How to Start a Drone Surveying Business: The Ultimate Guide
Summary
TLDRIn this video, Michelle shares her journey from engineering to drone surveying and offers a comprehensive guide for those looking to start a drone surveying business. She covers essential topics like choosing the right drone, obtaining necessary licenses, and acquiring insurance. Michelle highlights the importance of using the right software, like DroneDeploy, and provides practical tips on pricing and client management. She emphasizes the value of accuracy and preparation, sharing her top recommendations to ensure a successful drone surveying business.
Takeaways
- 🚁 You need a drone to start drone surveying, with DJI Phantom 4 RTK being highly recommended for its accuracy and reliability.
- 🎯 Choosing an RTK drone provides superior accuracy for surveys, and it's ideal for professionals who prioritize precision.
- 💸 Entry-level drone surveying equipment can cost between £5,000 and £7,000, including essential accessories like batteries and licenses.
- 🛰️ You'll need a GPS license to operate the drone, and flexible options are available, allowing you to pay for licenses based on project duration.
- 📜 Accreditation is essential for commercial drone operations, and courses like ACC C of C or GVC are necessary in the UK.
- 🔐 Insurance is crucial for drone surveying, covering both the drone itself and public liability in case of accidents.
- 💻 Reliable software is needed for processing survey data. DroneDeploy is recommended for its cloud-based processing, though alternatives like Pix4D also exist.
- 📦 Having additional accessories such as extra batteries, cables, memory cards, and ground control points is vital to avoid disruptions during flights.
- 🛠️ For producing detailed drawings from survey data, exporting into software like LSS or AutoCAD is recommended.
- 💡 Top tips for drone surveying success include promoting your services on LinkedIn, ensuring proper pricing, and being clear on deliverables with clients.
Q & A
What motivated Michelle to switch from engineering to drone surveying?
-Michelle transitioned from engineering to drone surveying around 3-4 years ago and hasn't looked back since, indicating that she found greater satisfaction and success in drone surveying compared to her previous career.
What is Michelle's preferred drone for surveying, and why?
-Michelle prefers the DJI Phantom 4 RTK for surveying because it has been reliable, offers excellent accuracy, and has built-in GPS. She values accuracy as a former surveyor, making the RTK feature crucial for her work.
What is the difference between RTK and standard drones in terms of accuracy?
-RTK drones, like the DJI Phantom 4 RTK, use GPS for higher accuracy, while standard drones rely on photogrammetry and ground control points (GCPs). RTK drones provide superior accuracy in surveying due to their GPS connectivity.
What are the key considerations when purchasing a drone for surveying?
-Key considerations include whether the drone has RTK capabilities, payload capacity, necessary licenses, and accreditation for commercial flying. Michelle advises thorough research before investing in a drone, especially considering the payload's impact on licensing requirements.
What additional costs should be considered when starting a drone surveying business?
-Beyond the cost of the drone, other expenses include GPS licenses, accreditation courses, insurance, software for processing survey data, and potentially a more powerful computer if processing is done locally.
What kind of accreditation is required to fly a drone for surveying purposes in the UK?
-In the UK, mid-entry drones require an A2 Certificate of Competency (A2 C of C) and potentially the General VLOS Certificate (GVC) depending on the flight location and commercial use. Michelle emphasizes checking local aviation laws for other countries.
Why is insurance important for drone surveying, and what type of insurance does Michelle recommend?
-Insurance is crucial because accidents can happen, such as a drone crashing. Michelle recommends insurance that covers both public liability and drone equipment. She uses Cover Drone, which offers flexible insurance options based on flying needs.
What software does Michelle recommend for drone surveying, and why?
-Michelle recommends DroneDeploy for both planning flight paths and processing survey data. She finds it more user-friendly and efficient than other software she has tested, like SightScan and Pix4D.
What are some essential accessories for drone surveying that beginners often overlook?
-Beginners often overlook spare batteries, extra cables, a takeoff pad, and cones for securing the area. Michelle also advises having extra SIM cards and cables to avoid interruptions during flights.
What advice does Michelle give for pricing drone surveying services?
