To carry on from our last article on [Topographic Surveys with Drones](/blog/how-are-drones-useful-for-topographic-surveys/ "Topographic Surveys with Drones"), in this article, we'll dive deeper by answering the following questions: **What is a Topographical Survey?** **How are Topographical Surveys useful?** **What are the methods of conducting a Topographical Survey?** **What is the difference between Real-Time Kinematic and Post-Processing Kinematic?** and **What outputs can you expect from a topographic survey?** Keep reading to learn about how you can **#ONEUPYOURBUSINESS**!

## WHAT IS A TOPOGRAPHICAL SURVEY?

In the simplest term, a topographical survey is just a collection of coordinates and height measurements for a designated area that will produce different outputs: elevation profiles, contour maps, terrain models, etc. The area's features, such as human-made structures, vegetation, etc., aren't strictly considered topographic information.

## HOW ARE TOPOGRAPHICAL SURVEYS USEFUL?

Topographical surveys provide several sectors with invaluable information to develop and deliver their projects. Elevation profiles and contour maps aid in the decision-making process of earthworks, excavations, preventing potential flood areas, terrain restructuring (flattening, for example).

## HOW CAN YOU CONDUCT A TOPOGRAPHICAL SURVEY?

Traditionally, when conducting a topographical survey, to make sure that the outputs have the correct scale, first and foremost, you'd mark the area's boundaries and place Ground Control Points (also known as GCPs) and get their coordinates with a handheld GPS device. Ideally, you'd only use calibrated GCPs and handheld GPS devices to ensure accuracy and precision. After this, you'd lay the grid lines across the area and go through the painstaking process of moving the total station around to acquire the dataset and move on to processing it into the elevation profiles and contour maps.

Fortunately, technology has come to the rescue, and tools like drones and Software suites have dramatically improved the survey workflow. You no longer need to spend countless hours walking around the area, carrying the total station, and paying attention to the terrain to avoid tripping over and injuring yourself. Just hire a drone operator, get them to come to your land, and the drone will do all the hard work in a matter of hours.

By using drones on your upcoming survey, you can get numerous advantages over the traditional methods:

- **Reduced time and increased efficiency**: Compared to the traditional method, drones can cover up to 400 hectares per hour, delivering results much quicker. In one single flight, a drone topographic survey can deliver elevation profiles, 3D map, digital bare terrain model, and digital surface model
- **Less costly**: with most drone surveys taking only a day, you'll save a considerable amount of money by not having the surveyor for weeks on end on your land
- **Increased safety**: more often than not, the surveyed terrain can be in less than ideal conditions, posing potential risks to the surveyor. Drones eliminate this risk by flying around the land, letting the operator stay in a safe place
- **Precision and accuracy**: With reports showcasing that surveys often use 1.5 centimetres per pixel and in some instances 3 centimetres per pixels, drones can offer better precision and accuracy with 0.6 centimetres per pixel with multi-rotor drones and 0.7 centimetres per pixel with fixed-wing drones. In cases where precision and accuracy are critical, drones can also offer the best resolution of 1 millimetre per pixel

## WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN GROUND CONTROL POINTS, REAL-TIME KINEMATIC, AND POST-PROCESSED KINEMATIC?

As we explained earlier, to ensure that the topographic map is to scale, you'd use calibrated GCPs and handheld GPS devices. This traditional method is still relevant today with drone technology, as you can import the GPCs into the outputs.

As useful as GCPs are, the best survey-grade drones often come equipped with positioning-correction technologies: ***Real-Time Kinematic (RTK)*** and ***Post-Processed Kinematic (PPK)*** to receive much better accurate and precise measurements. The main differences between RTK and PPK are:

- **Real-Time Kinematic**: This is where the drone's positioning is corrected in real-time when the drone is in flight. It usually uses a single ground station, where both the drone and the ground station are in permanent communication with a data link enabling the drone to correct its positioning. Think of RTK as similar to the "lane assist" of your car
- **Post-Processed Kinematic**: Unlike the RTK, PPK corrects the positioning accuracy after the flight by storing the coordinates in a memory card or disk. As this method doesn't need a data link and is particularly useful in unideal weather situations or places where the communication between the ground station and the drone could be affected

## WHAT OUTPUTS CAN YOU EXPECT FROM A TOPOGRAPHIC SURVEY?

The most common outputs of a traditional topographic survey are the elevation profiles, contour maps, and terrain models, all in a CAD-compatible format. If you have used a drone, you can also expect 3D models, orthomosaics, digital terrain models, and digital surface models.

