Drone Services

Drone Services at On-Site Measurements is aerial data capture using UAV platforms for site documentation, roof condition records, construction progress, and exterior mapping. Deliverables include georeferenced imagery, orthomosaics, photogrammetric point clouds, and elevation-derived outputs, depending on the agreed scope. Aerial mapping, drone photogrammetry, roof inspections, and site progress capture are all within this service. They are not separate offerings.

Drone capture produces aerial data from a planned flight over the agreed area. The data is processed into orthomosaics, 3D data, or other deliverables depending on what the project requires. Deliverables are not automatically generated by the drone. Processed outputs are prepared from the captured imagery and reviewed before handoff.

This service covers aerial data capture and processed deliverables from it. It does not include interior documentation, below-grade conditions, or structural assessment. If your project also requires interior existing-conditions documentation, terrestrial laser scanning is the appropriate method for that scope. See our 3D laser scanning services for detail on how that workflow runs.

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Drone capture is well suited for documenting conditions that are accessible from the air and visible from above.

Roof surfaces

The geometry, visible surface conditions, drainage features, penetrations, and roof-level elements visible from the air during the flight. Drone roof capture documents what the drone can see. It does not document conditions below the roof surface, concealed roofing layers, or structural elements not visible from above.

Building exteriors

Aerial views of building facades, site perimeter, and exterior conditions where the flight path provides coverage. Vertical facade detail may be limited depending on flight planning and site conditions.

Construction sites

Site layout, earthworks conditions, stockpile areas, grading, and above-grade construction progress. Drone capture is commonly used across construction phases to produce dated aerial records of a site.

Large outdoor areas

Sites where ground-based access is limited, impractical, or where aerial perspective is more useful than ground-level documentation.

What drone capture does not document by default

• Interior conditions of any enclosed space
• Below-grade or buried conditions
• Concealed roofing layers or elements hidden behind parapets, flashings, or roof features
• Structural conditions below the surface
• Any area physically obstructed from the planned flight path

For projects requiring both aerial documentation and interior existing-conditions capture, drone services and 3D laser scanning services can be scoped together.

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Not every project requires aerial data. Understanding which output fits the project avoids scoping the wrong service.

Drone Services is usually the right fit when:

• Roof documentation is needed and physical access is unsafe, impractical, or requires expensive access equipment
• A construction site needs periodic aerial progress records across a project timeline
• A site context view or exterior aerial reference is needed as a reference for planning, design teams, or asset records
• A large outdoor area needs to be documented and ground-based methods are limited or impractical
• The project requires georeferenced aerial imagery, orthomosaics, or photogrammetric 3D data as the primary deliverable

Drone Services is not the right fit when:

• Interior documentation is required. Terrestrial laser scanning is the correct method for interior spaces. See our 3D laser scanning services.
• Precise interior geometry for MEP coordination, renovation design, or BIM modeling is required.
• Below-grade or concealed conditions are part of the scope.
• The project requires legally registered survey data, boundary information, or cadastral documentation.

If a project requires both aerial and interior documentation, a combined scope using drone capture and terrestrial scanning can be discussed during scope confirmation.

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1. Scope confirmation

Before any flights are planned, we agree on which areas are in scope, what deliverables are required, what site conditions are expected, and what access is available. Scope confirmation also identifies whether the project involves controlled airspace, proximity to aerodromes, or other factors that affect flight planning and scheduling.

2. Flight planning and regulatory review

Flight operations are planned under applicable Transport Canada RPAS requirements. The required pilot certificate, aircraft requirements, airspace authorization, and scheduling constraints depend on the drone, site location, proximity to people, aerodrome proximity, airspace classification, and the type of operation. Projects in controlled airspace or near aerodromes may require authorization through NAV CANADA, and some military or DND-controlled airspace situations may require Department of National Defence involvement before flights can proceed. This affects project lead time and should be confirmed during scoping.

3. Ground control point placement (when in scope)

Ground control points can be used when the project requires georeferenced outputs or tighter spatial control. GCPs are physical targets placed at measured positions on the site before the flight, providing a spatial reference for photogrammetric processing. Whether GCPs are included depends on the deliverable and the project's spatial requirements, and is confirmed during scoping.

