Natural Power has invested in the latest aerial imaging surveyor. The Trimble UX5 has just been deployed from a windswept hillside overlooking the Isle of Arran, Scotland, as part of its first commercial deployment.
Normally, pre-construction and planning phase projects require topographic survey data to assist with project design and optimisation. The new drone equipment enables full site coverage to be achieved in a very short time, thus reducing costs, impact and exposure of personnel to the hazards of the natural working environment. Sub-zero temperatures and strong winds were no deterrent for the aerial imaging surveyor’s first mission, with the survey team flying up to 100 metres above the ground, at speeds in excess of 90 kilometres per hour. Over the course of a single day, full coverage of a project site (5 square kilometres) was achieved. A variety of data streams were acquired including high-resolution aerial imagery and high accuracy 3D topographic data. Data from the new aerial imaging surveyor will be integrated with traditional ground-based surveys.