Bear in mind that most drone operators or surveyors won't go to the extent of making the outputs fully BIM-compatible.

Find out what Topographical Surveys are and how they help the various stages of your projects' design, planning, and construction areas.

Topographical Survey Explained

In our previous article we explained [what topographical surveys are](/blog/topographical-survey-explained/ "what Topographical Surveys are"). This article will explore what you need to look for when choosing a Topographical Survey by answering the following questions: **How can a Drone Topographical Survey add value to your business?** And **What do you need to consider when getting a Topographical Survey for your business?** Keep reading to ensure you hire the best company to get the best solution that suits your needs to **#ONEUPYOURBUSINESS**!

## HOW CAN A DRONE TOPOGRAPHIC SURVEY ADD VALUE TO YOUR BUSINESS?

In our previous article, you learned the tremendous advantages drones can provide you over traditional methods. We highlighted how drone surveys could capture data with ultimate precision and accuracy in reduced time in a more cost-effective manner. Now, we look into how using drones to conduct a Topographic Survey can add value to your business:

- **Reduces harmful emissions**: If you're in the [Race to Zero](/blog/race-to-zero/ "Race to Zero"), your priorities are how you can reduce the number of emissions your business produces to help the UK achieve its net-zero targets by 2050. Drones are emission-free, so implementing a Topographical Drone Survey means eliminating the need for highly polluting helicopters, helping you in your green efforts
- **Improves workflow**: Hiring a drone surveyor to conduct a Topographic Survey can also offer you more output varieties like 3D models, digital terrain models, digital surface models and orthomosaics, as well as the traditional CAD outputs: elevation profiles and contour maps. Having a range of formats to choose from and a fully compatible [BIM](/blog/why-you-should-implement-bim/ "Building Information Modelling") workflow allows you to share, view, edit and embed information in one single location, enhancing collaboration
- **Increases safety**: drones are safely operated from the ground; this reduces associated risks such as working at height, walking over uneven terrain and helps to access obstructed or dangerous areas without putting anyone in physical harm's way
- **Saves time and money***: Drones can cover more land in less amount of time compared to traditional methods. For instance, fixed-wing drones can cover up to 400 hectares per hour with a single battery charge, which is impossible to achieve with a conventional survey. With a reduction of the time that the surveyor needs to be on-site, you will also cut your costs down significantly.
- **Unrivalled precision and accuracy**: Drones can offer unrivalled precision and accuracy as we can achieve 1 millimetre per pixel for critical projects, with 0.6 centimetres per pixel being the norm. Most traditional surveys use 1.5 centimetres per pixel and, in some instances, 3 centimetres per pixel. It's essential to ensure your topographic map is to scale and positioning-correction technologies: survey-grade drones use either Real-Time Kinematic or Post-Processed Kinematic; you can learn more and the difference between RTK and PPK by clicking [here](/blog/topographical-survey-explained/ "here")

## WHAT DO YOU NEED TO CONSIDER WHEN GETTING A TOPOGRAPHIC SURVEY FOR YOUR BUSINESS?

Topographical surveys are vital for land development projects to provide you with accurate land measurements. Whether you are planning for new builds or designing drainage schemes, knowing what to look for in a company is essential to get what you require the first time around without losing money in the long run. Below we've outlined a few things you need to consider before settling on a company:

### A FREE QUOTE
We would advise getting quotes from your shortlisted companies before you hire anyone. You should provide as much detail as possible about the survey so that those companies can give you the most accurate pricing. Quotes should be free, which is also worth double-checking as every company has different procedures.

### THE COSTS INVOLVED
As explained in the previous point, the more detail you provide upfront about the survey, the more accurate the quote will be. Bear in mind that costs will depend on the size of the land, potential public incursions, GSD that you require, etc.

