The value of radiometric calibration can be a bit difficult to understand, so we’ve put together this article in an attempt to add clarity to the topic. Hopefully, after reading this you will understand conceptually how changes in day-to-day light conditions can impact the accuracy of multispectral data and what tools are available to improve radiometric accuracy.
Although we generally visualize multispectral imagery as colorful indices or composites, the actual images that come out of the camera are grayscale and are essentially matrices of digital numbers. Below is an example of the grayscale images of raw data captured with the MicaSense series RedEdge-MX:
The images are ordered from left to right as blue, green, red, red edge and near infrared. You’ll notice that as the images move out of the color portion of the spectrum (blue, green, red) and into the near infrared (red edge and near infrared), the plants in the image get lighter. Healthy plants mostly absorb visible light and by comparison, reflect quite a bit of red edge and near infrared light…that’s why you see darker plants in the left images and lighter plants in the right images. We use this light and dark reflectance data at each band to help understand the physiological condition of a plant canopy…for example, if the red band shows extremely dark plants, those plants are absorbing a lot of red light and are photosynthetically active. On the other hand, if the red band shows plants as lighter, they may be experiencing a stressor that’s interfering with photosynthesis.
As mentioned earlier, you can think of images as matrices of digital numbers. Each pixel/cell within an image contains a digital number corresponding to the intensity of radiance within a certain wavelength. Each of the 5 images in this example has dimensions of 1280 x 960, meaning the total number of pixels in each image is 1,228,800. Each of those pixels has a value assigned to it that when combined with all the other pixels. For example in the images above, that allows us to see things like buildings, driveways and grass in the images. If we zoom into part of a tree in the NIR band image, we can see how the image is comprised of square pixels with different digital numbers:
Unfortunately, these pixel values are relative to the conditions in which the data was collected, and are not absolute. This is largely due to changes in light conditions (e.g. sunny vs overcast, sun at different points in the sky during the day, half of a field more heavily overcast than the other half, etc). If we are flying a crop over the duration of a season and are looking for subtle changes from flight to flight like nutrient deficiencies, early pest infestations or early disease identification, it becomes very important to capture as accurate of pixel values as possible and correct for any lighting changes that have impacted the data. In order to detect actual changes in plant-canopy reflectance from multispectral images captured over two or more days (e.g. an early, mid and late season flight), it is necessary to perform a radiometric correction.
Now that you know the ‘what’ and ‘why’, let’s discuss the ‘how.’ To get radiometric accuracy and repeatable results, you need a baseline reflectance measurement–a known reflectance reference point. It can also help to know how the lighting conditions changed during the flight itself.
So how can we get a good quality baseline measurement and therefore accurate radiometric calibration? There are two standard methods, both which are common in remote sensing. The first and most historically used method is using something called a calibration panel. The panel has pre-measured reflectance values and therefore acts as a “control”. Taking a picture of the calibration panel allows you to assign the known reflectance values to the pixels of the panel and adjust the rest of the dataset accordingly.
All MicaSense series camera kits come with the Calibrated Reflectance Panel (CRP) which we encourage our customers to use before and after each flight. If you take a panel picture not only before but also after each flight, you have two baseline measurements to work with and can also discern how the lighting conditions changed during the flight. Most processing softwares allow the user to upload their panel images and thus apply the radiometric correction. Some softwares allow users to upload both the before and after panel pictures as well.
The second tool for calibration is called the Incident Light Sensor or Downwelling Light Sensor (DLS). This is upward facing, mounted on top of the drone, and records data on lighting conditions throughout the flight, writing them into the metadata of each image captured which can later be used during image processing to fine-tune the radiometric correction done by the panel, enhancing its accuracy.
The process of radiometric calibration incorporates many key elements such as the position of the sun and sensor as well as irradiance data from light sensors and/or reflectance panels. The radiometric calibration process can take all this information and core sensor parameters such as camera gain and exposure to enable the process of converting digital numbers from raw multispectral imagery into sensor reflectance/irradiance and then into surface reflectance.
At this point, you know that radiometric calibration changes image pixel values to accurately represent the true reflectance of objects in an image. Two main tools–a reflectance panel and incident light sensor–help us capture the information needed for radiometric calibration, and are necessary components of any multispectral imaging toolset.
Because plant reflectance can be an indicator of health, stress, disease, differing varieties or species and more, accurate reflectance values are key to understanding plant physiology and comparing imagery from day to day or season to season. Time-based analysis is not possible without accounting for lighting conditions, and is therefore not possible without quality radiometric calibration.
