Importance of Hiring a Professional Land Surveyor for Drone Services

Drones today have the capabilities of creating high-precision data in two and three-dimensional models, so it is important that the provider of the data has the capability to actually certify and approve that the data is accurate. The majority of drone service providers today are not licensed land surveyors and do not have a surveyor verify or certify the data they produce for clients. Anybody can fly a drone and claim they produce centimeter-level precision data, but how can they verify that it is accurate?

At Seig Surveying, we have experience working with photogrammetry and Lidar data and can ensure not only precise but also accurate data. With over 20 years of experience working with survey-grade data, we know how to ensure that our produced data is accurate to the level of precision the drone can achieve.

Many states across the country are starting to realize the importance of having only licensed land surveyors provide drone services. The reason why a licensed surveyor should be providing drone data is that they have the capability to verify and certify the data they are producing, while other non-licensed surveyors who only provide drone services cannot verify or certify their data. When a non-licensed surveyor produces drone data for a client, they are putting the public at risk because they do not have any type of license to certify their data. Without a professional surveyor’s license, one does not have the knowledge or credentials to provide high-precision data to a client because they essentially have nothing to lose and nothing to back up their credentials. A licensed land surveyor’s number one responsibility is to serve the best interest of the public. Do not gamble on hiring someone who does not have the right credentials to provide drone services; trust a licensed surveyor who you can be confident will provide you with accurate data!


ACCURACY VS. PRECISION


OUR DRONE SERVICES:

Drone LiDAR services offer a cutting-edge solution for precise surveying and mapping needs. By utilizing Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) technology mounted on drones, these services can efficiently capture highly accurate three-dimensional data of terrain, infrastructure, or assets from above. This method allows for comprehensive mapping with detailed elevation and feature information, essential for various industries such as urban planning, construction, agriculture, and environmental monitoring.

With certified and experienced professionals at the helm, clients can trust in the quality and reliability of the data provided, ensuring informed decision-making and streamlined project management. Whether for land development, infrastructure maintenance, or resource management, Drone LiDAR services offer unparalleled efficiency and accuracy in data collection, empowering businesses and organizations to achieve their goals effectively.

WHAT IS LIDAR?

If you're currently exploring options for drone lidar services, chances are you're intrigued by the inner workings and versatility of lidar technology. Lidar, an abbreviation for Light Detection and Ranging, is an advanced method of remote sensing renowned for its exceptional precision and accuracy in detecting objects within physical space.

In the operation of UAV lidar systems, a sophisticated drone equipped with state-of-the-art lidar sensors takes flight. As it moves across a specified area, the drone emits rapid bursts of laser pulses onto various surfaces below, ranging from an impressive 100,000 to 3 million pulses per second. These pulses bounce back and are meticulously measured by the lidar sensor, allowing for the creation of a detailed 3D map of the scanned environment. To further enhance accuracy and spatial understanding, lidar data seamlessly integrates with GPS and Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) data, resulting in a comprehensive digital representation stored in a point file format. This dataset serves as a valuable resource for professional engineers and surveyors, enabling them to produce a wide range of customized deliverables tailored to their clients' specific requirements.

Exploring the intricacies and technical aspects of lidar technology unveils the vast potential and diverse applications of drone lidar services. By leveraging the impressive capabilities of lidar, professionals in engineering and surveying fields can enhance their projects, providing clients with unmatched precision, accuracy, and actionable insights.

Lidar technology provides an unmatched advantage in 3D modeling. In contrast to photogrammetry, which relies on stitching together separate images, lidar employs laser light pulses capable of penetrating dense foliage and intricate structures. This results in levels of detail that traditional methods struggle to achieve.

After data collection, post-processing facilitates the classification of data points based on their reflective properties, including categories such as bare ground, dense canopy coverage, and water bodies. With its advanced features, lidar proves indispensable across diverse industries, serving a multitude of purposes from urban planning to initiatives aimed at preserving forest ecosystems!

 
 

With the power of lidar technology, forest mapping reaches unprecedented levels of precision. By capturing terrain and vegetation details down to the centimeter scale, these three-dimensional point cloud models offer invaluable insights that fuel sophisticated analysis. When integrated with other data sources, this information empowers foresters with a comprehensive understanding of their surroundings.

Here at Seig Surveying, lidar stands as one of our core strengths. We seamlessly merge aerial lidar, utilizing sensors mounted on drones or small aircraft, with handheld and mobile SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping) lidar technology, ensuring unparalleled point cloud density and data extraction. Through our lidar data, we provide essential metrics such as tree densities, stocking levels, and expected yield within a given area, facilitating regression analyses for enhanced decision-making.

Moreover, our clients benefit from an immersive virtual walk-through experience of the scanned area, guiding them on a digital journey to uncover the intricate details beneath the surface.