### TIME AND DURATION
The time and duration it will take to perform a Traditional Survey will entirely depend on what method you go for: Modern or Traditional surveying methods. The modern approach uses drones, which if you are busy and want results fast, then a drone Topographical Survey will best suit you.

### WARRANTY AND CONTRACT
Does the company cover a warranty if anything goes wrong? It's a good idea to get everything in a written signed contract with details of your expectations, the operations, costs, duration etc. Having a signed document will provide security if the provider doesn't meet the requirements. Reading through the warranty will help you have protection that if anything does go wrong, that is not your fault, then that it's covered, and the company will amend the problem.

You'll be able to confidently make the right purchase decision when looking for Topographical Surveys as we discuss the things you need to consider in a company.

What to consider for Topo Surveys

In previous articles, we explained [what Topographic surveys are](/blog/topographical-survey-explained/ "what Topographic Surveys are") and [what you needed to consider when choosing a Topographic Survey](blog/what-to-consider-for-topographic-surveys/ "what you needed to consider when choosing a Topographic Survey"). In this article, we will be sharing how our drone solutions can provide value to your projects by answering the following questions: **Are you getting highly accurate and detailed Topographic Surveys?** And **how can our drone Topographic Surveys provide you with highly accurate and detailed reports? Keep reading to find how you can get comprehensive data and **#ONEUPYOURBUSINESS**!

## ARE YOU GETTING HIGHLY ACCURATE AND DETAILED TOPOGRAPHIC SURVEYS?
Drones are well adapted to safely and efficiently perform Topographic Surveys, which means no more weeks or months spent trudging over terrain and carrying a tool station as drones have the advantages of:

- Covering more land in less time
- Completing a survey in a matter of hours
- Providing you with a more cost-effective option
- Adhering to social distancing rules
- Reducing associated risks by flying around the land with the operator safely operating the drone in a safe place
- Precision and accuracy of 0.6 centimetres per pixel and 0.7 centimetres per pixel
- Offering the best resolution of 1 millimetre per pixel in critical situations

To learn more about the benefits of drones, then head over to our [Topographical Survey explained](/blog/topographical-survey-explained/ "Topographical Survey Explained") article for more information.

## HOW CAN OUR DRONE TOPOGRAPHIC SURVEYS PROVIDE YOU WITH HIGHLY ACCURATE AND DETAILED REPORTS?

Our industry-leading experts' team will help deliver quickly and efficiently data-rich and thoroughly detailed Topographic data reports. Working with you from day one, we'll work with you to understand what you want to achieve, letting our cutting-edge drones do all the hard work in a matter of hours, providing you with all the information you could possibly need in the formats of your choice.

Using [multi-rotor drones](/blog/what-are-multi-rotor-drones/ "multi-rotor drones") with the precision and accuracy of 0.6 centimetres per pixel and [fixed-wing drones](/blog/what-are-fixed-wing-drones/ "fixed-wing drones") offering 0.7 centimetres per pixel, and in business-critical scenarios 1 millimetre per pixel, below we focus on how our drone Topographic Surveys can deliver highly accurate and detailed reports:

### EXPERTISE AND INSURANCE
For the last 23 years, we've been using technology to solve our clients' issues. We focus mainly on the Construction, Property, Infrastructure, and Energy sectors. Our focus is the interoperability of our results, ensuring that you can use the files and reports across the whole suite of programs within your business.

In addition to our ample expertise, we have the following insurance policies:

- £5 million Public Liability
- Professional Indemnity
- Cybersecurity Cover
- Compliance with EC 785/2004

Our Full permission from the [Civil Aviation Authority](https://www.caa.co.uk/home/ "Civil Aviation Authority") is exceptional. It allows us to operate all types of drones (multirotor or fixed-wing) commercially both during the day and nighttime, with reduced clearances for taking off and landing, extended line of sight, and increased flight altitude, setting us apart from 99% of other drone operators.

We always provide proof of insurance with our project documentation and comprehensive risk assessments.

