Visual Inspections & Aerial Surveys

Aerial Videography and Photography
During visual inspections the drone will be flown either manually or automatically over an area, creating imagery along its way.  This can be presented as a video, photographs, or can be shown live on screen whilst onsite.  This is ideal if you want to check for border security, identify cracks or leaks, inspect infrastructure, or monitor progress of a project.

By using Geosphere Environmental Ltd drone surveying you will be able to clearly and easily see your points of interest, significantly reduce manpower, save time, effort and money.

3D Interactive Models
Our modelling service provides invaluable aerial data to industries, such as creating 3D models of cities, construction sites, agriculture, mining, forestry, etc. The 3D models can be seen on a computer or through VR goggles and bring data to life.  Compatible with CAD/REVIT, they can be exported in such formats as D Model (.obj, .las, .xyz) and PointCloud.

The 3D model service uses photogrammetry; the science of making measurements from photographs.  By taking anything up to 2,000 images (3 acres requires approximately 500 photos), a realistic model is produced which allows the client of a multi-million pound project the ability to monitor the progress of construction. It also allows for the ability to assess the workload to be undertaken using technologies such as orthomosaics, contour lines and point clouds. These mosaic images can be combined and a technique called volumization utilised.  The possibilities for this technology could include:​

  • Financial reporting of inventories/aggregate
  • To evaluate whether a stockpile/aggregate will cover a particular area
  • Assessing the quantity of displaced materials and how much can be excavated or filled
  • To serve as a legal record to support the purchase of stockpiled assets

 
2D Maps
Aerial surveys are being used increasingly by consumers as it is easier, safer and faster to use a drone rather than physical manpower.  Drone surveys are accurate to within 1 metre (or 1cm, depending on the type of survey) and have great potential to reduce expenses. They are much more efficient than traditional surveying techniques.

A 2D Map service could simply be bird’s eye view or multiple images stitched together.  We can then measure lengths, areas and volumes of any portion of the map.  This is accurate to within 1 metre, and able to be exported in such formats as Orthomosaic: GeoTIFF, JPG or PDF.

Elevation & Contour Surveys
By utilising software, we pre-program the area to be surveyed.  The drone then gets airborne and flies the pre-programmed route, taking photos and surveying the area as it travels.  Elevation maps within the software are created using standard geo-referenced information embedded into our drone photogrammetry.

This method is ideal should you want to check for cracks in roads, pavements, taxiways or runways.  A great advantage of these aerial surveys is that you can monitor the change in surface health by identifying cracks forming and surfaces sinking or rising; meaning you can be pro-active, and not reactive- saving considerable sums of money per annum.

Plant Health
We can clearly identify which crops are healthy and which are unhealthy.  We can then work out its volume, thus allowing the farmer to know which crops need to be replaced in order to maximise revenue.  Rather than using manpower, taking hours or even days to visually inspect the crops, this can be done in a matter of minutes.  A drone survey also saves time, effort, money and crops remain undamaged by removing the need for a physical walk-over.

Roofing
We identify what the client would like to inspect on the roof or chimney, then fly the drone around the structure.  The videos or photos captured can assist the client to identify the damage and thus what work needs to be carried out.  Alternatively, we can show the roof live on a screen and follow the directions of the client to move the drone in the route they choose, until they are satisfied that they have enough information about the roof or chimney for that specific job.