4. Flight and aerial data capture

The UAV flies a planned pattern over the agreed area. Weather conditions, wind, visibility, and airspace status affect whether the flight can proceed as scheduled. Flights are planned within applicable Transport Canada altitude and operating limits. If conditions are unsuitable, the flight is rescheduled. Timeline estimates for drone projects should account for weather variability.

5. Data processing

Captured imagery is processed to produce the agreed deliverables: orthomosaics, point clouds, digital surface models, or other scoped outputs. Processing is not automatic. Deliverables are produced from the aerial data and reviewed for coverage, georeferencing, and completeness against the agreed scope before handoff. Processing time depends on the area covered and the deliverables required.

6. QA review

Deliverables are reviewed for coverage, georeferencing, and completeness against the agreed scope before delivery. Coverage gaps or processing issues are flagged before handoff.

7. Delivery

Files are delivered in the agreed formats. Delivery is confirmed before the project is closed.

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The deliverables from a drone project depend on the agreed scope. Not every project requires every output. Format and scope are confirmed before work begins.

Georeferenced orthomosaic

A top-down 2D aerial image of the site or area, corrected for lens distortion and georeferenced to the agreed coordinate reference where that is part of the scope. Delivered as GeoTIFF. The most common primary deliverable from an aerial mapping project. Used for site planning, aerial reference, progress comparison, and visual documentation.

Photogrammetric point cloud

A 3D dataset produced from overlapping aerial imagery using photogrammetric processing. Delivered in LAS/LAZ or E57. A drone-derived photogrammetric point cloud is produced differently from a terrestrial laser scan point cloud: it is camera-based, typically less dense, and suited for site-level 3D reference rather than detailed interior geometry. For projects requiring a dense interior point cloud, see our 3D laser scanning services.

Digital surface model

A gridded elevation model representing the captured surface, including structures, vegetation, and above-ground features. Delivered as GeoTIFF or raster format. A digital surface model represents what the drone captured from above. It is not a legal survey deliverable or an engineering-certified terrain model.

Elevation-derived outputs

Contour lines and digital terrain models may be available when in scope. These are planning and reference outputs. They are not legal survey products, registered land survey deliverables, or engineering-certified terrain models.

Annotated aerial imagery

Georeferenced imagery with notation for roof condition documentation, site reference, or inspection record purposes. Format and detail level are confirmed during scoping.

Aerial video and still imagery

When agreed as a deliverable during scoping. Raw imagery may be provided when agreed, but standard deliverables are processed or organized outputs prepared for the agreed project scope.

2D CAD drawings from aerial data

2D CAD drawings derived from aerial data are not a standard drone deliverable. If CAD plans are needed from aerial data, that is a separate drafting scope. See our CAD drafting services.

Other formats can be discussed during scoping if the downstream workflow requires something not listed here.

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These terms describe specific workflows and use cases within Drone Services. They refer to different aspects of the same service, not separate offerings.

Aerial mapping

Aerial mapping is the use of drone capture to produce georeferenced imagery and spatial data of a site or area. Common outputs include orthomosaics, digital surface models, and photogrammetric point clouds. It is used for site planning, construction documentation, facility reference, and exterior asset records.

Aerial mapping by drone is a documentation service. It is not a cadastral survey, boundary survey, legal land survey, or licensed topographic survey. If the project requires registered land survey deliverables or boundary information, that is a separate professional scope.

Drone photogrammetry

Drone photogrammetry is the processing workflow where overlapping drone imagery is used to reconstruct 3D data, producing outputs such as orthomosaics, point clouds, and digital surface models. It is the measurement method behind aerial mapping and site documentation from drone capture.

Accuracy depends on flight planning, image overlap, ground control or other control methods when included, site conditions, processing workflow, and required deliverables. Drone photogrammetry is the measurement workflow behind aerial mapping and site documentation from drone capture.

Roof inspections by drone

Drone roof capture documents visible surface conditions from above: geometry, drainage features, penetrations, visible surface conditions, and roof-level elements accessible to the drone during the flight.

Drone roof documentation is a visual documentation service. It does not certify roof condition. It is not a structural engineering inspection, a roofing warranty inspection, or an insurance inspection certification. It does not document concealed roofing layers, below-membrane conditions, hidden flashing conditions, or structural conditions not visible from the air. If specific concealed conditions are critical to the project, alternate methods should be discussed before the scope is confirmed.