### FAST SURVEY COMPLETION
Our drones are equipped with Real-Time Kinematic technology to deliver accurate Topographic Surveys capturing topographic data 400x faster than traditional methods as drones enable us to cover more ground quickly and more efficiently. With a single flight, we can deliver the Topographic Survey with elevation profiles, orthomosaic, 3D map, digital bare terrain model, and digital surface model compared to a manual inspection which could take countless hours lasting weeks and sometimes months.

### REACH OBSTRUCTED AREAS
Drones provide increased manoeuvrability, therefore, providing us with the capability to perform safe inspections. We can fly much more closely to buildings or areas obstructed with reduced risks of injuries. Cameras with optical zoom attached to drones also allow us to get closer to objects and land without putting anyone in harm's way whilst still producing detailed and comprehensive results.

### MONEY SAVED
Compared to traditional methods, drones require fewer resources, manual labour and time, making drone surveys more cost-effective.

### BIM INTEGRATION AND A RANGE OF OUTPUTS
[Building Information Modelling](blog/why-you-should-implement-bim/ "Building Information Modelling") (BIM) is mandatory for construction projects working on government projects, so we ensure that our outputs being BIM-compatible.

Our specialist software will output orthomosaics, digital terrain models, digital surface models, elevation maps, plant health reports, thermal reports (if we use thermal cameras), 3D models, and Point Clouds.

We can export reports to various formats and standards to improve your current workflow and offer ease of access when importing them into your BIM application of choice.

### STRICT HEALTH AND SAFETY PROCEDURES
Health and Safety Procedures are adhered to at all times when conducting our operations. We work to our health and safety guidelines and regulations that your sites might require.

We use the very best PPE, ensuring our high visibility clothing is compliant with EN 13034, our yellow hard hats with EN 397, our waterproof safety boots with EN 20345, and our safety goggles with EN 166.

Find out how you can get highly accurate and detailed Topographic Surveys much faster, safer, and more efficient with our fixed-wing and multi-rotor drone solutions.

Drone Topographic Surveys

After having a Topographical Survey conducted by us, we can offer various solutions to aid you in the development stages. In this article, we will discuss how cutting-edge drone technology can enhance your project even further by answering the following questions: **How can you enhance your Topographic Surveys?** **What are the benefits of improving your topographical surveys with drone solutions?** Keep reading to find out more on how you can **#ONEUPYOURBUSINESS**!

## HOW CAN YOU ENHANCE YOUR TOPOGRAPHIC SURVEYS?

Now that you've had a Topographic Survey and development on the land has commenced with construction in the works, we list below how obtaining a land assessment and further inspections using advanced technology can help you save money and increase efficiency:

### BIM INTEGRATION

Whether you're still using BIM Level 1, moving to Level 2 or looking at implementing BIM Level 3, we can provide you with the necessary integrations between the Topographic Survey and your BIM application of choice (AutoDesk Revit, ArchiCAD, Bentley, etc.)

### THERMAL IMAGING
A thermal inspection can pinpoint within the Topographic Survey and the elevation profiles what areas (if any) are more prone to retaining water. Thermal inspections are beneficial, especially in areas known to flood. You can also prevent building in a spot that can prevent water from flowing, avoiding water from accumulating and causing catastrophic damages. 

To read more about thermal imaging, click [here](/blog/thermal-imaging-cameras-explained/ "here")

### MACHINE LEARNING
By using [Machine Learning](/blog/machine-learning-for-visual-inspections/ "Machine Learning") (ML), we can compare the start of the project from the very beginning to your plans and to what is currently being built, allowing you to see your goals and the execution of the project side-by-side. Comparing and tracking the development of your project enables you to see that what you're building matches the project's specifications. Having a side-by-side comparison allows you to spot discrepancies early on to avoid costly mistakes, avoid delays, downtime, and save time.

Obtaining comparisons of “as-designed vs as-built” can also be valuable in a situation where detailed evidence is needed, like insurance claims and court evidence.

