Drone (UAV) & LiDAR Surveying Services on Vancouver Island
What is Drone (UAV) Surveying?
At V.I. Powell & Associates, our drone (UAV) surveying uses advanced LiDAR technology to quickly and accurately capture topographic data, even across large, forested, or challenging terrain on Vancouver Island.
Our LiDAR-equipped drones scan the ground with laser pulses, precisely mapping areas that would otherwise be difficult and costly to survey by traditional methods. This efficient approach not only delivers reliable, high-quality data but also provides significant cost savings for larger properties or developments.
Why Drone (UAV) Surveying?
Faster Data Collection – Cover large areas in less time than traditional surveying methods.
High-Accuracy Results – Generate detailed topographic maps, contours, and digital terrain models.
Improved Safety – No need for surveyors to access dangerous or hard to reach areas.
Cost-Effective – Save time and reduce field hours with efficient aerial coverage.
Versatile Applications – Ideal for construction, land development, agriculture, and environmental studies.
This video shows an overhead view of a point cloud generated during one of our drone LiDAR surveys on the oceanfront. While it may look like a regular image at first, it’s actually made up of millions of individual data points collected by our drone. This high level of detail is what makes LiDAR so valuable; giving us incredibly accurate measurements of land, structures, and shorelines from the air.
Who would benefit from drone (UAV) LiDAR surveys?
Large Scale Topographic Mapping
LiDAR is the ideal solution for large scale topographic mapping especially in the heavily forested terrain of the Pacific Northwest. Unlike traditional survey methods or photogrammetry, LiDAR can penetrate tree canopy to accurately capture ground elevation, even in dense vegetation.
Development / Planning
Our high-resolution terrain models provide detailed elevation and surface information from the start helping designers account for critical variables like slope, drainage, and grading. Have confidence that if additional details are needed later in the process, there’s no need to send crews back to the site. The comprehensive LiDAR dataset can be revisited and analyzed at any stage, saving time and reducing costly delays. It’s a future ready approach to site planning that supports better design decisions from day one.
Environmental and Land Management
Its ability to penetrate vegetation makes it ideal for analyzing natural terrain, forest canopy, watersheds, changes in erosion patterns, and habitat features with exceptional detail. Have confidence in comprehensive, non-intrusive data collection that supports informed decision making for conservation, permitting, and land management. Engineering / Geotechnical Design with confidence knowing the terrain model reflects real world conditions down to fine details. From road cross sections to calculating cut/fill volumes to specified designs, we can provide the data you need for planning, grading, and earthworks analysis for infrastructure projects.
Stockpile Volume Calculating
LiDAR is the gold standard for calculating accurate stockpile volumes, capturing millions of precise elevation points to create detailed 3D models. This allows for fast, repeatable volume measurements that you can trust.
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