On this page, roof inspections by drone refers to aerial visual documentation of roof surfaces using drone capture.

Site progress capture

Site progress capture is periodic drone flights over a construction site to produce dated aerial records of progress across a project timeline. Flights are planned to repeat a consistent coverage pattern so that imagery and data from different dates can be compared. Common deliverables include dated orthomosaics, georeferenced imagery, and aerial video when agreed.

Site progress capture is used by construction managers, project owners, and developers to maintain an aerial record from pre-construction through completion. It is a use case within Drone Services, not a separate offering.

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Construction and development

Construction teams use drone services for site progress capture across project phases, pre-construction aerial documentation, earthwork and grading reference, and as-constructed aerial records. Periodic flights produce a comparable aerial archive across the project timeline.

Commercial property and building management

Property managers and building owners use drone services for roof condition documentation when physical access is unsafe, impractical, or requires expensive access equipment. Drone capture provides a visual reference of roof surface conditions without requiring workers on the roof. This is a documentation service, not a structural inspection, roofing warranty inspection, or insurance certification.

Architecture and site planning

Architects, planners, and developers use aerial mapping for site context, exterior building geometry, and spatial reference for large sites. Aerial imagery provides an aerial reference for design and planning teams where that perspective is useful.

Industrial and large facilities

Large plant sites, laydown yards, stockpile areas, and industrial facility exteriors that are difficult to document at ground level can be captured aerially. Industrial drone projects typically require careful scope definition around access, airspace, and site safety conditions.

Commercial real estate

Aerial imagery supports asset documentation, site context, and building exterior records for property management and real estate purposes.

Infrastructure and large outdoor sites

Large outdoor areas and infrastructure projects where aerial coverage provides a reference that ground-based methods cannot practically match. Aerial mapping for these projects is a documentation and reference tool, not a legal survey product.

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Transport Canada drone regulations

Commercial drone operations in Canada are governed by Transport Canada under the Canadian Aviation Regulations, Part IX, which covers Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS). Drone operations are planned under applicable Transport Canada RPAS requirements. The required pilot certificate, aircraft requirements, airspace authorization, and scheduling constraints depend on the drone, site location, proximity to people, aerodrome proximity, airspace classification, and the type of operation.

For current regulatory information on drone operation categories and certification requirements, refer to Transport Canada's RPAS resources directly at tc.canada.ca/en/aviation/drone-safety.

Airspace and aerodrome proximity

Operations in controlled airspace or near aerodromes may require authorization through NAV CANADA, and some military or DND-controlled airspace situations may require Department of National Defence involvement before flights can proceed. This authorization affects project scheduling and must be identified during scope planning, not on the day of the flight. Sites near aerodromes or in areas with known airspace constraints should be flagged at the start of the project so that authorization requirements can be addressed before mobilization.

Weather and flight conditions

Drone flights require suitable wind, precipitation, visibility, and weather conditions. Rain, high wind, fog, and low-light conditions can prevent safe flight. Scheduled flights may need to be rescheduled if conditions are unsuitable on the planned date. Timeline estimates for drone projects should account for weather variability. Rescheduling for weather is a normal operational constraint, not a service limitation.

Site access and safety

A safe takeoff and landing area is required on or near the site. Active construction sites, occupied facilities, and areas with overhead hazards such as power lines, cranes, or nearby aircraft operations affect flight planning. Site safety requirements, access restrictions, and coordination with on-site personnel are confirmed before mobilization.

What aerial capture does not show by default

Drone capture documents what is visible from the air within the agreed flight area. The following are not within scope by default:

• Interior conditions of any enclosed space
• Below-grade or buried conditions
• Concealed roofing layers, below-membrane conditions, or elements hidden behind parapets or roof features
• Structural conditions not visible from above
• Any area physically obstructed from the planned flight path

On-Site Measurements does not provide

Engineering sign-off, structural assessment, roof condition certification, roofing warranty inspection, insurance inspection certification, permit consulting, legal land survey services, boundary survey documentation, or cadastral records. Drone services produce aerial documentation. How that documentation is used in any downstream design, engineering, regulatory, or insurance process is the responsibility of the team using it.

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