June 2017 — SITECH Southwest, serving Mesa and Yuma, Arizona, as well as portions of California and Mexico, is pleased to announce the release of its Guide to Survey and Mapping Drones. The goal of this guide is to present interested parties with a thorough overview of drone applications in site mapping, surveying and a variety of other applications.
Geographic Information Science (GIS) is a relatively new area where drones have proven useful. It is SITECH Southwest’s goal to help educate professionals in a wide variety of industries on the usefulness of drone technology. Some of these industries include:
• Agriculture: Making the most of Earth’s resources and agricultural assets has never been more important. Drone-based surveying technology helps make this possible.
• Emergency Services: Drones can effectively complement human search teams in times of natural or manmade disasters and help prevent fatigue or the loss of additional life.
• Geospatial Analysis: Effectively using a finite resource like land increasingly depends on capable and accurate geographical surveys. At heights of 400 feet, drones can capture much more detailed images than are possible with traditional aircraft flyovers or even satellites.
• Atmospheric Sciences: NASA and other scientific bodies increasingly rely on drones to help expand our knowledge of the Earth’s atmospheric patterns, including hurricanes and other extreme weather systems. Drones also help round out our understanding of humankind’s impact on the warming of the planet.
• Delivery: Internet retailers and others are already beginning to leverage drones to make deliveries faster and more reliable. Compared to the relatively sluggish response of traditional delivery infrastructure, drones can now deliver time-sensitive or perishable materials to distant parts of the country or even the world.
The SITECH Guide to Survey and Mapping Drones serves as a resource for those who are unfamiliar with drone technologies and their applications in mapping and surveying. This guide provides an overview of current federal laws that govern the domestic use of drones for the aforementioned purposes and others. It is critical that drone operators understand these guidelines fully to avoid punitive action from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
Specialists focused on mapping and surveying will appreciate this glimpse into some of the most exciting breakthroughs in drone technology, as well as recommendations on which processes may benefit most by complementing traditional surveying techniques with higher-technology solutions. For example:
• The Trimble UX5 provides image capture in resolutions up to 2.0 cm and 24 mp, making it ideal for photogrammetric mapping.
• The Trimble ZX5 requires little setup and can be deployed very quickly. With a small footprint, it can complete surveying tasks even in cramped and narrow spaces.
• The Trimble UX5 HP comes equipped with a 36 mp camera and may be configured with a wide variety of lenses depending on your intended application. Its body is constructed from collision-resistant foam, which also provides protection from the elements, including even intense wind and rain.
For information on these drones and others, download the SITECH Southwest Guide to Drone Surveying and Mapping Technology. Professionals concerned with mining-site analysis, topographical surveying, planning for construction projects, oil and gas, forestry, flood and disaster prevention and mitigation, waste management and environmental conservation can all benefit from a well-rounded understanding of drone technologies and their advantages.
About SITECH Southwest
SITECH Southwest LLC is Arizona’s premier Trimble-authorized sales and service authority. With a team of skilled and dedicated machine-control specialists, SITECH remains a regional resource for the application of established and emerging technologies in the construction sectors.