Drone Survey
The use of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) carrying a camera or sensor to capture data for mapping, photogrammetry or inspection — now standard for inaccessible heritage areas.
Drone survey is the use of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to carry sensors — cameras, LiDAR, multispectral imagers — over a survey area to collect data for mapping, photogrammetry or inspection. For heritage documentation, drone survey has become standard practice for areas inaccessible from the ground: building roofs, tall facades, gopuram towers, landscape contexts.
A drone heritage photogrammetry survey typically involves planning a flight mission (using software like DJI Ground Station Pro, Pix4Dcapture or DroneLink), executing the automated flight with overlapping image capture, and processing the images through photogrammetry software to generate orthophotos, point clouds and 3D models.
In India, drone survey is regulated under the DGCA Drone Rules 2021, which require a Remote Pilot Licence (RPL) for commercial operations, registration of the drone on the Digital Sky platform, and advance notification or permission for many airspace zones.
Questions about Drone Survey
What drone is best for heritage photogrammetry?
The DJI Phantom 4 RTK is the standard for high-accuracy heritage survey (integrated RTK GPS, eliminates most GCP work). The DJI Mavic 3 Enterprise (48 MP) is a more compact and portable option with good resolution. DJI Matrice 350 RTK is the platform of choice when carrying heavier sensors (LiDAR, thermal).