As businesses continue to rely on drones for safety, efficacy, and data collection, it’s important to stay consistent with those values when planning drone flights. Drone flight planning consists of determining flight schedule, pattern, altitude, and image or video capture specifications, as well as any weather-related requirements (e.g. temperature, light, or irradiance limitations), to meet the data goals of your particular job or mission.Failing to create the right flight plan can not only lead to wasted time and resources, but in some cases can lead to consequences as severe as damaging your drone or threatening the safety of others.
A quick note on terminology: the drone industry suffers from confusion around terminology, and we often see the same terms used to describe very different things. Sometimes “flight planning” is used to describe everything that goes into a successful mission: equipment, personnel, logistics, processes and procedures, airspace checks and authorizations, etc. At Measure we distinguish between what we call “Mission Planning,” which covers all of that, and “Flight Planning,” specific instructions for how the drone should be operated to capture data.
A drone flight plan is a predetermined combination of instructions, including coordinates, speed, altitude, direction, heading, gimbal actions, camera actions, and more that serve the purpose of guiding a drone in accomplishing a flight, and carrying out a particular mission:
A drone flight plan can be created ad hoc in the field using mobile software or from a browser using web-based flight planning software. Through web-based flight planning, flight paths can be set in advance and reviewed by all members of the team to account for inefficiencies or safety issues. For example, a data analyst can review the flight path to ensure the flight will capture sufficient data. Flight planning, and flight paths in particular, help pilots and other drone overseers cut down on the time they spend in the field.
Drone grid paths follow a grid pattern. They are best used for mapping missions designed to collect imagery for processing into 2D and 3D data products. For 3D data products, you may want to consider a ‘cross-hatch’ pattern, a gimbal angle of 70-80 degrees, and even adding an orbit pattern around the grid flight.
Drone waypoint paths follow an irregular pattern based on the unique characteristics of the flight area/space of interest, and are best used for linear missions designed for inspections, project progress tracking, surveillance and security, etc. In the Measure Ground Control app, Waypoint Mode allows a pilot to pre-program a sequence of actions for a drone to perform, then press start and watch as the drone executes the sequence autonomously. You can also record a manual flight as a future repeatable waypoint flight.
Regardless of which flight planning software you’re using, you’ll want to follow these steps as you program a drone flight path.
As a first step, make sure your existing software is compatible with the drone(s) you or your company plan to use. If you’re still deciding which drone flight planning software you’d like to employ, these six factors can help you narrow down your options.
Practice logging flight information, checking for compliance, collecting data, and other important functions ahead of time, so you and your team aren’t scrambling on the day of the mission.
If you’re using Measure Ground Control to program and execute your web-based flight plan, visit How to Fly Your First Flight with Ground Control and Web-based Flight Planning on measure.com.
Make sure your drone software provides access to local rules and advisories for the area in which you wish to fly.
For example, if the Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability, also known as LAANC is required in your area, you’ll want to make sure your software assists you in taking the appropriate pre-flight steps. You also may want to check to see if the area is geofenced, which will prevent your aircraft from taking off without requesting an ‘unlock’ – Measure Ground Control includes in app DJI unlock, as well as LAANC authorization via our partner AirMap.
What will the weather look like during your flight? What obstructions — birds, telephone poles, trees, etc. — might interfere with the flight, and how will these obstructions be avoided? These logistics could mean the difference between a successful mission or a drone collision.
Interested in applying these steps as you carry out your own drone missions? Learn more about creating and executing drone flight plans using Measure Ground Control, and how Measure Ground Control can help your company streamline operations and manage your drone program.
As the demand for commercial drones continues to increase across industries, so does the need for drone insurance. While the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) does not require insurance to operate commercially in the U.S., most companies require that drone operators provide proof of coverage through a valid Certificate of Insurance (COI) to demonstrate that the pilot has coverage that protects both them and their clients.With insurance becoming standard among commercial UAV pilots and the companies that employ them, it’s vital to get a sense of the risks you, your company, or your drone program might face – and how to mitigate them.
The world of drone insurance is full of nuances and can be difficult to navigate, which is why we’ve compiled a list of commonly asked questions on the topic. Before you set out to do your own research, be sure to read the following tips surrounding drone insurance for commercial pilots, small businesses, large enterprises, and everything in between.
“As the tactics and purposes behind commercial drone operations and personal drone use differ, so does the level and type of risks you could encounter,” says Will Newton, EVP of Product at REIN Connected Insurance Agency, LLC, which provides drone insurance services via DroneInsurance.com.
Both commercial and personal drone insurance policies need to be assessed for areas of overlap; for example, some homeowner insurance policies provide sufficient liability coverage for personal or hobby drone use.
Another difference between commercial and personal drone use lies in the need to distinguish between insurance coverage for the pilots versus coverage for the drones themselves. Once you are able to assess your needs, you’ll have a much better understanding of the level and type of insurance policies to pursue.
