Survey-grade data. Certified when you need it.

An RTK-equipped survey drone, flown correctly with ground control, typically achieves centimetre-level horizontal accuracy — enough for engineering design, earthworks and volumetric work. Achieved accuracy depends on flight height, image overlap, the quality of the GNSS correction, and the number and distribution of ground control points. LiDAR payloads are specified separately: a current aerial LiDAR sensor is typically quoted around 4 cm vertical and 5 cm horizontal at 150 m range. Whatever the method, the deliverable should state the accuracy actually achieved and how it was verified against independent check points. A survey that does not report its accuracy cannot safely be relied on for design.

Cost depends on site size, terrain, the accuracy specified and the deliverables produced. For sites larger than a few hectares a drone survey is usually significantly faster and cheaper than a conventional ground-only survey, because days of fieldwork compress into hours of flying and much of the processing is automated. The variables that move the price most are the accuracy specification, which drives how much ground control is needed; whether LiDAR is required to penetrate vegetation; and the number of separate deliverables requested. Mobilisation distance matters on remote sites. Most providers quote per site rather than per hectare, because terrain and access affect flight time more than area alone.

A drone survey captures the whole site from the air — millions of measured points, orthophotos and elevation models — in a fraction of the field time. A traditional survey measures specific points to legal or engineering precision on the ground. They answer different questions: aerial capture excels at coverage, volumes and change over time, while ground survey establishes legal boundaries, beacons and cadastral positions that aerial data cannot replace. In practice the two work together, with ground control points tying the aerial data into the same coordinate system. In South Africa, cadastral and boundary work must be certified by a Professional Surveyor registered with the SA Geomatics Council regardless of how the data was captured.

Typical deliverables are high-resolution orthophotos, contour plans, digital terrain and surface models (DTM and DSM), volumetric calculations for stockpiles and excavations, classified point clouds, and GIS-ready data in the client's coordinate system. The DTM/DSM distinction matters for earthworks: a DTM represents bare earth with vegetation and structures stripped out, while a DSM represents everything as captured. For inspection work the deliverable is usually high-resolution condition imagery, sometimes accompanied by a signed condition report. Agree the coordinate system and file formats before the flight — converting afterwards is avoidable work and a common source of error.

Yes. Drones suit civil infrastructure inspection because they reach positions that otherwise require scaffolding, rope access, cherry pickers or lane closures. A drone captures high-resolution imagery of bridge soffits, dam walls, spillways, towers, pylons and roofs without putting an inspector at height, and the images form a dated record that can be compared against later inspections to track deterioration. Thermal sensors add value on roofs and electrical infrastructure by revealing moisture ingress and overheating joints that are not visible to the eye. Where a finding carries legal, safety or financial weight, the imagery should be assessed and signed off by a suitably registered professional.