According to reporting from Drone Industry Insights, drone mapping and surveying “is and will remain the top drone application for drones” throughout the world.
Credit: DroneII
And there’s a good reason for this. The advancement of drone technology has made it possible to map large areas quickly and inexpensively, providing key data that helps expedite workflows in a variety of commercial settings.
But it wasn’t too long ago that the only way to create a 3D map with aerial photogrammetry or aerial LiDAR was to fly the area of interest with a manned aircraft—or have access to a spy satellite!
Now, drone mapping is pretty quick and easy, and the cost for doing it has gone down as the quality of technology has improved.
In this comprehensive guide to drone mapping you’ll find top drone mapping use cases, key mapping terminology, our picks for the best drone mapping software on the market, and more.
Here’s a menu in case you’d like to jump around:
- What Is Drone Mapping?
- Types of Drone Maps
- The Top Drone Mapping Software on the Market [New for 2024]
- Drone Mapping Use Cases by Sector
- Key Drone Mapping Terminology
A Quick Note on Using the Term “Surveying” in Your Work
A word of caution for drone service providers: If you’re selling drone mapping services, we recommend you avoid using the term “surveying” unless you’re actually a licensed surveyor.
Many drone mapping solutions may be capable of “survey grade” quality maps. However, we recommend that you DO NOT advertise that you can provide “survey grade” results unless you are a licensed surveyor, or working with/for one.
Some states, such as North Carolina, are actively prosecuting drone service providers for doing things as basic as selling aerial images or videos of land that contain geo-referenced data, accusing them of doing surveying work without a license.
For more information, we recommend reaching out to your state’s land surveyors board to learn about the laws where you live.
What Is Drone Mapping?
Drone mapping is the use of aerial data to create 2D and 3D maps, models, and other outputs, such as orthomosaics.
3D mapping with a drone is efficient and a lot more cost-effective than traditional alternatives. And it can be especially useful for creating maps of hard-to-reach or hazardous locations, minimizing the need for the area to be walked on foot and thereby increasing safety.
By providing accurate, up-to-date visualizations, drone mapping supports informed decision-making and enables the efficient management of resources across all the many sectors where it’s used.
Photogrammetry vs. LiDAR—The Two Ways to Make a Drone 3D Map
Drone maps can be made with photogrammetry, using visual images, and with LiDAR-processing software, using LiDAR data.
There are positives and negatives to each approach—here’s a quick summary of each:
- LiDAR-enabled 3D drone mapping offers precision in capturing topographical details, even through dense vegetation, providing accurate 3D models. It’s highly effective in diverse environments, from forests to urban landscapes, and is invaluable for projects requiring detailed elevation data, such as flood modeling, forestry management, and infrastructure planning.
- Photogrammetry-enabled 3D drone mapping is versatile and cost-effective, ideal for creating detailed 2D maps and 3D models from high-resolution images. It excels in visualizing landscapes, monitoring changes over time, and is accessible for a wide range of applications, from agriculture to urban planning.
Types of Drone Maps
The term “drone map” can refer to a lot of different types of outputs.
Here’s a list of all the different types of drone maps you can make:
- Orthomosaic maps
- 3D maps using photogrammetry
- 3D maps using LiDAR data
- Digital Elevation Models (DEMs)
- Digital Surface Models (DSMs)
- Digital Terrain Models (DTMs)
- Contour maps
- Thermal maps
- NDVI maps (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index)
- Volumetric maps
Now, let’s take a closer look at each one.
Orthomosaic maps
Orthomosaic maps are created by stitching together overlapping drone-captured images, resulting in a highly detailed, accurate representation of an area.
They’re commonly used for:
- Land surveying
- Crop monitoring in agriculture
- Urban planning
- Environmental monitoring
Orthomosaics offer benefits like high resolution and precision, cost-effectiveness, and the ability to cover large areas quickly. Industries like agriculture, construction, and environmental conservation frequently use orthomosaic maps for their comprehensive overview and detail.
3D maps using photogrammetry
3D maps using photogrammetry are made by combining multiple aerial images taken at various angles, creating detailed 3D representations of landscapes or structures.
This technique is widely used in:
- Archaeology for site reconstruction
- Construction for monitoring progress
- Real estate for property visualization
These 3D maps offer immersive insights, allowing for virtual exploration and measurement. They’re particularly valued in construction, real estate, and cultural heritage for their ability to provide a realistic view and facilitate planning and preservation efforts.