-Michelle stresses the importance of setting the right price to avoid underpricing, considering the investment in equipment, software, insurance, and ongoing costs like cloud hosting. She advises being clear with clients about deliverables and factoring in all costs when pricing.
Outlines
🎥 Introduction to Drone Surveying and the DJI Phantom 4 RTK
Michelle introduces herself and discusses her transition from being an engineer for 17 years to becoming a drone surveyor. She talks about the importance of drones in her business and recommends the DJI Phantom 4 RTK as her go-to drone for surveying. She highlights the importance of selecting the right drone for surveying, especially considering GPS-enabled drones (RTK) versus standalone drones using photogrammetry. Michelle explains that accuracy is crucial in surveying and recommends RTK drones for their superior precision. She concludes by emphasizing the decision-making process involved in choosing the right drone.
🚁 Choosing the Right Drone and GPS License
Michelle discusses the cost and features of entry-level drones for aspiring drone surveyors. She notes that a good starter drone can cost between £5,000 and £7,000. Additionally, she mentions the need for a GPS license, particularly for RTK drones. Michelle points out that there are various companies offering flexible GPS licenses based on usage needs, and she specifically recommends PQS Tech for purchasing these licenses. The segment also covers the need to stay updated on government regulations for commercial drone flying, which vary depending on the drone’s payload and region.
📜 Getting Accredited and Insured for Drone Surveying
In this section, Michelle explains the importance of accreditation for drone flying. She recommends taking an in-house course that covers training and testing, enabling surveyors to obtain certifications like the ACC C of C or GVC for flying drones commercially in the UK. Additionally, she stresses the importance of insurance, highlighting that even experienced drone operators like herself have had accidents. She advises getting public liability insurance and suggests Coverdrone, a flexible insurance provider for drone operators, to protect both the drone and additional equipment like GPS units.
💻 Drone Surveying Software and Tools
Michelle shares her experience with various software programs for drone surveying, including her preference for DroneDeploy due to its ease of use and cloud-based processing. She mentions alternatives like Sight Scan and Pix4D but finds them less efficient. She advises investing in the right computer specifications if using software that processes data locally. Michelle also provides practical advice for purchasing additional accessories like extra batteries, takeoff pads, cones, spare cables, and high-memory SD cards, which are essential for smooth fieldwork and data collection.
📐 Integrating Survey Data into CAD and LSS
Michelle discusses the importance of using post-processing software to transform drone data into deliverable formats for clients. She recommends using LSS and AutoCAD to produce detailed drawings from point clouds and photogrammetry. She explains that while drone surveying software helps with data capture and processing, specialized tools like LSS allow for a higher level of detail needed for accurate surveys. Michelle emphasizes the cost of the necessary software and hardware, reminding surveyors that drone surveying requires significant investment to ensure high-quality results.
📢 Tips for Growing a Drone Surveying Business
Michelle concludes with her top tips for starting and growing a drone surveying business. She advises using LinkedIn to showcase your work and educate potential clients on the advantages of drone surveying over traditional methods. She emphasizes the importance of getting all necessary information from clients, particularly regarding flight restrictions. Pricing is a key focus, and Michelle stresses that surveyors should avoid underpricing their services given the high cost of equipment and software. She also advises being clear about deliverables, including giving clients access to the software for further analysis if necessary.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Drone Surveying
💡RTK (Real-Time Kinematic)
💡DJI Phantom 4 RTK
💡Ground Control Points (GCPs)
💡Drone Software
💡Licensing and Accreditation
💡Insurance
💡GPS License
💡Photogrammetry
💡Volumetric Surveys
Highlights
Introduction to drone surveying, transitioning from traditional engineering to drone surveying.
The importance of selecting the right drone for surveying: recommendation of the DJI Phantom 4 RTK.
Key decision for surveyors: choosing between RTK drones for superior accuracy versus traditional drones with ground control points (GCPs).
Explanation of RTK technology and why it’s crucial for precision in drone surveying.
Cost breakdown: starting with a basic setup for drone surveying, including an RTK drone, ranging between £5,000 to £7,000.