“Aside from enabling your pilots to fly with peace of mind, commercial drone insurance is a great way to protect and scale your business,” said Newton. “Most clients require drone operators to provide a valid Certificate of Insurance (COI) to demonstrate that the pilot has coverage that protects both them and their clients. The more quickly a pilot can provide this insurance information to a client, the more likely they are to land new jobs.”
If the above reasons weren’t enough to sell you on the benefits of drone insurance, consider this factor: as drone technology continues to evolve, so do the various laws and regulations that govern them. While it’s smart to stay on top of the regulations in your area (this handy global directory from UAV coach makes it easy with a list of drone laws, organized by state and by country), it’s much safer to assume you need commercial drone insurance than it is to be caught without it.
“While use of drones is exploding within commercial agriculture, telecommunications, energy production, government services, construction, and film, every day more industries are employing drones to carry out key functions,” says Newton. “If your company is flying a drone, drone insurance can help protect your business.”
The recommended level of insurance depends on the specific job at hand. Flight liability limits of $1M, for example, may be sufficient for jobs with a low level of risk, whereas higher risk jobs such as drone surveys around cell phone towers, power plants and utility lines often require higher liability limits ($5 – $10M).
“Those of us at DroneInsurance.com find it’s beneficial to use a tiered approach, says Newton. “A tiered approach enables you to protect your inventory even when you’re not flying, while providing the option to add flight coverage as needed.”
For example, Droneinsurance.com Base Coverage (billed monthly) protects businesses from ground-based risks such as:
On-demand flight coverage can then be added when you’re ready to fly, for as little as a day, or in customizable periods up to a year. Learn more about DroneInsurance.com products and availability here.
When assessing options for insurance coverage, be sure to consider the size of your company as well.
“While we’ve designed DroneInsurance.com to suit small to medium-sized drone businesses, we also work closely with drone businesses of all sizes to create the right drone insurance solution that fits their unique needs,” says Newton. “Similarly, we understand high upfront costs can be a dealbreaker for smaller teams of drone service providers. To help address that, we’ve designed DroneInsurance.com with flexibility in mind — including monthly payments for 24/7 base/hull coverage and on-demand flight liability coverage, allowing you to protect your business without hurting your bottom line.”
Check with the individual that handles the company’s current insurance needs and/or risk management program.
“It’s common that businesses with traditional Commercial General Liability or Business Owner policies will have exclusions for losses involving drones,” says Newton. “Your risk manager should conduct an in-depth review of the company’s current policies. This includes potentially consulting the company’s agent or broker where appropriate, in order to determine whether the company’s current policies cover its drone operations.”
According to Newton, your risk manager will also need to consider what drone risks you need coverage for.
“Will you just need flight liability coverage? What about physical damage coverage for the drone itself, or any expensive sensors you may have attached? What about the ground equipment used with the drone? Answers to the above questions will be key in ensuring you are setting up the right coverage tailored for your business’ unique needs.”
While the reasons will depend on various factors, such as your insurance policy and provider, there are instances where your commercial drone insurance provider can refuse to provide coverage. UAV Coach has compiled a list of reasons why you might lose drone insurance coverage. Below is a list of what they’ve observed based on their experience in the field.
“As soon as you have an accident, if you have insurance for your drone, you should call your insurance company. The insurance company should have 24-hour loss reporting capabilities,” says Newton. “In addition, they should provide you with a dedicated claim representative to work with you through the process.”
The FAA provides several resources for reporting incidents and accidents involving drones, however the general rule of thumb for incident reporting is “the more information, the better.” For drone operators and overseers who want to save time on such reports and avoid the headache of tracking down every last detail involving the incident, programs such as Measure Ground Control make incident reporting as easy as the click of a button. Features including detailed flight logs, screen shots, flight playback, and incident flagging provide reliable and accurate accounts, leading to swifter resolutions.
“Insurance policies differ in their coverage types, exclusions, limits, terms and conditions, so we recommend always reviewing your policy with a fine-tooth comb,” says Newton.
According to Newton, a few key items to focus on include:
At the end of the day, it’s imperative to ensure that your drone insurance coverage protects your business’ unique risks and aligns with your core operational workflow. If you’d like to learn more about DroneInsurance.com, visit their website, or schedule time to chat with their customer support team about your drone needs and the best coverage for your business.
Businesses are deploying drones to accomplish an ever-expanding range of tasks – and with each of those tasks comes a wealth of helpful data. While a drone mission may be intended to provide the company with imaging, mapping, or a short video, the volume of data gathered during a flight can provide additional insights or benefits that a company may inadvertently overlook.
In fact, many businesses are unaware of the long-term data capabilities that drones provide.
When it comes to understanding the full capabilities of drones, it is important to clarify what drone data is, how the data can be analyzed and used to generate reports, and how that data can be used to benefit your business.