3D maps using LiDAR data
3D maps created with LiDAR data capture precise surface details by emitting laser pulses and measuring their return times.
This method is particularly effective for:
- Environmental research to study terrain changes
- Forestry management for canopy analysis
- Urban planning for detailed city modeling
LiDAR-based 3D maps are favored for their ability to penetrate vegetation and provide accurate terrain models, and can be crucial in sectors like environmental management, urban development, and civil engineering, with emerging use cases for industrial inspections.
Digital Elevation Models (DEMs)
Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) depict a terrain’s elevation data in a two-dimensional format, offering vital insights for:
- Flood risk assessment
- Land use planning
- Geological studies
DEMs are instrumental in geographical analysis, allowing for accurate simulation of water flow, soil erosion, and visibility, essential for environmental science, civil engineering, and urban planning.
Digital Surface Models (DSMs)
Digital Surface Models (DSMs) capture both the natural terrain and built structures, representing the Earth’s surface elevation.
They are used extensively in:
- Urban planning for cityscape modeling
- Telecommunications for signal propagation analysis
- Solar energy potential mapping
DSMs are crucial for projects requiring detailed surface information, including buildings and vegetation, commonly utilized in urban development, renewable energy, and telecommunications sectors.
Digital Terrain Models (DTMs)
Digital Terrain Models (DTMs) specifically represent the bare ground surface without any objects like plants or buildings, focusing on the terrain’s elevation.
DTMs are essential for:
- Hydrological modeling to predict water flow
- Infrastructure design to ensure stability
- Geological analysis for resource exploration
These models are critical in sectors like civil engineering, environmental management, and mining, where understanding the natural terrain is crucial for planning and decision-making.
Contour maps
Contour maps are a type of topographic map that uses lines to represent elevation and the shape of the terrain.
They are crucial for:
- Navigational planning in outdoor activities
- Geological surveys to identify land formations
- Civil engineering projects for land development
These maps are particularly valuable in geology, environmental science, and construction for visualizing terrain elevations and slopes, aiding in strategic planning and decision-making.
Thermal maps
Thermal maps use temperature data captured by drones to visualize heat distribution across an area.
They are pivotal in:
- Identifying heat loss in buildings for energy efficiency
- Detecting water stress in crops for agriculture
- Monitoring wildlife populations in conservation efforts
These maps are widely used in environmental studies, agriculture, and urban planning to assess thermal properties, offering insights for optimizing resource use and environmental conservation.
NDVI maps (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index)
NDVI maps, derived from Normalized Difference Vegetation Index data, assess plant health by measuring the difference between near-infrared (which vegetation strongly reflects) and red light (which vegetation absorbs).
Key applications include:
- Monitoring crop health in agriculture
- Assessing vegetation coverage for environmental conservation
- Detecting stressed vegetation in urban planning
These maps are invaluable in agriculture, environmental management, and urban planning for optimizing crop yields, managing natural resources, and planning green spaces.
Volumetric maps
Volumetric maps generated from drone data provide precise measurements of volume for:
- Stockpile management in mining and construction
- Landfill volume estimation in waste management
- Erosion and deposition monitoring in environmental studies
These maps offer crucial insights for industries requiring accurate volume calculations, aiding in resource management, planning, and regulatory compliance.
The Top Drone Mapping Software on the Market [New for 2024]
Software is crucial for drone mapping. And that’s because—you guessed it—without software, you can’t make a drone map.
Now that we’ve covered what drone mapping is and the main types of drone maps, let’s look at the different mapping software options out there.
It’s important to note that this list does not include every mapping software on the market. A growing number of companies are getting into mapping software as the drone industry grows, and this list is not meant to be exhaustive.
Here are the types of drone mapping software we cover in this section:
- Top General Drone Mapping Software
- Top Agriculture Drone Mapping Software
- Top Inspection Drone Mapping Software
- Top Real Estate Drone Mapping Software
Note: The software companies below are arranged in alphabetical order. The numbers are not meant to reflect any kind of ranking in the order of companies.
Top General Drone Mapping Software
1. Agisoft Metashape
Agisoft Metashape is a powerful photogrammetry software widely used across various industries for creating highly accurate 3D models and maps from aerial and ground-based imagery.
