Lidar technology for Land Surveying has been around for decades, but technological advancements have now made lidar more accurate, reliable, and affordable than ever before. At Aerotas, we've been processing aerial lidar data for years. In this article, we go through all of the different capabilities and processes necessary to get high quality survey deliverables from your lidar data.
On 10/10, DJI announced the Zenmuse L2. We believe the new L2 will offer exceptional technical improvements over both the L1 and the current mid-tier sensor market. We’re excited to share what we know about the delivery timeline, and how we view the technical specs.
DJI’s long-anticipated L1 sensor is finally here, and we’ve been doing dozens of test flights and spending hundreds of hours flying and analyzing data to create a real-world, field-tested review of the newest DJI L1 sensor.
DJI states that “The P1 supports 24mm, 35mm, and 50mm lenses with industry-specific DL mounts. Only use lenses engraved with the "DJI Enterprise" logo to produce survey-grade accurate results.” But, there is more to the story.
There are numerous ways to process GNSS data from the DJI M300 RTK and the Phantom 4 RTK. This article will discuss the five most common methods for processing data from DJI RTK drones and weigh their strengths and weaknesses.
Read the article to get answers to these common questions:
Can I use my Trimble, Leica, or Topcon base with the Phantom 4 RTK?
Is it possible to use my NTRIP correction service without a base station?
Will the DJI D-RTK 2 work as a standalone base or rover?
The FAA has officially started rolling out the system that allows instantaneous airspace authorizations. LAANC is the FAA’s new system for permitting commercial drone pilots to fly legally in controlled airspace near airports instantaneously, rather than the previous months-long manual process. This program is a huge boon for surveyors and engineers who work near airports, however there are a few things to know about LAANC before going out and flying next to a runway.
In the most recent issue of Point of Beginning magazine, Aerotas co-founders Logan Campbell and Daniel Katz lay out the basic expectations for a surveyor using a drone: what they should be getting, and what it should cost the in money, time, and staff. Ultimately what this translates to is getting the best possible cost/benefit ratio, so that the return on investment for the drone program happens as soon as possible
In their report “8 Commercial Drone Predictions for 2018,” Commercial UAV News interviewed Aerotas Co-Founder Daniel Katz. Katz weighed in on key themes that Aerotas has been seeing in the land survey drone space. One theme that came out of this interview is how the land surveyors are now starting to demand that their drone solutions get them all the way to the finish line; to the valuable final survey deliverable they need, not just a pretty picture.
Rebuilding homes after a natural disaster like a wildfire can be tough. And while it’s hardest on the homeowner, it can be a difficult process for those who have to work on the project as well, including land surveyors. Thankfully, drone technology can help make this process smoother. This article details the technical process for how Aerotas client WM Surveys is using their Aerotas Mapping System drone for land surveying after a wildfire.
The recent California wildfires destroyed thousands of homes, leaving many people struggling to get back on their feet. Rebuilding after such devastation can take years, adding heartache and financial strain on already troubled families. Thankfully, drone technology is making this process smoother. A good drone program can make much of the rebuilding process easier on homeowners, land surveyors, and many other parties involved in getting life back to normal. WM Surveys in Ventura, working with the Aerotas Mapping System, is helping to do exactly that.
In an interview with Commercial UAV News, Aerotas founder Logan Campbell helps readers determine which of the many options for processing drone data is best for them. There are so many options for turning photos from a drone into some sort of final product that it can be quite confusing for many businesses. One of the most important factors is understanding the trade offs of purchasing the data processing software themselves, versus having an expert provider like Aerotas do the work for them
The hype is finally dying down in the world of drones. Thank goodness. Throughout 2015 and 2016, many people dreamed and opined about how drones could bring us new shoes in 20 minutes. However we at Aerotas, and our clients, have been focusing on how to actually make drones work in the real world. And now there are 60,000 commercial pilots in the US doing real work with drones – and many of them are surveyors.