Drone Data is a collection of hundreds or thousands of images from a flight – or collection of flights – that is converted using imaging software to create an organized and cohesive data set for businesses.
The data collected from these drone images can then be measured, analyzed, tracked, and compared over time.
When it comes to mission planning, there are several other types of drone data that may be critical to businesses.
In order to gain valuable data and insight from your drone program, you need to have the right tools. A centralized mission planning and execution software is a great place to start. This allows you to keep all of your flight data in one place making analysis easier over time.
You can easily pull reports on your team’s flight hours, pilot performance, drone assets, and incident reporting in seconds with a fully integrated drone software.
The images gathered during a mission can be processed using your software to sort, organize, and manage the data contained within the images. Image processing tools then produce a final data set that can be easily analyzed and provide valuable business insights such as the severity of damage on a wind turbine blade or the degree of degradation of insulators on a powerline.
If desired, the data can also be turned into 2D or 3D maps using photogrammetry engines to provide orthomosaic maps, digital surface models, or contour maps.
Storing and analyzing drone data from every mission allows the end-user to easily make comparisons over specific timeframes. Examples include the progress on a construction site, the number of materials stored in a specific location, or the incremental degradation of a wind turbine blade.
A final report can then be generated to share with key stakeholders or decision-makers to review and take further action if needed.
Depending on the software you utilize, you should be able to view your data concisely in the following ways:
Businesses are finding an ever-increasing number of ways to utilize drones and drone data to make improvements to their operations.
1. Drone Data Improves Safety and Efficiency
When the power goes out due to a problem with a transmission tower, typically a lineman has to go up the tower to inspect the issue, which is dangerous work to begin with. Adding to the obstacles, the only way to get to the tower might be through difficult terrain which is only accessible by way of private property, or the tower is above a line of trees, obstructing your view from the ground. It may also take a couple of days to obtain permission to walk across private property and to schedule a small crew to trek to the tower and run an inspection.
With a drone and licensed pilot readily available, the same inspection can be accomplished in a matter of minutes. Drones can be used in areas too close to trees or homes for helicopters and in areas that are too difficult to access for ground patrols. There are no hazardous man-hours involved. And you get a clean look at the tower in real-time, allowing your team to properly diagnose the problem and suggest a remedy before you even leave the site.
This increases the efficiency of teams, allowing them to accomplish more work in less time. “Every time we fly, we’re literally saving 2-3 days of work,” says Stephen Dorsett, Contract Coordinator and Journeyman Lineman at Indiana Power & Light (IPL).
2. Drone Data is Highly Accurate
To test the accuracy of our drone inspection data, we conducted an experiment. We took the results of a solar inspection by drone and sent out manual inspection crews to run the same inspection on the same plants. The results the crews came back with from the manual inspection mirrored the results from the drone data with 99 percent accuracy, but the manual inspection took two days for each site compared to two hours with the drone.
3. Drone Data Can Be Manipulated for Analysis
Unlike data gathered manually by an inspector that ends up as a photo or in a spreadsheet, drone data can quickly and easily be manipulated and analyzed from different angles. For example, in a single drone mission, you can gather data that provides exact shading conditions of a solar site at any time of the year.
On a construction project, drone data allows users to overlay actual construction progress imagery with site plans to gauge whether construction is proceeding according to specifications.
4. Drone Data Lives Forever
When you record drone data with a drone software solution, the data lives forever. All too often, critical data lives in the head of the inspector doing the work, or on a miscellaneous spreadsheet. But recording drone data with your planning software lets this data work for you over time.
This allows businesses to easily perform year-over-year analyses by comparing data sets and adds the ability to reference prior data to make smart decisions about future work. The ability to store drone data is critical in businesses where employee turnover is prevalent. With drone data, you don’t have to reference a person, only a database, to know what the last inspection picked up.
If you are interested in learning more about how Measure’s Ground Control can help your business effectively manage, analyze, and store drone data, click here.
Drones for use in the construction industry have boomed since their adoption by civil and commercial groups in 2016. And we expect to see that trend continue in the coming years. According to Goldman Sachs, drones in construction present the largest opportunity for new jobs – nearly doubling the opportunity for the next closest industry — agriculture.
Source: Goldman Sachs
And it’s easy to see why. Drones have become a valuable asset to construction and engineering firms looking to increase employee safety, streamline operations, and connect remote teams virtually to job progress.
In this article, we explore the various ways drones are used for construction monitoring and how they can provide value to your business.
Drones have become a key element in pre-construction planning. Many of our civil engineering and construction companies still use Google maps to get initial insights on-site data. But Google map data can be months or even years out of date.
This is where drones provide a critical site-planning advantage.