Metashape’s applications span:
- Archaeology and cultural heritage for historical site documentation
- Construction and architecture for monitoring project progress and planning
- Environmental science for studying ecosystems and changes over time
- Forestry and agriculture for vegetation analysis and crop health monitoring
- Mining and geology for resource estimation and terrain analysis
- Urban planning for city modeling and infrastructure development
2. Drone Deploy
DroneDeploy is a San Francisco-based company founded in 2013 that produces photogrammetric and analytic software for drones.
You can use DroneDeploy to make orthomosaics, digital terrain models, gather NDVI data, and generate 3D models. Its target industries include construction, farming, and surveying.
DroneDeploy is great for those who need a system that is easy to use, but also packed with features. DroneDeploy’s App Market allows you to use 3rd party plugs such as Autodesk, Agremo, and more.
3. Maps Made Easy
Maps Made Easy is a San Diego-based company that makes a web-based, pay-as-you-go mapping solution.
MME can generate your typical photogrammetry as well as 3D models, stockpile calculations, and NDVI maps. Its Map Pilot app lets can control your DJI drone and have it fly your mapping missions for you.
Maps Made Easy is a good option for those who don’t need mapping on a regular basis, don’t have powerful computing hardware, or don’t like having to pay for a monthly subscription.
Learn more about Maps Made Easy.
4. Pix4D
Pix4D is a Swiss company that offers a suite of photogrammetric software. Its software is beefy in nature but has extensive capabilities. The company has specific versions focused on mapping (Pix4DMapper), construction (Pix4Dbim), agriculture (Pix4Dag), and 3D modeling (Pix4Dmodel).
Pix4D also has a mobile app (PIX4DCapture) to automate the mapping process, letting you process your drone data either using your own hardware or by uploading your images to Pix4D’s cloud services.
One thing it’s important to call out about Pix4D is its price. While a free trial is available, licenses cost several hundred dollars a month, or a few thousand for a perpetual license.
That said, there’s a reason why Pix4D is known to be one of the best mapping software options in the drone industry. With its feature-packed versions focused on specific industries, it creates powerful tools to support work in surveying, construction, civil engineering, agriculture, and other industries.
5. Propeller
Propeller’s software lets you collect, process, and visualize your data.
Propeller creates tools and software for construction companies, mines, quarries, and landfills to collect, process, and visualize accurate survey data. Some of the world’s leading heavy civil and resources operations trust Propeller to answer critical questions about their site’s progress, productivity, work quality, and safety.
6. SimActive
SimActive is a leading developer of photogrammetry software, known primarily for its Correlator3D™ product.
SimActive caters to a wide array of industries including surveying and mapping, construction, mining, agriculture, environmental monitoring, and government. Its software is designed for processing aerial and satellite imagery, enabling users to generate high-quality 2D and 3D maps, models, and detailed analyses for various applications like infrastructure development, resource management, and land cover studies.
7. Skycatch
Skycatch is a San Francisco-based company founded in 2013. It has a focus on enterprise solutions and work with major construction companies like Komatsu and Bechtel.
Skycatch’s software be used to make orthomosaics, contour maps, surface models, and more. Its software also integrates with CAD software. It’s a great option for construction companies who are looking to easily integrate remote imagery into their workflow.
8. Zeitview
Zeitview is a comprehensive drone services provider catering to multiple industries with its advanced aerial imaging solutions. It serves sectors such as real estate, construction, agriculture, and infrastructure, offering detailed aerial photographs and videos that enhance inspection, monitoring, and marketing efforts. Its services are designed to provide clients with a new perspective, facilitating informed decision-making and efficient project management across various fields.
Top Agriculture Drone Mapping Software
Here are the top agriculture drone mapping software options on the market:
1. DroneDeploy’s Field Scanner
DroneDeploy’s Field Scanner feature enables real-time mapping, allowing immediate insight into field conditions without the need for internet connectivity, facilitating timely decision-making in the field.
Learn more about Drone Deploy’s software for agriculture.
2. Pix4D’s PIX4Dfields
PIX4Dfields is a specialized drone mapping software designed for the agriculture industry, focusing on providing advanced aerial crop analysis and digital farming solutions. It facilitates rapid in-field processing, allowing for immediate decision-making based on accurate orthomosaics, digital surface models, vegetation indices, and zonation maps. Tailored for farmers, agronomists, and researchers, PIX4Dfields supports efficient crop management by enabling monitoring of growth stages, stress levels, and overall crop health, ultimately aiding in increasing production and reducing costs.
