Drone survey programs offer a range of significant benefits for civil construction, earthworks, and mining teams from improving safety and sustainability on the job site to keeping projects on time and on budget. Using data collected from a single flight, 3D drone mapping software creates four distinct deliverables – namely textured 3D models, digital elevation models, 3D point clouds, and orthophotos.
Every construction project or mining operation can benefit from frequent drone surveys. Here’s how drone data, processed by the Propeller Aero platform, can be used to support everyday workflows.
Textured models
A hyper-realistic, 3D textured model is the culmination of all data collected during a drone survey. Combining a bird’s-eye-view of conditions on the ground with accurate positional data, textured models allow construction and earthworks teams to inspect and measure their site and plan the future.
Each model is made of several triangular polygons forming a “mesh” that, along with texture files, accurately reflects the terrain on your job site. Within the Propeller Platform, teams can use textured models to perform:
- Cut/fill calculations against final design
- Haul road analysis
- Volume measurements of stockpiles, berms, pits, and other features
Digital elevation models
Unlike textured models, digital elevation models (DEMs) are visual representations of elevation data and show the surface only, with no texture data. DEMs use raster datasets to represent the terrain on a given site, using color to show differences in elevation.
The data captured in-flight via drone is processed in the Propeller Platform to create the DEM, allowing you to visualize the shape of your site’s terrain to use as a topography reference. Instead of showing your site as it actually appears in person, DEMs provide a general view of the topography of your site to create 3D models. Accurate DEMs are useful for construction, mining, and other industries, aiding in drainage planning, viewshed, foundational soundness, and much more.
3D point clouds
In simplest terms, a 3D point cloud is a georeferenced wireframe for 3D models created with the help of drone data. Every point references a distinct feature on your site, whether you’re working on an earthworks project, at a mine, or at a landfill. Geospatial coordinates and color information are attached to each point. When all of the points are connected, they form a “cloud” of information and measurements that create an identifiable 3D structure of the actual conditions at a given site.
Propeller’s processing platform relies on the science of photogrammetry to create incredibly accurate 3D point clouds. In terms of civil engineering, point cloud modeling streamlines the process of surveying complex projects that include features like roads, bridges, and buildings. Point clouds are also increasingly common in earthworks and mining, optimizing processes by improving progress monitoring and safeguarding all crews working at the site.
Orthophotos
Orthophotos are accurate representations of Earth’s surface. They’re particularly useful in earthworks and civil construction applications, helping crews measure exact distances on a job site. Several orthophotos are captured by a drone during flight, and the Propeller Platform stitches them together to create a composite “orthomosaic” of the site.
All the hard work is done for you—Propeller’s Platform geometrically corrects each photo to ensure uniform scale and perspective. Combined with this georeferenced data, orthomosaics can be used just like a traditional paper map, helping teams measure horizontal distances with unparalleled accuracy.
Harness drone survey data to streamline workflows
All it takes is one drone flight, and support from the Propeller Aero processing platform, to turn data into 3D models that help you track progress, perform measurements, and make key decisions that promote safety, sustainability, and profitability on a job site. Forward-thinking construction and mining companies should implement a drone survey program so they can harness the accurate information from diverse data sets to streamline workflows and enhance their businesses.