Drones allow you to map complex, unsafe, or poorly documented areas in just minutes. Use your drone camera to obtain high-resolution imagery of specific areas. These images can be distributed to investors or key stakeholders to understand the scope of the work involved. Integrating with a drone mapping software can help your team create Contour Maps to understand the site’s current topography. Or, fly your drone on a prefixed grid to create Digital Surface Models of your entire site. Orthomosiac mapping can increase the accuracy and realism of your construction plans by using your own orthomosaic imagery as the backdrop
Then, leverage a cloud platform to ensure everyone has secure access to the critical planning data they need — from anywhere in the world.
Drones provide the unique advantage of enabling construction equipment and asset inventory at regular intervals. Flyovers and mapping can ensure your stakeholders have a handle on how and where construction equipment is being used. Use drones to quickly identify the location of your equipment on-site for safety monitoring.
As regulations for employee safety and wellbeing increase, drones can streamline site inspection processes for safety, saving hours – or even days – compared to on-foot inspections. A drone flyover can provide regular imaging for site inspection documentation, which can be stored for legal purposes. Alternatively, drones can provide on-demand inspections for employee concerns – like after a big storm or a site accident.
Imaging from drones has also streamlined documentation processes for insurance needs, providing the data needed for underwriting, loss control, and more.
Similarly, drones can inspect potentially unsafe or unstable structures – such as a rooftop or aging structure – removing the need to have an employee physically scale a structure. Not only does this help keep your employees safe, but it can help reduce overall risk for your insurance adjusters.
The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically impacted many businesses’ willingness or ability to approve employee travel directly to the job site. Now, many construction companies are relying on drone imagery to help remote stakeholders stay on top of job progress without having to leave their home or office. Whether it’s regular mapping, time-lapsing, or quick checks on building progress, drones and drone software can collect and send critical information in just minutes through the cloud.
Enabling remote access to drone imagery not only prevents personnel from traveling or exposing themselves to risk but reduces the bottom line cost of the project. With drones, your stakeholders don’t even have to be in the same country to get on-site updates.
Similarly, drones can ensure investors have insight into job progress at regular intervals. In pre-planning, 3D-modeling allows designers to showcase plans overlaid on the actual job site. Providing high resolution imagery during the construction phase and videos can help showcase efficiency, accuracy, and job quality. With accurate imagery, investors can identify discrepancies in plans down to the centimeter and verify the accuracy of contractor reports.
Not to mention, there are legal benefits of having regular job documentation in the event of a disagreement that leads to court for settlement.
With a pilot on-site, you can send a drone to inspect tall or potentially unsafe areas and structures. Sending employees to climb or scale structures is not only time consuming but it puts your company at risk. Drones can also provide quick-checks on new site developments eliminating the time required to travel across large sites by foot or vehicle.
In order to create rigorous and defensible quantitative measurement results with your drone, controlling for accuracy is required. When using drones for surveying purposes, many construction companies adhere to the following best practices.
*Note: Measure’s near-term product roadmap enables Ground Control Point integration with cloud processing
Now more than ever companies are relying on digital connection and remote access. Drones provide the unique ability to live stream progress via the cloud. Provide aerial updates, close-ups, grid mapping, and more to a live audience and address immediate questions and concerns to your stakeholders.
Now, you can answer, “Can we see the latest development?” with a single drone pilot on the ground.
Aside from the high-resolution imagery and videos collected from drones, unique effects like timelapsing, before-and-afters, and more can give your reporting a competitive edge and be used as valuable marketing and sales collateral for future projects.
Combining the power of your drone imagery with a comprehensive drone management software can ensure you have full control over mission planning, flight duration, the number of flights, and all of the data collected from your flights in one place. With the ability to request airspace, collect data securely on US-based servers, and send data via the cloud, construction companies can now have control over the entire drone program with just one application.
Find out more about Measure’s drone management software here.
While the FAA continues to simplify the process of navigating drone regulations, there are still various rules to keep track of. Not to mention that those rules vary depending on your location. As you develop your drone program, make sure you have a plan in place to ensure you’re taking proper safety and legal precautions.
We put together a guide to help you navigate some of the construction-specific considerations here.
As drone and imaging technology continues to evolve, we expect to see an uptick in drone involvement in construction monitoring. The time, dollar, and safety advantages that drones already provide to construction companies globally is immense.
However, not every company is ready to implement a drone program. At Measure, we advocate for working smarter – not harder.
For example, some of the companies we consult with could accomplish much of the advantages above with strategic camera placement on-site.
Could drones provide the right solution for your company’s construction monitoring needs? Contact us today to talk with a drone expert who can help you decide what’s best for you.
Looking for more information on starting a drone program for your construction or engineering company? We compiled a FAQ guide to help you get started.