Inspection Drone Mapping Software
1. Raptor Maps’ PV Inspections and Raptor Solar
Raptor Maps is a well-established software startup founded by MIT engineers. Its software is aimed at industrial inspections and solar panel inspections. One unique feature its software offers is the ability to create thermal maps. Use cases for their mapping software include the inspection of solar panels, electrical utilities, and roof inspections.
Learn more about PV Inspections and Raptor Solar.
2. DroneMapper
DroneMapper specializes in photogrammetry software for creating highly accurate geospatial data from drone imagery, catering to mapping, surveying, and GIS professionals.
Learn more about Drone Mapper.
3. Pix4Dreact
Pix4Dreact provides fast, efficient 2D maps for inspection tasks, where time and accuracy are critical. It can also be used for emergency management.
Real Estate Drone Mapping Software
1. Zeitview
Zeitview is recognized for its specialized services in the real estate sector, offering aerial imaging solutions that can significantly enhance real estate listings, inspections, and appraisals by providing detailed and comprehensive views of properties.
Learn more about Zeitview’s real estate offerings.
Drone Mapping Use Cases by Sector
Here are the top sectors using drones for mapping:
- Agriculture
- Construction
- Emergency Management
- Environmental Conservation
- Forestry
- Inspections
- Land Surveying
- Mining
- Real Estate
- Urban Planning & Infrastructure Development
Keep reading to learn how each of these sectors uses drone mapping in its work.
Agriculture
Agriculture is one of the industries that stands to benefit the most from drone mapping.
And that’s because aerial maps give farmers the power to quickly analyze the health of their crops, providing crucial data to guide decision-making.
Instead of walking the whole crop or traversing the field with a tractor, a drone can now semi-autonomously produce a map and point out areas of interest. These maps help those in agriculture to save time, increase crop yield, and ultimately, improve their bottom line.
Using drone 3D mapping, farmers have realized concrete benefits like:
- Locating a bur cucumber infestation in a crop of soybeans and avoiding further contamination, saving $5,000.
- Assessing crop damage from a hailstorm and saving $5,500 by reallocating resources.
Construction
The construction industry benefits greatly from drone mapping.
3D maps made with aerial data can be used to:
- Update clients on the progress of their projects
- Analyze stockpiles of raw materials such as dirt and gravel
- Identify potential safety hazards on the site
These maps help construction managers obtain the “big picture” and assist in strategic decision making.
Emergency Management
When disaster strikes, quick and accurate information is vital for emergency management to respond effectively—especially when the disaster covers a large area.
Using drone photogrammetry, officials can determine the most damaged areas of a disaster (think flood or hurricane).
With this data, they can effectively distribute resources for a timely response. Drone 3D mapping is commonly used to support disaster relief and emergency management during hurricanes, floods, landslides, and search and rescue operations.
Environmental Conservation
Environmental conservation significantly benefits from drone mapping, offering a new perspective on monitoring and preserving natural habitats.
Drones provide an efficient and less intrusive means of collecting data across vast and inaccessible areas, aiding in efforts like:
- Monitoring wildlife populations and their habitats
- Assessing the impact of natural disasters on ecosystems
With drone mapping, conservationists can gather detailed insights without disturbing the natural environment, enabling more informed decision-making and proactive conservation strategies.
Forestry
Drone mapping can also be helpful in forestry.
With detailed maps, illegal logging can be detected and tracked, tree count can be determined, and the health of the forest can be monitored.
Using NDVI imagery, areas of dry vegetation can be monitored, which can assist with forest fire prevention. Maps can also help identify dead trees, revealing whether a disease might be affecting the forest.
Inspections
As you probably already know, inspections are one of the top use cases for commercial drones.
Drone pilots primarily use still images and videos, but photogrammetry can also help. Sometimes, pro drone pilots will use special software to edit video footage to create the best outputs for their clients.
- On a small scale, drones can do things like creating a detailed map of a roof, and RGB and IR sensors can help to detect areas with leaks or poor insulation coverage.
- On a bigger scale, drones can do things like inspect solar farms, spotting problem spots in the solar panels with the aid of infrared imagery.
Land Surveying
Land surveyors are an obvious beneficiary of aerial mapping.
