What are the best drones for aerial mapping and land surveying purposes?

Alternatively, comparability with existing systems and software you are already familiar with operating can remove a significant barrier to entry. If you are required to learn to operate multiple new systems just to make the drone work, it can be highly off-putting. Seek out systems that are cross compatible and work within your existing product ecosystems. Examples include: UGCS for controlling and planning flights with a wide range of, Trimble Business Centre for base station and GCP control/correction, reality capture for a wide range of output capabilities agnostic of capture medium etc.

The best drones for surveying and mapping or really any remote sensor are ones that you will use regularly that meet the specifications of your mission. To have an overly complicated flight system or one that you have no confidence in does no good. You have to have confidence in the performance, safety and data quality. The key features you should look for are a controller software that supports safe flight in the unmanned airspace - return to home, mission pause etc. A sensor that meets your specifications. Good positioning beyond resource grade GNSS. Serviceability is key.

Flight time is a foggy specification area. Many manufacturers will specify the longest possible flight time on a set of flight batteries. Research this spec- what payload was aboard? An RGB camera and a LIDAR unit consume power at different rates. What was the wind speed? Was the aircraft benefiting from a tail wind? These are all worthy questions when reviewing specifications.

The camera quality is without saying one of the most critical criteria when selecting the "best drone" for aerial mapping and land surveying. That being said, a full frame sensor with 45M, like DJI P1 camera, or PhaseOne camera are not always the "best" solution. In some situations, you better choose a small, compact, affordable drone with 4/3 sensor, like DJI Mavic 3E, and achieve great results based on your individual project.

A bad mapping camera will give you bad or unusable data. A good or great camera used improperly will give you the same bad data. Knowing the limitations of a camera and adjusting your flight mission to fit the parameters of a camera can turn a pig into a princess. Don't try and fly a 20mp camera at 400 feet and hope you can pick out your 2'x2' GCP target accurately. Read up on the specifications and the controller software to make sure you can get the most out of your camera purchase. Learn about crop sensors vs. full frame. Educated yourself on lighting and which part of the day is best for minimal shadows in your images.

It's important to remember that the drone and\or sensor is just the tool to collect the data - the most valuable output. Focus on what the sensors can capture; how much data, what data types and then how easy it is to work with and you'll be able to provide a quality deliverable. Sometimes it is best to select sensors that are cross compatible with other platforms, so that you can use a multi rotor for smaller areas and VTOL or fixed-wing for larger. This way you won't have to buy the sensor again when switching platform unless they share a common interface.

In the European Union, it's crucial to consider the C-class label when selecting a drone. The Mavic 3E, labeled as C2, offers smoother urban flight capabilities. For rural projects, a larger and more robust platform like the M350 + P1 / LIDAR L2, labeled C3, might be preferable. Your choice should align with the specific requirements and geographical context of your surveying project.

It goes without saying, that the operator needs to be qualified to collect the data in the first place: thermographers for thermal data, surveyors for land surveying and mapping. Without good, reliable data at the start, you're destined to fail. If you're new to the drone industry, ensure you seek out the right qualifications, accreditations and certifications etc before offering the services.