I’m an agronomy engineer with a master’s degree in agribusiness from UCEMA, a very well-known university in Buenos Aires. After finishing school, I stayed in Argentina for years working as an agronomist where I sold agri-chemicals, fertilizers and seeds. I also provided advice to farmers and worked on my family’s farm. Agriculture was all around me.
Seven years ago, I decided to move my family to the United States. I soon took a job in Shakopee, Minnesota to work with a well-known Canadian Ag company. This company works with farmers to help them improve production through remote sensing and satellite imagery. I traveled all over the Midwest to spread the word about the benefits of remote sensing data in agriculture and farming.
To spread the word even further, I traveled to Brazil and started working in different regions and environments. However, in critical agricultural regions, like Mato Grosso, 90% of their farming season is covered in clouds, decreasing the effectiveness of satellite imagery. This is what got me interested in drone imagery, and I began investigating the value it could provide to farmers.
senseFly caught my interest with its drone technology for a while before I applied. I checked the website often to see if there were opportunities available in Latin America. One day, I got tired of waiting.
I was at a hotel in Ames, Iowa for work and sent an email to senseFly’s general info email. In the message, I introduced myself and listed what I could offer to the company. I received an email back the following day and scheduled an interview for two days later. After several Skype interviews, I was hired. The only catch was that I had to move to Florida. I laughed, since that was where my wife and kids were – how perfect!Drones are a game-changer, allowing everyone to suddenly have this ability to see things from above and understand them in a broader way.
Working in Latin America is interesting. There is a cultural difference; they value in-person interaction over emails, calls or texts. I regularly get together with clients to understand why they say something and the purpose of every conversation, to show them I care about their needs and help them understand who we are as a company.
I travel often to attend shows with our dealers and partners and, also to visit customers. Our dealers are key for us in every corner of the world, so developing good relationships with them is crucial. They understand the locals and cultural differences. I receive a lot of good information and learnings from them, especially when it comes to understanding their unique needs and the needs of their customers. Whether it’s senseFly customers or dealers, I always try to focus on how I can help them in the best way possible.
The challenges. We have great ambitions, and it takes a lot to make these things happen. The work we do is complex and changes all the time, so we all have to adapt quickly. We work in so many different fields and have to understand so many different things to help our dealers and our customers. I enjoy the permanent challenge!
To use what we now call “traditional methods”, like satellite imagery and manned airplanes collecting data from the sky, was restrictive. Only certain professionals could obtain this data, whereas now, drones are something for everyone. You can now collect highly accurate, on-demand data with a birds’ eye view. Having this ability is something I find unique in human history. Drones are a game-changer, allowing everyone to suddenly have this ability to see things from above and understand them in a broader way.Soon… we’ll ask ourselves how we were able to live and work without before.
I see drones growing in many professions, like engineering and construction. I imagine it will be something like smartphones – how it’s something we have now, but it’s so hard to imagine what life was like without it. It’s so hard to believe 20 years ago, we didn’t have cell phones!
Soon, I think drones will be a regular part of our daily lives, and we’ll ask ourselves how we were able to live and work without them before. I see that in every vertical we work in, every construction site, every mine, every farm, everywhere.
You’re very welcome.
While drones, or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have been around for more than two decades, their commercial use has exploded in the last few years as different industries have come to understand how drone use can benefit their day-to-day operations.
Drones have become a valuable resource to not only increase efficiency, but to also keep employees from needing to complete dangerous tasks and out of harm’s way.
That’s never been more critical than during the current COVID-19 pandemic, where drones have become a vital resource that allow companies to continue operating while facing disruptions to their labor force as well as observing the need for social distancing amongst their employees.
And in many applications, drones can become a secondary layer of safety equipment by allowing the operator to map or scan large areas without the need to put first responders at risk of injury or great bodily harm.
While drones may not always get the credit they deserve, there are plenty of examples where drones have provided social good by keeping employees and workers out of harm’s way.
In Florida, the Daytona Beach Police Department is using drones with audio systems to discourage gatherings at closed city-owned parks.
“They look up at the drone startled for a second that they’re hearing someone from the air talking to them. They then wave to it, leave the property,” Sgt. Tim Ehrenkaufer, who runs the drone unit, told FOX35.
The drones are helping to keep officers safe by limiting their need for face-to-face contact, reducing their chance of exposure to the virus.
Battling a series of wildfires, the Los Angeles Fire Department used drones to quickly and accurately identify “hotspots” that needed to be extinguished without having to put lives at risk or lose valuable time.
Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Ralph Terrazas stated “The drone will fly over, locate hotspots, and then we’ll dispatch our firefighters to get final extinguishment in that area. We’re very, very proud of that new technology.”
And after Hurricane Florence made landfall in North Carolina in 2018, the North Carolina Department of Transportation flew more than 260 drone missions, capturing more than 8,000 videos and images. Using the videos and images allowed state agencies to deploy emergency responders to areas most in need and divert people away from risky areas.
