric surveys.
No matter which type of aerial survey is used, they all offer tremendous advantages over traditional ground surveying methods. Aerial surveys require less personnel, less time and less money than ground surveying methods and provide more comprehensive information about the area being surveyed due to their higher vantage point from the sky. Thus, aerial surveys are a great way to get detailed information about land development quickly and easily.
The Benefits Of Aerial Surveys From Merrett Survey
At Merrett Survey, we provide a wide range of aerial mapping services, with our experienced surveyors conducting these surveys for multiple sectors, including coastal and marine monitoring, thermal mapping and tree mapping.
We continue to use aerial surveys for locations that are not only difficult to reach, but also dangerous areas that would not allow human access. Consequently, the unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) that are used during these land surveys provide us with better health and safety practices, as the risk to our surveyors and the public are minimised.
There are many advantages to aerial surveys, as they supply multiple land survey characteristics within different locations to an exceptional standard. It can often be far more economic than land survey work on the ground. Here are five benefits of aerial surveys and how they can be used to their best advantage:
1. Accuracy
Lidar technology provides enhanced accuracy when measuring heights and other features present in the landscape, especially beneath foliage. Accuracy is important for small or large scale projects as the high point density reduces uncertainty around elevation changes which may affect construction designs.
The recent advancements in technology have also enabled UAVs to be able to capture high-quality content, with up to 5.2K resolution images and video. With an increase in pixels, a higher quality of images is created, which in turn increase the accuracy of the survey. Take a look at a recent blog we created on all you need to know about drone surveys in our news section.
2. Three Dimensional Models
UAV aerial surveys provide high resolution, three-dimensional models of the terrain, allowing stakeholders to accurately identify potential issues and plan accordingly. This can help reduce unnecessary costs, by providing detailed data that can inform decisions before they are made on the ground.
3. Wide Span of Range
Utilising UAVs, or drones, in combination with aerial photography and geospatial mapping techniques, such as topographical and lidar surveys, allows for more accurate assessments of land characteristics as they are able to access any desired location, including extremely tall buildings, mountains and estuaries.
4. Cost-Efficiency
The cost-effectiveness of using aerial surveys for land development is also noteworthy. For large projects that cover vast areas, surveying from the air is often much more cost-effective than surveying from the ground, as this means that surveyors save on time and travel costs, as they aren’t required to visit every location in person. Full size aircraft being deployed for the larger sites, although we recently surveyed a 25 square kilometre site in Greenland by drone.
5. Time-Efficiency
Lastly, aerial survey data can be collected quickly which makes it ideal for time-sensitive projects where reliable information must be gathered rapidly. They provide fast and efficient results, making it a great option altogether for land surveyors to choose.
Aerial Surveys For Land Development By Merrett Surveys
In summary, aerial surveys have proven to be a beneficial tool for land development and offer many advantages for land development projects over traditional methods due to their accuracy, 3D ability and wide range of movement. Through the use of aerial surveying, detailed information can be gathered without the need for time-consuming and expensive on-site surveys, ultimately leading to better informed decisions when planning large scale construction projects and improving the development process overall.
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Peter Merrett - Owner & CEO
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