Project Scoping, Site Reconnaissance, and Mission Planning

Why Planning Comes Before Data Collection

In professional GIS, surveying, and drone operations, the project plan is not paperwork for its own sake—it is the document that keeps crews safe, keeps data legally defensible, and keeps clients from paying for rework. A well-built plan defines exactly what will be collected, how accurately, under what conditions, and who approved each decision. Rushing to the field without a completed plan is the single most common cause of project failure in geospatial work.

This lesson walks you through the three planning pillars every field project requires: a written scope of work, a jobsite hazard assessment, and an airspace check with any required authorization. All three must be complete and signed off before instruments come out of the truck.

Pillar 1 — The Scope-of-Work Document

A scope of work (SOW) translates the client brief into technical commitments. At minimum your SOW must answer these questions:

• What are the deliverables? Orthomosaic, digital elevation model, topographic survey, GIS feature layers, final report—list each one explicitly.
• What coordinate reference system (CRS) will be used? State the horizontal datum (commonly NAD 83 tied to the applicable State Plane zone for your state) and the vertical datum (commonly NAVD 88). Choosing the wrong datum produces results that cannot be merged with county or state data—and cannot be easily corrected after the fact.
• What accuracy targets are required? Horizontal and vertical accuracy must match the client's end use. A pavement-design survey may require sub-centimeter vertical accuracy; a preliminary site-evaluation map may accept much looser tolerances. Write the numbers down.
• What is the instrument-by-instrument schedule? List which day the total station runs, which day the drone flies, and when ground control points (GCPs) are occupied with GNSS. Sequences matter: GCPs must be measured before the drone flight, not after.
• Who signs off? The SOW is not final until the instructor (acting as project supervisor) reviews and countersigns it.

Pillar 2 — Jobsite Hazard Assessment

Every field site carries hazards that must be identified and mitigated before work begins. You will walk the site with a printed base map and complete a formal jobsite hazard assessment form following OSHA pre-task planning principles.

Traffic control is the leading cause of roadway-worker fatalities. If any portion of the project is near a public road, you must plan lane closures, flaggers, and advance warning signs in accordance with applicable state and local traffic control requirements. At minimum, wear a high-visibility vest (ANSI Class 2 or higher) whenever you are near moving traffic.

Overhead utilities must be identified before any rod, pole, or tripod extension. Contact your state's one-call utility notification center before fieldwork. Never erect a range pole or unmanned aircraft system (UAS) near energized power lines without confirming minimum safe clearances.

Terrain hazards include unstable slopes, water bodies, soft ground, and vegetation that obscures footing. Note emergency egress routes—if someone is injured, everyone on the crew must know the fastest path to the road and the nearest address to give to emergency services.

PPE requirements must be documented item by item. Hard hat, safety glasses, steel-toed or puncture-resistant boots, and high-visibility vest are the baseline for most surveying sites. Add hearing protection near equipment, gloves for brush clearing, and sunscreen for prolonged outdoor exposure.

Write every finding in an OSHA-style pre-task plan. If a hazard cannot be mitigated safely with available resources, work stops and the issue is escalated before proceeding.

Pillar 3 — Airspace Check and Authorization

Under FAA Part 107, remote pilots in command (RPICs) are responsible for confirming that every flight is conducted in airspace where operations are permitted. This check has three steps.

Step 1 — Classify the airspace. Use a current sectional aeronautical chart or the FAA's B4UFLY application to determine the airspace class at your site. Class G airspace (uncontrolled) generally allows Part 107 operations up to 400 feet above ground level without prior authorization. Classes B, C, D, and surface E require authorization.

Step 2 — Check for TFRs. Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFRs) can be issued at any time for events, emergencies, or VIP movements. Check the FAA's official TFR page and your LAANC-capable application the morning of every planned flight—not just the day you plan.

Step 3 — Obtain authorization if required. The Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability (LAANC) system provides near-real-time automated authorization in many controlled airspace areas. If LAANC is unavailable or the requested altitude exceeds LAANC ceiling grids, you must submit a manual waiver or authorization request through FAA DroneZone, which requires significantly more lead time. Print or screenshot every authorization record and place it in the project binder. Flying in controlled airspace without a current, site-specific authorization is a federal violation.

Bringing It Together — The Project Binder

The completed project binder is your deliverable for this lesson. It contains: the signed SOW, the completed hazard assessment form with PPE list and egress routes marked on the base map, and printed airspace authorization records with dates and approval numbers. The binder travels to the field on every subsequent project day. If any condition changes—weather event, new utility work, airspace TFR—the binder is updated before operations resume.

Instructors review the binder against a rubric before authorizing any data collection. A score below 80%, or any safety-critical omission, means planning continues until the gaps are closed. That standard mirrors real project management: a supervisor's signature is legal exposure, and no professional signs off on an incomplete plan.