Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) mapping

An unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) system has the ability to quickly and inexpensively collect highly detailed data of smaller areas. Once data collection is complete, fast and automatic data processing allows for speedy end product deliveries. UAV systems have proven efficient in for example forest fires and damage surveying after floods and storms, where time is a critical factor for decision making and measures implementation.

Through our German office, Blom holds extensive experience in UAV mapping and use a Personal Aerial Mapping System PAMS manufactured by SmartPlanes AB in Sweden. The system operates successfully and reliably since several hundred flight mission hours. At the standard flying height of 150 meters above ground level we achieve a ground sampling distance (GSD) of 5 cm.

The PAMS has some major advantages over traditional air photography. Due to its small dimensions and compact packaging the system is highly transportable, be it in the trunk of a small car or in a passenger airplane as luggage. Mobilization is quick and thus the system is often available on short notice, requiring only one man to operate and complete a mission. The PAMS also typically operates below cloud coverage, making it less dependent on weather conditions.

PAMS consists of hardware, such as airplane with autopilot and camera, and software for flight mission planning and flight operations. Furthermore the system has software for automatically and on-the-fly creation of a mosaic made of the captured aerial images. In its autonomous mode PAMS’ autopilot controls the location-triggered image exposures with the help of on-board GPS and IMU.

Key Applications

Open pit mines and quarries

PAMS provides accurate digital surface models for volumetric assessments and quantity surveys of open topped mines and quarries.

Private estate and facilities surveys

PAMS has been successful in cost effective aerial surveys, providing data for asset management and development planning on private sites.

Forestry and environmental mapping

PAMS offers non-intrusive near real-time photos for forest inventory, vegetation management and environmental monitoring.

Storm and flood response

PAMS rapid response capability has lent itself as the ideal survey tool for impact assessment such as storm damage to forested areas.

Further Applications Agriculture Civil Engineering Utilities Golf course mapping Waste dump management Sealed surface areas Archaeology And many more Benefits Efficient across much smaller areas than traditional aerial surveys Operates below cloud cover Quick and simple mobilization Delivarables Digital orthomosaics Digital terrain models (DTM) Digital surface models (DSM) Volumes Terrain profiles etc.