### 3D SCANNING AND 3D MODELLING
We can use laser scanning technology, also known as [LiDAR](/blog/what-is-a-laser-scanner/ "LiDAR") (Light Detection and Ranging) to produce highly accurate 3D Point Clouds of the following:

- Terrains
- Buildings
- Wind turbines, bridges, dams, and other types of infrastructure
- Pipes, tanks and other elements
- Interior spaces

The 3D Point Clouds can then be used for a variety of applications such as Digital Twins, more Topographic Surveys, accident reconstruction, building preservation and restoration, video game development, Data Analysis and Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Highly accurate and detailed 3D models can be produced for existing buildings and structures in MESH (used for enhanced visualisation) and Point Cloud (for data analysis with Building Information applications and Machine Learning). The 3D models show the building or structures appearance at the exact point of time, which is helpful if working with historical and listed assets.

## WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF IMPROVING YOUR TOPOGRAPHICAL SURVEYS WITH DRONE SOLUTIONS?

The highly accurate and detailed results drones can produce can help you streamline your operations, making your projects more efficient, cost-effective and safer. Below we highlight the benefits of enhancing your Topographic Survey with drone solutions:

- **Early detection of any issues and concerns**: Identifying any problems from the start can contribute to saving lives, reducing repair costs and preventing major environmental disasters, and drone inspections enable you to detect any concerns which may not be visual to the naked human eye. For instance, you may have heard about an incident where an [inspector failed to spot a huge crack on a bridge](https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/inspector-who-failed-catch-mississippi-river-bridge-crack-fired-n1267723 "inspector failed to spot a huge crack on a bridge"), twice, leading him to get fired when drone footage was taken showcasing the crack. Human error is common when inspections are done manually, and therefore; drones can reduce human error since they can also get up close to assets that may be difficult to reach to conduct a thorough inspection
- **Increases safety**: Drones reduce the risk of humans being exposed to danger such as working at height, walking over uneven terrain, operating machinery; these are significant factors in workplace injuries and, in unfortunate circumstances, death. Drones improve safety because inspections can be performed from the ground and metres apart from the asset without putting the drone operator and others at risk
- **Reduces downtime**: Since drone inspections can help you spot any discrepancies early on, this means avoiding potential delays and downtime, which can cost businesses, primarily if they rely on the operations for revenue to lose profits, and so drone solutions can help cost management avoiding expensive maintenance and repairs later on down the road with early detection of faults and issues
- **Fast and efficient results**: Data can be gathered faster and efficiently when compared to traditional methods. For insurance, in a single battery charge on a fixed-wing drone, an incredible 400 hectares of ground can be covered, and in areas that may be difficult to reach, multi-rotor drones can get up close, eliminating the need for scaffolding and putting an inspector's life at risk
- **Emission-free**: As you may be aware, the UK is currently in a [Race to Zero](/blog/race-to-zero/ "Race to Zero") with a mission of reaching net-zero emissions by 2050. There is a [Green Industrial Revolution](/blog/uk-government-ten-point-plan/ "Green Industrial Evolution") insight, and emission-free UAVs can help industries avoid using highly polluting resources like helicopters to carry out inspections to reduce the amount of Carbon Dioxide entering the atmosphere and supporting a green economy

In this article, you will learn how cutting-edge technology like drones,  3D Scans, and Machine Learning (ML) can further support your projects.

Enhance your Topographical Surveys

When we attend business networking events, many people ask us **how can drones be useful for topographic surveys?** We are going to look at the **ways drones are enhancing the topographic survey**, how can they integrate with your current procedures and help you to **#ONEUPYOURBUSINESS**.

## REDUCE RISKS AND INCREASE EFFICIENCY BY USING DRONES

Drones can your business become more efficient and safer by significantly cutting down the time and risks associated with traditional surveying methods, since we send the drone to do all the work while we are safely on the ground, without having to work at height or walk all over the site, which could have uneven and rough terrain.

Traditional surveying tools require constant repositioning, which is tedious, repetitive and time consuming. With our drones equipped with Real-Time Kinematic technology we can cover more ground much faster and efficiently.

With a single flight, we will be able to deliver the topographic survey with elevation profiles, orthomosaic, 3D map, digital bare terrain model and digital surface model.