And that’s not all. Several industries have been early adopters of drone technology to streamline and improve safety precautions for their employees. Here are some examples of how drones are used for employee social distancing and overall safety.
Here are other ways that drones are being used in different industries to keep employees safe and business operating during these challenging times.
Construction sites quickly adapted to the use of drones to complete site surveys, verify grading and earthmoving work, building progress, material count, equipment location and many other uses.
These tasks can be completed by drones without the need for personnel to be on-site. By providing high-resolution images or videos that various stakeholders can review offsite, drones allow companies to stay compliant with social distancing mandates and keep workers safe.
By using a drone to complete a roof inspection, employees remain on the ground and safe from all risks associated with climbing on the roof. Removing this risk from hundreds or thousands of roof inspections per year means a safer work environment for all parties.
As an example, The University of Texas needed a roof inspection done at night, adding to the risk of injury. Using a drone equipped with thermal imagery, The Beck Group was able to complete the task and provide a much more detailed and accurate picture of the roof in less time and at a lower cost than a traditional inspection, all while keeping employees off the roof and out of harm’s way.
Solar panel or solar array inspections are typically completed manually. For utility-scale solar farms, this means either traversing hundreds of acres and conducting the painstaking process of inspecting thousands of panels by hand, or, more commonly, inspecting only a sampling of panels in an effort to identify systemic issues. In some cases, high-cost inspections by small plane may a
be used. Inspecting rooftop systems, of course, involves the hazards of sending workers onto rooftops.
With drones, you can complete inspections in a fraction of the time, saving costs while avoiding hazardous man-hours and get better data.
Without drones, line inspections are typically completed manually, using climbing, bucket trucks, long-range photography; or helicopter. By using a drone, manual inspections involving climbing or using buckets introduce hazards can be avoided, all while completing the same inspection in a matter of minutes.
Often, ground-based data collection lacks the detail and flexibility that a drone can provide. Helicopters can capture data quickly and over large areas of land, but they are expensive, can’t operate near residential areas, and often miss finer defects (missing cotter pins, for example).
Not only can drones make inspections faster and safer, they can also capture close-up, detailed imagery of potential defects that enable maintenance personnel to really see what’s going on – is the apparent damage at the surface level, or is it structural?
Measure has conducted inspections for a variety of electric utilities, including companies such as Indianapolis Power & Light, a subsidiary of our partner, AES, a global Fortune 500 energy company.
“Every time we fly, we’re literally saving 2-3 days of work,” Stephen Dorsett, Contract Coordinator and Journeyman Lineman at Indiana Power & Light (IPL) explains.
“For a lot of flights, we’re looking for one thing and finding something else,” explains Jessica Franklin, Transmissions Operations Engineer at IPL. “When you have a knowledgeable operator, you can do a flight, find the problem, find the second problem, and order a resolution all in the same day.”
Drones can complete detailed inspections of up to 5-6 miles of transmission/distribution poles per day capturing both thermal and RGB imagery, while substation inspections can be completed within an hour.
Best of all, drones help avoid hazardous man- hours; reduce costs for maintenance, inspections, and repairs; and minimize downtime.
Drone photography has already become important to the real estate industry by allowing agents to get aerial images of homes and properties. Now, with the COVID-19 pandemic shutting down the ability for realtors to host open houses or do in-person showings, drones can fill the gap by flying the property and allowing agents to provide “virtual showings” of the home while still adhering to social distancing mandates and keeping both realtors and clients safe.
Similar to residential real estate, drone photography has become a preferred way to showcase a property. And when there is a need for an inspection on the property, using a drone has numerous benefits. They can conduct inspections much more quickly, since all it needs to do is fly over the building and either take the desired photos, or focus on the required inspection, either a roofing, electrical, HVAC, etc.. Using a drone also eliminates the danger of having an inspector climb onto the roof of a building.
Drones are giving the agriculture industry the ability to optimize all aspects from seed planting to harvesting. They can provide mapping of the field to optimize planting patterns, soil analysis, crop spraying and monitoring, and with special sensors, even the ability to diagnose irrigation needs and crop health.
Perhaps no single product has been able to adapt to such diverse industries and quickly provide value like drones have over the last few years. With drone technology and management software constantly providing additional capabilities, drones will continue to find new and interesting applications over the coming years.
Drones deliver the unique technological benefit of allowing employees to observe, map, and record critical information from long distances. Instead of having several employees inspecting panels together, a single drone can sweep a solar field in minutes. A drone pilot from the ground can send flight data and footage hundreds of miles away in a secure digital format.
As such, drones have become a valuable tool for a number of industries to continue business as usual while keeping employees both distanced and safe – without compromising on quality or information inputs.
