A stockpile survey, in the context of drone surveys of construction sites using photogrammetry, refers to the process of assessing and quantifying the volume of material stockpiles, such as gravel, sand, or construction debris, using aerial imagery captured by drones equipped with cameras. This surveying technique provides a more efficient and accurate method compared to traditional manual methods.
Measure stockpile volumes, distances, heights, generate contours, add annotations and track equipment / building materials.
- Increased efficiency
- Reduced surveying time
- Improved accuracy compared to traditional methods, such as manual measurements or terrestrial surveying.
- Make informed decisions regarding material management and project progress
Drones equipped with high-resolution cameras capture a series of overlapping images of the construction site, including the stockpile areas, from various angles.
The drone follows a predetermined flight path, capturing images with sufficient overlap to ensure accurate reconstruction of the terrain.
Photogrammetry software processes the captured images to create a dense and accurate 3D point cloud model of the entire surveyed area, including the stockpiles.
The software identifies common points in the overlapping images and uses them to reconstruct the three-dimensional structure of the terrain.
The point cloud is used to generate a digital surface model (DSM) that represents the topography of the construction site, including the stockpile surfaces.
Using our specialist software, we can accurately calculate the volume of the material in the stockpile.
The survey results, including volume calculations, can be visualised and analysed using specialist software.
Reports generated from the survey data provide accurate information about the current state of stockpiles, allowing construction professionals to manage inventory, monitor material usage, and plan for future needs.
I have worked with DRONE SURVEYING for some years now, from checking a boundary of new land to auditing earthworks. The use of drones on our sites is now standard; we monitor progress and calculate cut and fill via the online software as our sites progress.
The use of regular mass data collection and the latest drone technology and practises will without doubt save us time and money on our sites.
We use DRONE SURVEYING on all of our sites to support our cut and fill strategy, with regular surveys and their cutting-edge software, we are able to manage our sites much more effectively.
Having now worked with DRONE SURVEYING engineering solutions for a number of years, their services have proven to be invaluable conducting our volumetric surveys, progress videos and cut and fill support. The drone data platform has allowed us to get the best from the data with full support and training provided from the DS team
The drone data helps us to make quicker and smarter key decisions to ensure we have budget and time control on our projects. Having monthly surveys on our sites ensures we keep full control of all earth movements.
Using aerial imagery from drone surveys helps us anticipate errors or mistakes in the next stage of development instead of waiting for work to start on the ground. This proactive approach has saved us hundreds of thousands of pounds; a reactive approach can be costly