Aerotas client John Luckow, President at Arizona Surveying, wrote an excellent commentary on a critical and under-discussed issue: as more people are using drones to start new businesses, surveyors must emphasize the importance of being Licensed Land Surveyors.
With a drone, nearly anyone can create an orthophoto or 3D model, meaning nearly anyone can produce a topographic or planimetric map by drone. However, as land surveyors well know, just being able to make a pretty map or model does not mean that person knows how to make it reliably accurate or stand up in a court of law. Being a professional surveyor is about much more than just having a powerful tool. Surveyors need to help their clients understand the importance of their license.
We take a very similar mindset when we get our clients set up with our Aerotas Mapping System. Anyone can buy a drone and use it to get a pretty picture, but to reliably get highly accurate results, you need professional expertise and guidance. Just like a smart homeowner will go to a Land Survey expert to get their topographic survey, a smart surveyor will go to the drone experts to build their drone program.
Read below an excerpt from Mr. Luckow's post. As a client of Aerotas, his team has become recognized experts at surveying by drone in Arizona.
To work with the experts to build your drone surveying operation, contact us through the Aerotas Mapping System page.
Licensed Surveyors and Aerial Drones
As the "cost of entry" into the UAV/drone space decreases, the number of under-qualified or dubious operators increases. This is where the scene becomes crowded and it pays to know who you're working with and what their actual experience and capabilities are. With a drone's simplified software and ease of use, quasi-professionals are stepping up and offering mapping-related services to consumers in related industries. But it's less than clear what they are getting and if the data and information received is actually correct and what they need.
That's why the value of a Licensed Land Surveyor for controlling and processing drone-collected mapping data cannot be overlooked.
Without the protection a license provides, you are ultimately responsible for the mapping product somebody else produced with all that implies legally and financially. Are you willing to take that risk for a perceived bargain? As with any service transaction expect to get what you pay for.
