Services

Aerial data services, scoped to the decision

We start from the question your project needs answered — progress, quantities, geometry, or condition — then choose the aircraft, sensor, and processing to match. Every service ends in files your team can actually open.

01 / 08

Construction progress documentation

Dated aerial records of the whole site so every stakeholder sees the same progress.

The problem
Sites change daily. Phone photos and scattered drone clips don’t give owners, GCs, and subs a durable, comparable record.
How we capture it
Scheduled flights over the active site with consistent coverage, processed into dated maps and image sets the whole team can open.
Who it's for
General contractors, project managers, owners’ reps, and developers.

What you get

  • Dated orthomosaic of the site
  • Oblique progress stills from consistent vantage points
  • Shareable progress package for owner / stakeholder updates

Typical formats

  • GeoTIFF
  • JPEG
  • PDF

02 / 08

Mapping & orthomosaics

Georeferenced, measurable site basemaps — not a pile of overlapping photos.

The problem
Teams need a current, measurable picture of the site for planning, coordination, and markup.
How we capture it
Grid mapping missions processed through photogrammetry (DJI Terra, Pix4D, or WebODM) into a single orthorectified image and surface model.
Who it's for
Civil and engineering teams, GCs, planners, and property owners.

What you get

  • Georeferenced orthomosaic
  • Digital surface model (DSM) and contours when scoped
  • Coordinate system matched to your project when specified

Typical formats

  • GeoTIFF
  • DSM GeoTIFF
  • DXF contours
  • KMZ

03 / 08

LiDAR & point clouds

Zenmuse L3 LiDAR for terrain and structures where photos can’t see the ground.

The problem
Vegetation, mixed terrain, and complex structures hide the ground and geometry that photo-based models miss.
How we capture it
LiDAR flown on the DJI Matrice 400 with the Zenmuse L3, processed in DJI Terra to georeferenced point clouds and derived surfaces.
Who it's for
Engineering firms, surveyors (as their data source), and design teams.

What you get

  • Georeferenced point cloud
  • Ground / terrain surface (DTM) and DSM as scoped
  • Visual review exports for non-technical stakeholders

Typical formats

  • LAS / LAZ
  • GeoTIFF (DTM / DSM)
  • DXF

04 / 08

3D modeling & reality capture

Textured 3D models of sites and structures, shareable in a browser.

The problem
Stakeholders need to understand form, clearances, and existing conditions without visiting the site.
How we capture it
Orbital and grid imagery (and LiDAR where useful) reconstructed into textured meshes, with browser-based sharing via Sketchfab.
Who it's for
Architects, design-build teams, facility managers, and developers.

What you get

  • Textured 3D mesh
  • Shareable interactive viewer link
  • Dense point cloud when scoped

Typical formats

  • OBJ
  • LAS / LAZ
  • Sketchfab link

05 / 08

Volumetrics & earthwork documentation

Stockpile and cut/fill surfaces you can measure from, scoped per site.

The problem
Quantities drive payments and schedules, but walking stockpiles or eyeballing cut/fill is slow and inconsistent.
How we capture it
Surface models built from photogrammetry or LiDAR, compared against a base surface or prior flight to compute volumes.
Who it's for
Earthwork contractors, aggregate operations, GCs, and owners’ reps.

What you get

  • Stockpile volume report
  • Cut / fill comparison between surfaces or dates
  • Surface models supporting the calculation

Typical formats

  • PDF report
  • GeoTIFF
  • LAS / LAZ
  • CSV

06 / 08

Thermal & visual inspections

Close visual and thermal coverage of roofs, facilities, and equipment — no ladders.

The problem
Roofs, envelopes, and equipment are slow or risky to inspect on foot, and heat issues don’t show in normal photos.
How we capture it
Low-altitude visual passes and, where needed, thermal imaging with the Zenmuse H30T, organized by area for review.
Who it's for
Facility and property managers, roofing contractors, and asset owners.

What you get

  • Organized high-resolution visual image set
  • Thermal image set when thermal is scoped
  • Summary of areas reviewed

Typical formats

  • JPEG
  • Thermal imagery
  • PDF

07 / 08

Infrastructure & cell-tower inspections

Structured coverage of towers and elevated assets before anyone has to climb.

The problem
Towers and elevated infrastructure are costly and risky to access, yet teams still need clear condition data.
How we capture it
Planned orbits and vertical passes capturing antennas, mounts, and structure from consistent angles, with zoom capture where useful.
Who it's for
Tower owners and operators, carriers’ contractors, and utilities.

What you get

  • Organized inspection image set by elevation and face
  • 3D model of the structure when scoped
  • Summary for maintenance planning

Typical formats

  • JPEG
  • OBJ
  • PDF

08 / 08

Repeatable site documentation

The same flight, repeated on a schedule, so change over time is comparable.

The problem
One-off flights show a moment. Owners and project teams need a consistent record across weeks or months.
How we capture it
Saved flight plans re-flown on an agreed cadence with the same coverage and processing, delivered as a dated series.
Who it's for
Owners, developers, GCs, and asset managers running long projects.

What you get

  • Dated series of maps and stills from identical flight plans
  • Side-by-side change comparison
  • Archive-ready project record

Typical formats

  • GeoTIFF
  • JPEG
  • PDF

Also available

  • Solar array visual / thermal passes
  • Commercial site and property imagery
  • Data packaging for your surveyor, engineer, or GIS team

Formats and coordinate systems are confirmed at scoping. Accuracy is project-specific and depends on control, sensor, altitude, and site conditions — see deliverables & formats and equipment.

LiDAR or photogrammetry?

Both are tools. The question you need answered picks the path — and many sites use both.

QuestionLiDARPhotogrammetry
Ground under vegetationStronger path through canopy (still site-dependent).Limited where canopy or dense cover hides the ground.
Visual site pictureIntensity / optional RGB overlay — not a photo map.True-color orthomosaic stakeholders can read immediately.
Terrain / topo for designPoint cloud → DTM/DSM as scoped.DSM from photos; bare-earth DTM weaker under vegetation.
Progress / stakeholder commsSupporting 3D context.Primary path — dated orthos and stills.
Volumes / earthworkAvailable; method scoped per site.Common on open ground and stockpiles.
When we typically recommendVegetated or complex geometry; design-base questions.Open sites, basemaps, and progress programs.

Tell us what decision the data needs to support.

Share the location, acreage or asset, timeline, and the outputs you need. We’ll propose an acquisition plan and deliverable set.

Or reach us directly: (206) 819-0344 · ryan@dronetechdesigns.com