## REAL-TIME KINEMATIC, POST-PROCESSED KINEMATIC TECHNOLOGY AND GROUND CONTROL POINTS

In order to triangulate their positions, drones use Global Positioning System, which produces accurate results, but when absolute precision is critical our survey-specific drones improve GPS by using one or both of the following correction technologies:

  - **Real-Time Kinematic**: as its name suggests the positioning of the drone is corrected in real-time during the flight. Usually we will have a ground station. Our multi-rotor drones have a proprietary ground station, but some of our fixed-wing drones will integrate with your current Trimble ground station. Both the drone and the ground station are in permanent communication with a data-link
  - **Post-Processed Kinematic**: in this case the positioning correction is applied after the flight by downloading it from the ground station and while we are processing the results with our photogrammetry software. The main advantage of PPK is that it doesn’t need a constant data-link with the drone and it’s much more consistent when conditions are not ideal

Both technologies are equally as good as we used them alternatively, depending on the requirements and conditions of the site. By using PPK or RTK the **position accuracy** goes from several meters down to just **1 centimetre**.

Drones can also fully integrate with your Ground Control Points and their coordinates, although their precision is going to greatly depend on your handheld GPS receiver, hence why we would recommend using either PPK or RTK.

## UNRIVALLED ACCURACY DOWN TO 1 MILLIMETRE PER PIXEL

Most surveyors are used to an accuracy of 1.5 centimetres per pixel, although we have seen reports of 3 centimetres per pixel. Most drone operators will be able to offer you the industry-standard resolution of 1 centimetre per pixel, which is good, but at Studio Victoria we are proud to say that we can deliver unrivalled resolutions of **0.6 centimetre per pixel with multi-rotor drones and 0.7 centimetre per pixel with our fleet of fixed-wing drones**. For the most critical of surveys, we can offer the **absolute best resolution in the market: 1 millimetre per pixel**; this is simply unheard of and have done a lot of research and development to be able to produce this mind-blowing resolution. To give you a frame of reference of how ground-breaking these resolutions are, Google Earth has a resolution that varies from 15 centimetres per pixel to 15 metres per pixel.

## FIXED-WING DRONES COVER UP TO 400 HECTARES PER HOUR

The main downside of traditional topographic surveys is that you need to spend weeks or even months at the same site repositioning your total station, taking measurements, walking all over while carrying heavy equipment… It is hard work. However, drones, and more specifically fixed-wing drones — yes, the ones that look like planes — drastically speed up the process by covering up to **400 hectares per hour** with a single battery charge and producing results with a resolution of 0.7 centimetres per pixel. A survey that would take 8 weeks if done by using total stations would only require around 3-5 days with a drone, depending on weather and site conditions.

## FULL INTEGRATION WITH BIM

Our software will output orthomosaics, digital terrain models, digital surface models, elevation maps, plant health reports when using the multispectral sensor, thermal reports (if we use a thermal camera), 3D mesh models and point clouds, all of them in a variety of formats and standards, like GeoTIFF, shapefiles, GeoJSON annotations, .obj, .las, WGS84, etc., allowing you to improve the efficiency your current workflow by importing them to your BIM application of choice (Autodesk Revit, for example).

## MACHINE LEARNING FROM THE BEGINNING TO TRACK PROGRESS

With regular inspections, we can help you have constantly updated maps, models and projects and with our implementation of Machine Learning, you can spot and identify plant species, types of different objects and spot variations over time easily and quickly to detect problems like erosion, stockpile volume differentials, etc.

## PRECISE 3D MODELS IN MESH AND POINT CLOUDS

For sites with existing buildings and structures we can produce precise 3D models in both MESH and Point Cloud. MESH is used mainly for visualisation; Point Cloud is favoured for data analysis with BIM applications and Machine Learning.

If you are dealing with listed and historic buildings, drones can produce precise 3D models of the building’s appearance at that exact point in time, aiding with the preservation and restoration efforts. These results can be modelled and prepared for 3D printing.


We explain how our drones are increasing the efficiency, adding new outputs, and enhancing the accuracy of topographic surveys to 1 mm/pixel.

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