Why do businesses need a drone surveyor. What are the five steps you need to take to advance your career?
Why Businesses Need a Drone Surveyor
Step One: Licensing and Regulations
Step Two: Learning About Drone Operation and Restrictions
Step Three: Learn How to Capture Accurate Data with UAV Surveys
Step Four: Invest in a Great Drone and Compatible Mapping Software
Step Five: Advancing Your Career as a Drone Surveyor
Drones (UAVs) are an efficient method of surveying a building or site. They are arguably much more efficient than traditional methods of surveying.
There are a few reasons for this. The first is that drones allow surveyors to capture a large amount of accurate data in a short time. A drone surveyor can carry out a routine survey, for example a roof inspection of a three or four-bedroom house, in as little as 20 minutes.
Another reason why UAV surveys are taking the surveyor business by storm is because of the high accuracy that can be achieved. Photographic data can be processed and analysed to produce three-dimensional models of a site, which are imperative for construction and surveying businesses.
Drones are also a great way of providing a lower risk method of conducting surveys to clients. UAV surveys are non-intrusive, so they can assess fragile buildings from a distance, reducing the risk of damage occurring to vulnerable structures. Moreover, the risk to a drone surveyor of on-site accidents is significantly reduced because there is no need for heavy machinery, ladders or cranes.
The first step in advancing your career as a UK drone surveyor is to become registered with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), the UK’s specialist aviation regulator. All drone operators, whether recreational or commercial, must do so.
Registered drone operators will obtain an ‘operator ID’ if they are responsible for a drone and ‘flyer ID’ if they intend to fly one. In order to obtain a flyer ID, applicants must pass a theory test. Initial registration applications cost around £250, with £190 renewal fees annually.
If you intend to fly a drone in the specific category, you will also need to obtain an operational authorisation from the CAA. To apply for this, you will need evidence of appropriate drone pilot qualifications, the most common of which is called a General VLOS Certificate. Both theory and practical exams make up the GVC.
It is also a requirement of the CAA for a commercial drone surveyor to hold specialist insurance. The level of cover you will need will depend on how you operate, so its best to see the help of an insurance professional.
Once you have the required IDs and licensing in place, it’s time to learn the rules of drone operation.
The world of drone jargon can seem intimidating. The sheer number of drone-related acronyms is enormous. Here are a few of the most important ones:
It is crucial that, as a drone surveyor, you are aware of drone flight restrictions.
You should never fly drones above the legal height limit of 120m. In addition to this, you must keep a minimum horizontal distance of 50m from people at all times, unless the CAA has given permission otherwise.
The CAA also advises that drones should not be flown over crowed areas such as shopping centres and music festivals. In fact, they advise that a minimum distance of 150m should be kept from residential, recreational, commercial and industrial areas.
If you want to advance your career as a drone surveyor, you’ll also need to be clued up about Flight Restriction Zones such as airports, prisons, military bases, royal palaces and government buildings. The repercussions of flying a drone in a FRZ without permission are severe; you could be handed a large fine or a prison sentence of up to five years.
Now that you’ve got all the required licensing in place and you’re familiar with drone jargon, you’ll need to know how best to capture accurate data. Capturing accurate data with your survey drone is all about the type of drone you use, the height at which you fly it, the camera resolution and the flight conditions in which you’re operating.
Some types of drones are better than others for capturing accurate data during UAV surveys. For example, it is common for a drone surveyor to opt for quadcopter drones rather than single-rotor or fixed-wing drones, due to the fact that they can do a vertical take-off and landing, and are easier to fly. Their comparatively poorer energy usage is rarely a problem for flights that can take place over 30 minutes or so.
The closer you fly a drone to the target site, the more accurate the collected data will be. Provided you are operating within the rules of drone usage, flying close to a subject during UAV surveys will likely result in excellent photographic data, which can be used to construct accurate three-dimensional models.
The resolution of the camera you use will also have a big impact on the final accuracy of your data. Top-of-the-range commercial drones will have a camera resolution of 20 megapixels, while more affordable survey drones will have a camera resolution of around 12 megapixels.
Many drone surveyor jobs require you to have a minimum amount of experience flying drones. This may mean that you need to purchase a drone to practice setting a drone’s flight path, flying a drone, and in some cases, it may also be useful to experiment with various mapping software.
Drone mapping software is constantly evolving to include the latest geolocation and data analysis technology. Making sure you’re up-to-date and experienced with the latest software will be a great tool if you’re seeking employment as a drone surveyor, or if you’re starting your own business.
Once you have the required licensing and knowhow to operate drones and conduct UAV surveys, you’re ready to start your career as a drone surveyor!
You could start your own drone surveying business, or join another company. Lots of drone surveyor roles require you to be a licensed drone operator, and to have experience with flying drones for a minimum of one year. Other job roles may also require you to have a Bachelor’s degree in surveying or an associated field.
Are you looking for a reliable UK drone survey company? Get in touch with HeliDrone Surveys here.