Licenses: Surveyors need a GPS license and can choose flexible licensing plans (daily, weekly, monthly).
Accreditations: Discussing the importance of obtaining the correct drone flying certifications, including ACC and GVC for UK-based surveyors.
Emphasis on having insurance coverage for the drone, equipment, and public liability, with recommendations for providers like Coverdrone.
Software recommendations for planning and processing drone survey data. DroneDeploy is praised for its cloud processing capabilities.
Hardware considerations: Advising surveyors to invest in a computer capable of processing survey data or relying on cloud-based solutions.
Recommendations for additional equipment: spare batteries, cables, memory cards, and takeoff pads are essential for a smooth operation.
Mention of other software like Pix4D and LSS for deeper survey analysis and exporting data for AutoCAD.
Key business advice: promoting drone surveying services on LinkedIn and maintaining clear communication with clients on no-fly zones.
Pricing strategy: Highlighting the importance of setting a proper pricing structure for drone surveying services.
Deliverables: Importance of being clear with clients about the final survey outputs and offering access to software for viewing data.
Transcripts
welcome back to the channel folks my
name is Michelle this is a drone and I'm
going to talk to you about how you can
become a drone surveyor so I haven't
been an engineer for the last 17 years I
made the transition around about 3 or 4
years ago to move into drone surveilling
and quite honestly I haven't looked back
but in this video today I want to share
with you everything that you're going to
need to be able to start up as a drone
surveyor we're going to talk about
drones software licenses training you
name it everything you need to get your
business started I highly recommend you
stick around to the end of the video
where I share my top tips on how I made
the transition into drone surveying and
how I grew my business but for now let's
get started number one you're going to
need a drone now there are a ton of
drones out there on the market right now
my weapon of choice is this DJI Phantom
4 rtk I've been flying the phantom rtk
for just over four years now and it has
never failed me I think it's an
excellent piece of Kit I had already
been introduced to DJI equipment before
and was highly impressed with their
drones there are other drone
manufacturers out there however I can't
give you an opinion on them because I've
only ever used DJI products and like I
say they have never failed me before
however one of the key decisions for you
is going to be which drone you purchase
this took me a lot of research and a lot
of worrying before I actually spent my
hard-earned cash however drone
technology has moved on and you can now
pick up a newer model of this drone as
well as a new rtk drone in the mavic
range which is cheaper more Compact and
well it looks the bum to be fair the key
decision I had to make when choosing a
drone was whether to go with rtk which
obviously has GPS right here in the top
of the head unit or whether to do a
standalone drone with photogrametry and
then just tie everything in with gcps
now I was a little bit confused with how
accurate just purely gcps were and
decided to be honest with you to go the
rtk route from a surveying background
accuracy for me is Paramount and I just
don't think you can go wrong with the
rtk you do have to put gcps ground
control points out still with the rtk
but it is going to be connected to the
satellites and it is going to be G
giving you a GPS signal so that your
drone knows where it is and I've just
found that surveying and the surveying
outputs with an rtk drone are far
superior to anything that just a normal
drone can do plus if you're starting out
as a business and you are already a
surveyor it's worth the investment and
to be honest with you I wouldn't even
consider a drone without rtk just based
on the market right now and I am not
sponsor by DJI here's a list of kind of
the top three drones I'd be looking at
you do also need to consider when
purchasing a drone the payload so
depending on the payload will depend on
what type of license and what type of
accreditation that you will need to fly
this one here is quite a low payload
it's not the big bird therefore you
haven't got to do the GVC course now
we'll come on to courses in due course
but the government is changing the rules
all the time so it's quite hard to keep
up to date with exactly what you need to
be able to commercially fly a drone for
surveying purposes now that you've got
your drone you're probably looking at
like an entry level drone to get
yourself started you're going to be
looking to spend between £5 and
£7,000 and that's going to include your
box your batteries and everything that
you need to get up and running but the
costs won't stop there so you have an
rtk drone the next thing that you're
going to need is connection so you're
going to need a GPS license now you may
already have one I actually did because
I was already using a GPS for normal
traditional surveillance so you can
actually use both for the Drone and your
kit but if you don't fear not there are
