When it comes to surveying historical sites, using classical archaeological methods can be slow and labour-intensive. As a result, an increasing number of archaeologists are turning to drone technology to more efficiently survey larger areas, and at better resolutions than satellite imagery can achieve. Iconem, an organisation that safeguards world…
As unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs or drones) find their place in the forestry sector, Waypoint met with a pioneer in this field, researcher Stefano Puliti of the Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research (NIBIO). In this wide-ranging interview, we discuss his commercial forestry learnings—including the always-hot topic of LiDAR versus aerial…
When it comes to planning drainage activities on farms that grow crops such as rice, elevation survey data—and its accuracy—is a big deal. However, using ground-based surveying instruments to create the digital elevation models required, in a timely manner, can sometimes be a challenge. That’s why Ryan Moore, the crop services…
Inspired by the unmanned aircraft use of its Nigerian sister company, cement producer LafargeHolcim Tanzania turned to senseFly’s eBee UAV technology to help its team better manage its stockpile inventory and optimise its blast planning. LafargeHolcim’s Tanzania operation, near the border of northern Malawi, Burundi, and the DRC, includes both…
Who doesn’t love a good 3D model? Simple to explore with the click of a mouse, these 360-degree overviews can provide professionals with a better understanding of an area or structure of interest—in an instant—not to mention, they’re just great to look at. On Sketchfab.com—the world’s largest platform for publishing,…
A common challenge that organisations face when adopting drone technology is choosing platforms that are simple enough for several staff to operate, rather than only one technical manager having the knowledge required to put the company’s UAS resource to work. One such company, Aerial Applications of Pennsylvania, tackled this challenge by adopting senseFly eBee drones…
senseFly’s latest case study tells the story of a challenging contamination mapping project in the High Arctic. BluMetric Environmental was contracted to perform environmental assessments in the Canadian territory of Nunavut, but faced a challenge in the form of low-quality topographic maps of the region. The solution? Employ a senseFly eBee drone…
When it comes to operating commercial drones, there are some challenges that every operator needs to address: gaining official permission to fly, knowing where you can safely operate, staying on top of the weather… a professional dronist is rarely bored. But one issue, globally at least, is rarely discussed: the…
Aidan O’Connor, the managing director of ASM Ireland, is one of the country’s most knowledgeable commercial drone operators, with particularly extensive experience in the field of quarry surveying. Waypoint caught up with Aidan to blast through the benefits of using drones over terrestrial instruments and to drill down into the…
Robotics undoubtedly has the potential to improve lives in the developing world. However, with limited budgets and expertise on the ground, putting this technology in place is no small task. Step forwards WeRobotics, a new Swiss/American NGO dedicated to meeting this goal through the creation of in-country ‘flying labs’. Co-founder…