Drone Survey Training Course

The UAV Surveys Practical Drone Mapping & Surveying Course is a hands-on, three-day programme designed to teach attendees how to plan, capture, process and deliver professional UAV survey data.

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This isn't simply a classroom course covering mapping theory. The emphasis is on actually carrying out surveys from start to finish, using the same processes and methodology we use on commercial projects.

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The course begins with the fundamentals of aerial surveying, including survey planning, coordinate reference systems, ground sampling distance (GSD), image overlap, flight height, ground control, checkpoints, RTK/PPK positioning and the factors that ultimately determine whether a UAV survey produces reliable data.

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Attendees then move into practical survey planning and fieldwork. Over the three days, the course uses three different survey sites of increasing complexity, allowing attendees to develop their skills progressively rather than simply following a demonstration.

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Each attendee will be involved in planning and flying the surveys themselves. This includes assessing the site, establishing an appropriate survey methodology, determining flight parameters, installing and observing ground control and independent checkpoints where required, configuring the aircraft and carrying out the data capture.

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The course then follows the data back into the office.

Attendees are taught how to take the raw imagery and positioning data collected in the field and turn it into usable survey products. This includes photogrammetric processing, quality control, checking the survey against independent control, identifying errors and understanding when a dataset is and isn't suitable for delivery to a client.

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Processing covers the creation and interpretation of outputs such as orthomosaics, point clouds, digital surface models, digital terrain models, contours and other commonly requested survey deliverables.

Particular attention is given to accuracy and verification. Producing an attractive orthomosaic is relatively straightforward; producing survey data that can be confidently issued to a paying client requires an understanding of control, coordinate systems, residuals, checkpoints, processing settings and quality assurance.

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Three Days. Three Surveys. Real Experience.

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Rather than completing the course having simply watched somebody else conduct a survey, attendees progressively put what they have learned into practice.

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The three survey sites introduce different challenges and levels of complexity, culminating in attendees planning and flying the surveys and processing the resulting datasets themselves.

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The aim is simple: to bridge the gap between knowing how to fly a drone and knowing how to use one as a professional surveying tool.

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By the end of the three days, attendees should understand the complete UAV mapping workflow:

Client brief → survey planning → flight planning → control → data capture → processing → verification → survey outputs → client delivery.

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The course is particularly suited to existing drone pilots looking to move into commercial mapping and surveying, surveyors wishing to introduce UAV technology into their existing workflows, and organisations wanting to develop an in-house aerial surveying capability.

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No reliance on pre-prepared datasets. Attendees work with data they have helped collect in the field and see the complete process through from an empty site plan to a finished survey dataset ready for delivery.

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