many companies out there offering
licenses for a day a week a month 6
months and this is really good because
as a drone surveyor you're not always
going to be out with the Drone therefore
you may just want to pay for a license
as in when you need it for a job I can
recommend pqs tech for all your rtk
requirements if you head on over to
their website you can see all the
licenses that are available and pick and
choose exactly what you're going to need
to get started they are the sponsors of
this video okay you have your drone you
have your rtk license the next thing
that you're going to need is
accreditation now for these mid entry
drones you're going to be looking at the
AC C of C course and potentially the GVC
depending on where it is you're going to
need to fly commercially this is
obviously just for the UK If You're
based anywhere else in the world please
do check your Aviation laws and ensure
you have the right accreditation for
where it is that you need to fly there
are some amazing companies up and down
the UK who are offering these
accreditation in house what that means
is you go to them and you learn to fly
your drone properly and then at the end
of the training you will take the test
and hopefully walk away with the
accreditation that you need I can highly
recommend this because if you just sign
up to do the course online it means
you've got to spend the time flying and
find somewhere local that you're allowed
to fly to get your practice in and
you're going to need 2 hours and then it
comes down to actually booking the test
and going through with it I just find
that if you set time aside to do a
course and then the accreditation at the
end that's done ticked off the list and
then you're good to go flying plus you
get to answer a bunch of questions to
the training providers and get any kind
of extra help that you need so you've
now got your drone you're accredited and
you've got your GPS license you are
almost ready to go this is the one thing
that most people forget about but I
think it is so Paramount and that is you
need insurance yes this is one thing
that most people forget about but
insurance for flying a drone is really
important even if you're flying on a
site and not over the general public you
still need insurance that drone could
come down yes I have had that happen to
me your insurance not only wants to
protect your drone and your equipment
but it also wants to protect the public
yes accidents can happen and I think if
you're going to commercially do this as
a proper surveying business then you do
need insurance that protects you against
public liability I use cover drone for
my insurance I think they're perfect
they have a really flexible system in
that you can just ensure your drone for
a day flying you can ensure it for 5
days a week like the rtk license it's
super flexible and I would highly
recommend them they've been really
helpful to me you can also ensure extra
kit through cover drone so if you have a
GPS unit that you're taking out to do
ground control points they are going to
be your guys because you can cover that
under that insurance too okay now you
can get out and fly your drone and get
some business however when you get back
to the office and you've got all your
wonderful photographs from your job the
last thing that is pretty crucial is
software so I have been through my fair
share of softwares for processing the
Drone information and also using the
software to automatically plan my routes
and fly my drone originally I started
off just using the DJI app and whilst
it's good and it does everything you
kind of need I found it really clunky
and just wasn't overall impressed with
it since then I have been using drone
deploy and drone deploy is amazing not
only do you use a software to actually
plan out and do your flight but it's
also an incredible software to process
all your data once you've done your
flights other softwares that I've tested
out have been sight scaned by EZ and pix
4D it's worth exploring however I wasn't
overly impressed with either of these
softwares for various different reasons
but feel free to check them out because
they may well work for you now you've
chosen your software you need to think
about your computer spec you don't need
a super powerful computer but it depends
on the type of software that you're
going to go for that's another thing
that I love about drone deploy is that
everything is processed in the cloud so
you basically import all your photos it
gets Pro processed in the cloud and then
you can produce Point clouds volumetric
surveys dtms it really is something well
worth looking into but if you're going
to process on pix 4D and you're going to
have that on your own computer you will
need to make sure that you have a
computer that is capable of processing
because the last thing you want to do is
come back from a job and then have to
sit and wait and wait and quite frankly
be unproductive whilst your survey has
been processing just to add into the mix
some of the things that I missed when I
started flying my drone which I wish I'd
knew about and that is don't forget
extra batteries don't forget your
accessories so things like a takeoff pad
cones cones are really super useful you