To find out more about drone programs or starting your own drone services business, review our guide.
NDRE (Normalized Difference Red Edge)
Uses
Satellites and airborne multispectral cameras are not opposing technologies, in fact, the two sources of information are used to feed similar applications and their data can even be complementary. For instance, Aerobotics software Aeroview, combine both satellite and drone imagery to provide in-depth and varied data for their clients.
Sometimes creating a high-quality map can be a challenge, but it doesn’t have to be. We will walk through a simple process to plan a mission, capture data, and create quality data products.
For this example, we’ll assume we are mapping a mid-sized site and creating three standard data products: orthomosaic, digital surface model, and contour map. We’ll refer to Measure Ground Control (MGC), an end-to-end software solution powered by Pix4D, along the way.
Now let’s get started.
Data quality begins with a plan. It is imperative that you fully understand the job location and what kind of data you need to collect. That information will drive decisions on pilots, equipment, and flight settings, just to name a few. Here are some things you definitely want to plan around:
Measure Ground Control offers comprehensive program management and mission planning tools. Create a new mission, check airspace, assign resources and manage your program calendar.
Since you have a good understanding of the site and data requirements, you can create your flight path in advance. When you plan to create a map, you will typically collect data using an automated grid flight pattern. Using an automated flight path will ensure that images are captured in a consistent manner and with proper overlap. With the right settings, you will get a much better map.
Grid flight screen in the MGC flight app
A Word About Overlap: You will want to set your grid flight with a minimum 60% overlap. However, the type of site matters. The more homogenous your site is (like a forest of trees or grassy field), the higher your overlap needs to be, often up to 85% or 90%. Mapping software uses tie-in points – unique visual cues – to stitch images together into a map. If all your images look the same, it’s much harder to put them together, so more overlap is required. Think of it a bit like putting together a puzzle – if every piece looks the same, it’s harder to assemble, so you need more cues.
Other recommended flight parameters include altitude of 200-300ft, speed of 11-12mph (note, if using MGC, it will auto-set the best speed for your flight plan), and camera angle of 90 degrees for 2D mapping.
If you are using Measure Ground Control, you can create automated grid flight paths in either the web portal or the flight app. When using the web portal, flight plans will automatically sync to the MGC flight app for the pilot in the field.
Since you’ve already created an automated grid flight path, flying and collecting data is simple. Start by completing a pre-flight checklist in the MGC flight app to keep organized in the field and ensure that proper protocol is followed. Confirm weather and airspace conditions and, if needed, get real-time authorization through LAANC (for flying near participating airports).
Now just make sure your take off (and landing) location is level and free of obstructions, make any last adjustments, and start your flight. Your drone will automatically collect data according to your flight path and parameters. Maintain visual contact with your drone and ensure that it progresses through each segment of your grid flight as planned.
If you need to re-fly a portion of your grid for any reason, the MGC flight app makes it easy. No need to re-do the entire flight path from the beginning.
Flight log data in the MGC web portal
Your completed flight creates a flight log that combines your checklist, equipment, and location information with telemetry data like pitch, yaw, roll, altitude, and speed. As a professional drone operator, you will want to capture every flight log for tracking and compliance.
With the MGC flight app, detailed flight logs are automatically uploaded to the MGC web platform via a secure cloud storage system run off US-based servers. Logs can also be added with DJI Log Sync or manually.
Confirming images for processing in MGC
After data collection, you will upload your images for processing. Always review your data before processing to confirm the quality and completeness of your data set. Make sure your images are crisp and that no areas were missed, and that there are no stray pictures that don’t belong in your map. Remember, bad data in equals bad data out, so it’s important that you create your map using a complete set of quality images.
In MGC, upload your raw data to the mission page, where all mission-related information is kept in one place. You will have the opportunity to review each image along with its capture location. Confirm data quality and exclude any images that don’t belong prior to processing.
Once you are happy with your raw data set, you will proceed with processing your images. The steps required will depend on the software you are using. Some software can be tricky and require software-specific training and/or a background in GIS data analysis. Other software, such as Measure Ground Control, use optimized settings and allow you to process data at the push of a button. Processing time varies anywhere from an hour for small maps to more than 24 hours for very large maps in excess of 1500 images.
With MGC, images are processed and data products are created through a seamless integration with Pix4D, the industry leader in photogrammetry.
Once processing is complete, you have access to your data products. For this example, we’ve chosen the three standard data products produced by Measure Ground Control:
Depending on the software you are using, you may view your maps, take measurements, or export files for use in other GIS software platforms.
Ground Control’s map viewer is an advanced platform for viewing your data products in 2D. You can take basic measurements, turn data products on and off, import your own 2D layer, and add information like the flight path.
