The Drone
Behind the panel The Drone · series D, Tools Through Time.
Drones, or unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), have become a standard tool in surveying, construction, inspection, agriculture and public safety in about a decade.
From kites to quadcopters
People have photographed land from above since the nineteenth century, using balloons and kites, then airplanes. Aerial photographs made accurate maps for city planning and tax assessment. Military remote-piloted aircraft were developed through the twentieth century. In the 2010s, smartphone components, cheap GPS chips, small cameras and lithium batteries made small multirotor drones affordable.
Rules
In the United States, commercial drone operators fly under 14 CFR Part 107, adopted in 2016. Pilots must pass a knowledge test for a Remote Pilot Certificate, keep the drone in visual line of sight, generally fly below 400 feet, and follow airspace rules; waivers allow some other operations. Remote ID rules now require most drones to broadcast identification.
Uses in the trades
- Surveying and mapping: photogrammetry turns overlapping photos into orthomosaics and elevation models; lidar measures ground under vegetation.
- Construction: progress photos, earthwork volumes, stockpile measurements.
- Inspection: roofs, facades, cell towers, bridges, power lines and wind turbines without scaffolds or rope access.
- Agriculture and environment: crop health, erosion, wetlands.
- Public safety: search and rescue, fire scenes, accident reconstruction.
Learning it here
The GIS / Surveying / Drone Operations program teaches flight, mission planning, photogrammetry and GIS. Credentials: FAA Part 107, Esri ArcGIS Pro, NSPS Certified Survey Technician.