Their job is to take precise measurements on pieces of land in order to determine boundaries. The data they collect assists in the creation of maps, plots, and legal documentation.
A word of caution for drone service providers: In case you missed the note above, just a reminder that you should consider avoiding the use the word “surveying” when talking about your offerings as a drone service provider unless you are actually a licensed surveyor.
Mining
Drone mapping in mining enhances operational efficiency and safety, providing detailed aerial views for site planning and management.
Regularly updated maps can give managers better situational awareness that can assist in decision making, supporting efforts like:
- Accurate volume measurements for stockpiles
- Water drainage planning
- Erosion detection
- Monitoring of open pit and quarry operations
- Pit dump and management
- Identification of potential hazards
Drone technology supports safer and more cost-effective mining practices, ensuring precise resource management and environmental compliance.
Real Estate
Aerial maps can be a powerful tool for helping realtors sell land and other types of real estate.
For those considering buying large areas of real estate, an up-to-date aerial map can be of considerable value in determining if the property is right for them.
If you’ve ever looked at a standard satellite image, you know that the detail is often lacking. Drone mapping can solve that clarity issue. A highly detailed aerial map allows for insight into the property details without requiring a client to be there in person. And with the help of a licensed land surveyor, contour lines and accurate borders can even be overlaid onto the imagery.
Urban Planning & Infrastructure Development
Drone mapping revolutionizes urban planning and infrastructure development, offering a bird’s-eye view for detailed analysis and project management.
It facilitates:
- Precise mapping of existing infrastructure
- Monitoring construction progress
- Evaluating terrain and land use for future projects
A drone 3D map of Zurich | Credit: Wingtra
This technology streamlines planning processes, enhances accuracy in decision-making, and ensures efficient resource allocation, significantly contributing to sustainable urban growth and infrastructure resilience.
Key Drone Mapping Terminology
Now that we’ve covered use cases, let’s close out this guide by covering definitions of key drone mapping terminology.
If you scan below, you’ll see that there is a lot of vocabulary here—we recommend bookmarking this page and using it as a resource.
Here’s a list of key drone 3D mapping terms:
- Absolute Accuracy. Absolute Accuracy refers to the accuracy of a point related to the coordinates in the real world. Absolute Accuracy means that a point on a map should match its actual GPS coordinates.
- GCP. Ground Control Points are physical markers on the ground used to keep your map geographically accurate.
- Infrared. IR is electromagnetic radiation or light with longer wavelength (lower frequency) than near infrared. The benefit of IR is that it can detect heat.
- NDVI. Normalized Difference Vegetation Index, which is a derived image (usually from a modified RGB or near IR sensor) used primarily in agriculture.
- Near Infrared. A spectrum of light (electromagnetic radiation) that is slightly below the wavelength of visible light. NIR light reflected off a plant can be an indicator of how healthy it is. Special NIR, multispectral, or modified RGB cameras are needed to obtain this data.
- Orthomosaic. An aerial image corrected for topographic relief, camera tilt, and distortions in camera optic so that the scale of the image is uniform throughout.
- Photogrammetry. The science of taking measurements from photographs, usually those taken from the air, and using them to create 3D models.
- Point Cloud. The collection of points or coordinates on an object’s surface. This collection of points can be used to create a 3D model of an area. Point Clouds are typically derived from photogrammetric and LIDAR data.
- Relative Accuracy. Refers to how accurate a point on a map is to other points on the same map. This means that if two points on a map are X cm. apart, they should be X cm. apart in the real world.
- Resolution. The level of detail on a map. This is often measured in CM/Pixel, which means that for every pixel, X amount of CM will be represented on the map.
- RGB Camera. This is the traditional type of visual camera used in mapping. It takes a sample of Red, Green, and Blue spectrums of light to create an image.
- RTK. Real Time Kinematic satellite navigation, this is a centimeter-accurate technique of obtaining GPS (or any GNSS) data. Essentially, the RTK receiver analyzes the GPS radio signal to calculate this data. RTK is a big deal—an on board RTK receiver on a drone can negate the need for GCPs.
- Thermography. Thermography is imagery taken of the infrared spectrum of light. This imagery shows areas of heat in an object and is often used in industrial applications. Over the last few years, demand for thermographic work has been growing.
Want to take a deeper dive into the world of mapping by drone? Make sure to check out our in-person drone mapping workshop and online drone mapping course.