need to be coning off the area in which
you're taking off and Landing you will
need to be having a phone with you
because the Pham will need to connect
Wi-Fi remotely to your drone to get it
up off the ground connected to the apps
spare cables yes if you're cable breaks
then you are screwed so please ensure
you have spare cables for everything so
for example my drone has a controller
that is connected to an iPad via an
iPhone cable I cannot tell you how many
times my iPhone cable has just stopped
working and it's so important that you
have these in your kit bag to ensure
that you are not caught short basically
and that you can't carry on with the job
SIM cards I would highly recommend a
scan dis 74 or
12425 these memory cards are going to
slip right into the side of your drone
and obviously the higher memory the
better it is because the more jobs that
you can get in there without having
having to panic you can take thousands
of photographs and not really worry
about running out of space mid drone
flight if you're not a surveyor and you
don't have a GPS unit then I would
highly recommend adding this to your kit
bag because like I said if you want
accurate surveys you cannot just go and
fly an rtk drone without gcps that is a
massive downfall to not only your
workflow but like I say the accuracy of
your surveys so if you have a GPS kit
perfect if you don't you can purchase
many different types of G GPS kits that
range from £3,000 right the way up to
£20,000 or you can purchase with your
drone through GGI or separately a base
station and you set that base station up
and it would massively increase the
accuracy for you once youve processed
everything whether that be in pix 4D or
drone deploy or sight scan as a surveyor
I think it's really important that you
are able to provide a high level of
detail for all your surveys and none of
these softwares allow you to go as deep
as you need to as a surveyor into
producing drawings so you are going to
want to export information from the
software and put it into something like
LSS or AutoCAD now LSS is a software
that I have used for years it's
fantastic with po clouds and it enables
you perfectly to extrapolate information
from photogrametry and point Cloud into
a survey which then you can pop into Cad
and I basically only use CAD to kind of
tighten up the drawing ring and put it
into a model space and then onto a
template for my client but again the
software need to be considered because
they come at a cost everyone thinks it's
super easy to get into drone surveying
and actually it's quite costly but there
you go I've given you all the options
and pretty much hopefully everything
that you need to get yourself up and
running if you have any further
questions please go ahead and write them
in the description below I'll do my best
to answer them and finally here are my
top tips for you to progress with your
drone surveying and also get started as
a drone surveyor in business number one
when you get started with your drone
surve in go on LinkedIn and tell
everyone about it show people what
you're doing show flights show clients
show workflows it's going to be super
helpful for people to understand exactly
what it is that you're providing and the
benefit of drone surveying over
traditional surveying number two make
sure you have all the information from a
client when they want a flight so for
example there are certain areas that you
are not allowed to fly in the UK and you
just want to make sure that every client
that comes to you you have got all the
information that you need to Lo at the
area that needs the flight and then
ensure that you're not in a no flying
area number three pricing make sure you
have a price structure so many drone
surveyors out there underprice drone
surveying and then realize actually what
goes into the work of getting the final
survey and end up out of pocket so make
sure you get your pricing right you've
invested a huge amount of money in the
kit the software the insurances make
sure your pricing is good deliverables
be really clear to the client on what
deliverables you're going to be giving
them you may want to give them access to
your software so that they can go on and
do volume measurements that they can see
their flights that's really important
that you offer that but it's also
important that you price it correctly
because you're going to be paying a
month-on-month feee to host their job
and their surveys so just make sure you
include that in your pricing structure
so there you go you have it my top tips
and hopefully this video has been super
helpful for you to get started and begin
in drone surveying please go ahead hit
the Subscribe and like button and I'll
be back with hopefully some more helpful
videos real soon
Weitere ähnliche Videos ansehen
How to Start a SUCCESSFUL Small Business (Step By Step) ULTIMATE GUIDE for Beginners
FORUM PERBINCANGAN "KESELAMATAN PENGENDALIAN DRON"
Building a sub 250g Autonomous Drone with Ardupilot and ExpressLRS AirPort Telemetry
How To Open A Medical Spa in New York
Don's Study Guide for Canadian RPAS FLIGHT REVIEWS (revised June 2020)
How to Become a Freelancer in 2024 💸 the ultimate step-by-step guide to freelancing for beginners
5.0 / 5 (0 votes)