While traditional methods are still used frequently by land surveyors, the use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) is rapidly taking hold. Over the last few years, we have seen a sudden emergence of UAVs, often referred to as drones, in the realm of surveying. So where did they come from, how are they being used, and how will they be harnessed in the future of surveying?
The Start of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Surveying
When UAV surveying was first developing, it was primarily used by military personnel to survey large areas without putting personnel at risk. The UAV would take photos of a large geographical location and the software would be used to combine the images together into one larger consumable picture. From this beginning spiked the application of UAVs in a large amount of military, commercial and recreational uses.
Commercial Surveying’s Adoption of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
One of the most game-changing technologies in the world of surveying is the introduction of UAVs. It completely overhauled the way survey companies conduct business for the better, making it far easier to survey large areas. Using UAVs also offered a more cost-effective way to survey, reducing the potential harm to staff as well as allowing operational facilities to remain functional and being respectful to culturally sensitive areas.
UAVs were first used to survey mine sites, agriculture, construction and land management sites. However now with their near limitless number of surveying functions, UAVs are extremely useful to survey difficult-to- enter sites such as quarries and landfill facilities. The cost-effectiveness and ease of use have made it one of the most stable forms of surveying used by many professional commercial surveyors.
Welcome to drone day on the Adafruit blog. Every Monday we deliver the latest news, products and more from the Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV), quadcopter and drone communities. Drones can be used for video & photography (dronies), civil applications, policing, farming, firefighting, military and non-military security work, such as surveillance of pipelines. Previous posts can be found via the #drone tag and our drone / UAV categories.
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