Drone Photogrammetry Survey Services

What Is a Drone Photogrammetry Survey?

A drone photogrammetry survey uses overlapping aerial photographs captured by our UAVs to create highly accurate 2D and 3D representations of land, buildings, and infrastructure. Specialised software analyses hundreds or thousands of images, identifying common points to reconstruct precise geometry and surface detail.

At Drone Survey Services, we deploy high-resolution cameras on professional drones capable of capturing centimetre-level detail. The result is survey-grade orthomosaics, digital elevation models, and textured 3D meshes that serve architects, engineers, planners, and construction teams across the UK.

James Leslie

Owner, Engineer & Drone Pilot

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Survey-Grade Photogrammetry,Delivered Fast

What You'll Receive

• High-resolution orthomosaic maps
• 3D point cloud & textured mesh
• Digital Surface & Terrain Models
• Survey-grade accuracy (±2-5cm)

Delivered in 3-5 working days

Why Choose Us

• CAA approved & fully insured
• Professional photogrammetry processing
• Latest DJI camera technology
• UK-wide coverage

Trusted by architects, developers & civil engineers across the UK.

Available now — typically respond within 10 mins

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How Much Does a Drone Photogrammetry Survey Cost?

Pricing depends on your project scope. Here's a guide to help you budget:

*Guide prices include standard deliverables. Final quote based on site complexity, access, and specific requirements.

What affects your quote?

• Site size & terrain
• Required deliverables
• Turnaround time
• Access requirements

Our drone-based approach typically saves 50-70% compared to traditional ground surveys. Contact us with your project details and we'll provide a tailored quote within 24 hours.

What Is the Difference Between Drone Photogrammetry and LiDAR?

Both technologies create 3D models, but they work in fundamentally different ways. Drone photogrammetry uses overlapping photographs to calculate surface positions—it excels at capturing visual detail, textures, and colours, making it ideal for construction sites, building inspections, and marketing imagery.

LiDAR fires laser pulses that can penetrate vegetation to reach the ground below. This makes it essential for forestry surveys and sites with dense tree cover. However, for most open sites, construction monitoring, and projects requiring visual documentation, photogrammetry delivers excellent results at a lower cost.

What Accuracy Can a Drone Photogrammetry Survey Achieve?

Our drone photogrammetry surveys routinely achieve horizontal accuracy of ±2-3cm and vertical accuracy of ±3-5cm when using ground control points. This level of precision meets or exceeds the requirements for most construction, planning, and engineering applications.

We use RTK/PPK-enabled drones combined with strategically placed ground control points (GCPs) to ensure sub-centimetre precision. The camera captures thousands of overlapping images with 75-85% overlap, allowing our photogrammetry software to triangulate each point with exceptional accuracy. For projects requiring the highest precision, we can achieve ±1-2cm with additional GCPs.

What Are the Applications of Drone Photogrammetry Survey?

Drone photogrammetry has revolutionised how we capture site data across numerous industries. Here are the key applications where our clients see the greatest value:

How Does Drone Photogrammetry Create 3D Models?

The magic of photogrammetry lies in capturing the same features from multiple angles. Our drone flies a pre-programmed grid pattern, typically capturing images with 75-85% overlap. This means each ground point appears in dozens of photographs taken from different positions.

Sophisticated software analyses these images, identifying millions of matching points using advanced algorithms. By calculating where each camera was when it took each photo, the software triangulates the precise 3D position of every matched point—creating a dense point cloud that accurately represents the terrain and structures.

From this point cloud, we generate surface models, contours, and textured 3D meshes. The photographic imagery also produces geo-referenced orthomosaics—seamless, distortion-free aerial maps that combine the visual detail of photographs with the geometric accuracy of traditional survey plans.

What Deliverables Do You Get From a Drone Photogrammetry Survey?

We tailor deliverables to your project requirements, but our standard photogrammetry survey outputs include:

• Orthomosaic Maps

  High-resolution, geo-referenced aerial imagery stitched into a seamless, distortion-free map. Perfect for site plans, progress records, and GIS integration.

• 3D Point Cloud

  Dense point cloud data with RGB colour values. Millions of precisely positioned points for analysis, measurement, and CAD integration.

• Digital Surface Model (DSM)

  Elevation model showing all surface features including buildings, vegetation, and structures. Essential for visibility analysis and 3D visualisation.

• Digital Terrain Model (DTM)

  Bare-earth elevation model on open sites. Used for earthworks design, drainage planning, and volume calculations.

• Contours & CAD Files

  Contour lines at your specified interval, plus DXF/DWG exports ready for direct import into AutoCAD, Civil 3D, and other design software.

How Long Does a Drone Photogrammetry Survey Take?

On-site data capture is remarkably fast. We can survey 20-50 hectares per day depending on required resolution and flight conditions. A typical 5-hectare construction site takes just 1-2 hours of flight time, plus setup and ground control establishment.

Processing and delivery depends on project complexity and your required outputs. Standard deliverables are typically ready within 3-5 working days. For urgent projects, we offer expedited processing with 24-48 hour turnaround available at additional cost.

How Do I Choose a Drone Photogrammetry Survey Provider?

Not all drone survey services are equal. When evaluating providers, we recommend checking these key factors:

• CAA authorisation – Ensure they hold valid GVC or legacy PfCO permissions for commercial operations
• Professional insurance – Public liability and professional indemnity cover appropriate to your project
• Survey experience – Photogrammetry requires specialist knowledge of survey accuracy and deliverables
• Processing capability – Ask about their software and workflows for generating accurate outputs
• Relevant case studies – Request examples of similar projects they've completed

At Drone Survey Services, we tick every box. We're CAA approved, fully insured, and have delivered photogrammetry projects across construction, planning, infrastructure, and property sectors throughout the UK.

Is Drone Photogrammetry Survey Cheaper Than Traditional Surveying?

In most scenarios, yes—significantly. Traditional ground-based surveys require teams of surveyors spending days or weeks walking sites with total stations and GPS equipment. For large areas, the labour costs quickly add up.

Our drone photogrammetry captures equivalent or better data in a fraction of the time. A site that might take a ground team a week can be flown in hours. The cost savings typically range from 50-70% compared to traditional methods, while delivering faster turnaround and more comprehensive visual documentation. For large or complex sites, the economics become even more favourable.