THE CHALLENGES

The task of surveying a sprawling 250km² area is daunting, to say the least. The sheer scale of the land demands a comprehensive approach to capture every terrain in detail. Traditional ground-based survey methods are often impractical for such vast areas due to the significant time, labour, and financial resources required.

Challenges include navigating varied and potentially rugged terrain, ensuring consistent data quality across extensive distances, and coordinating the logistics of survey teams and equipment. Furthermore, large-scale land surveys must contend with environmental factors such as weather changes, which can disrupt the consistency and scheduling of data collection.

National Drones, through its expertise in aerial surveying, circumvents these issues by deploying drones capable of covering large areas with precision and speed, transforming what would be a logistical marathon into a tactical sprint. Our approach minimizes human exposure to challenging landscapes and expedites the data collection process, providing comprehensive, high-resolution imagery and topographical data that are vital for accurate analysis and decision-making.

THE SOLUTION

The formidable challenge of conducting a land survey over a 250km² area was met with an innovative aerial solution. By leveraging state-of-the-art drone technology equipped with advanced imaging and sensing capabilities, we were able to efficiently survey the vast terrain with in a relatively short period of time. The Flamingo MKIII Aircraft that was deployed designed to cover extensive areas quickly, negating the need for numerous ground personnel and reducing the time taken from weeks to mere days.

Our comprehensive solution involved meticulous pre-flight planning to ensure complete coverage without redundant overlaps. The drones captured high-definition images and generated accurate digital elevation models, which were then seamlessly stitched together to create a cohesive orthomosaic of the entire area with a pixel resolution of 6 centimetres. This method not only accelerated the survey process but also produced data of extremely high quality, with detailed insights into the topography and environmental features of the property.

In addition, our use of drones minimized the environmental impact typically associated with large-scale land surveys. By reducing the need for ground vehicles and equipment, we were able to lessen soil disruption and preserve the natural state of the ecosystem.

This data also provided an accurate representation of the property before any construction or mining activities took place – giving a record at a point in time.

THE METHODOLOGY

To ensure the highest quality of data over the expansive QEM tenement, National Drones employed a sophisticated methodology. This process involved capturing a series of overlapping photographs from our drones, which were then processed together to create a comprehensive and precise representation of the land. Photogrammetry relies on overlapping imagery to build depth and dimension into the models it constructs. By calculating the optimal overlap to give quality data as well as a reasonable time-frame for capture between images, we know that every inch of the survey area was documented with enough redundancy to ensure accuracy and to correct any potential discrepancies.

To anchor the aerial data to real-world coordinates and enhance the precision of our photogrammetric analysis, we established a network of ground control points (GCPs) across the survey site. These GCPs serve as reference markers, allowing us to calibrate and validate our aerial data against known positions on the ground. The integration of these points into our data processing ensures that the orthomosaics and digital elevation models produced are not only detailed but also geospatially accurate. The collection of these GCP’s is an effort in itself and took the better part of four days over an area this size.

Given the scale of the project and the necessity of ensuring communications with the aircraft, maintaining robust communication with our drones was paramount. To navigate this challenge, we conducted a thorough viewshed analysis prior to deployment. This analysis enabled us to map out areas where radio communication could be compromised due to terrain obstructions, ensuring that at no point would our drones be operating without a reliable communication link.

THE RESULTS

The aerial survey conducted for QEM culminated in a suite of high-definition deliverables that surpassed the project’s requirements. Achieving an impressive 6cm resolution, the 2D orthomosaics provided an exceptionally detailed bird’s-eye view of the property, offering clarity that facilitated precise boundary delineation and informed decision-making. In addition to the 2D products, our operation also generated comprehensive 3D outputs, including a digital elevation model (DEM) that offers valuable topographic information with volumetric accuracy and a textured 3D mesh that brings the landscape to life for stakeholders requiring more immersive interaction with the surveyed area.

These datasets, rich in detail and scope, were made accessible through our cloud-based platform, SmartData. This advanced delivery method not only ensured that the information was easily available to QEM’s team for immediate analysis but also provided a secure, collaborative environment for various departments to interact with the data. By leveraging SmartData, QEM could integrate the new aerial insights directly into their existing workflows, enhancing their operational efficiency and planning capabilities. The high-resolution imagery and 3D models delivered through this project have set a new standard for land surveying, enabling a level of precision and accessibility that propels QEM’s project planning into the future.

The results delivered through SmartData not only presented QEM with a visual repository but also equipped them with enhanced analytical capabilities. The 6cm resolution imagery provided the basis for detailed analyses, from environmental assessments to infrastructure planning. With the high-fidelity 2D and 3D products, QEM’s team could conduct in-depth analyses with confidence in the data’s accuracy.