By Jeremiah Karpowicz
Accuracy and reliability are essential to surveyors, which is part of the reason that some have expressed skepticism about the type and quality of data that can be captured by a drone. However, drones are more than capable of generating data with survey-grade precision which translates into significant and quantifiable advantages for various applications.
The specifics around how drones can save time, increase safety and reduce costs for various types of surveying and mapping projects will be outlined across three separate tracks at Commercial UAV Expo. The event will showcase real-world applications of drone technology, including its use by surveyors in construction, supporting infrastructure inspections, and as part of various energy and utility workflows. Attendees will also see the following key questions explored in great detail:
1. What are some of the new and essential drone survey tools in 2024?
Taking advantage of the benefits drones can enable for surveying and mapping workflows is more about insight and expertise, rather than a specific piece of hardware or new technology. That said, it’s important to have a better understanding of not only what these tools can do, but how their different and distinct capabilities have created new opportunities for surveyors. The real-world case studies and success stories presented in separate Tools of the Trade sessions that are focused on Energy & Utilities as well as Construction and Infrastructure will highlight not only what’s possible with these tools, but how many options there are to create value with them.
2. Can drones deliver the accuracy surveyors need?
There are minimum technical standards that are required to produce the accuracy land surveyors need, but the actual accuracy needs of a given project can vary a great deal. The ground-truthed accuracy of the data produced is what’s most important, and those are the specifics that will be explored in the Honing in on Accuracy in Drone-Based Measurements session. Being able to better assess these accuracy needs has taken end users beyond the data and into decisions that are changing workflows for the better, which is something the It’s Not About the Drone (or the Data), It’s the Decision session will explore in depth.
3. How are surveyors measuring the positive impact of drone technology on their work?
It’s easy to talk about the potential drones have to transform workflows and create efficiencies, but actually doing so is another matter. Additionally, such changes will always be distinct for a given application or organization. These are the specifics that will be outlined in multiple sessions that outline specifics like what it means to optimize inspection processes with drone workflows, how drones are transforming asset inspections, the difference it means to engineers when they can use drones equipped with both photogrammetry as well as LiDAR and much more.
4. Who are the people and companies having the most success with the technology?
Companies like Terratek are using drones in conjunction with traditional surveys to keep records of grades, construction progress, and earthmoving. Pacific Gas & Electric has become the first utility in California to begin conducting fully remote drone operations for electric system inspections. Gilbane Building Company has been able to create value out of thin air thanks to their use of drone technology. These are just a few of the people and companies that will outline what their success looks like and that others can learn from to enable similar efficiencies.
5. When is the right time to explore adoption?
A famous proverb says that the best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second-best time is now. It’s similar advice when it comes to the adoption of new tools like drones because the challenges that can be sorted out today will enable opportunities tomorrow when it comes to rethinking workflows, reskilling workforces and future-proofing investments in the technology. The keynotes that open the event on each day will explore these aspects in great detail, with a specific focus on helping attendees identify the right moment to move forward with the adoption and integration of drone technology.
If you’re interested in learning more about these advances at Commercial UAV Expo 2024, use this link register or see the entire conference program conference here.
