Frequently Asked Questions
What is Geomatics?
Geomatics encompasses the collection, management and presentation of spatial data. This discipline has evolved from the traditional collection of data associated with land surveyors.
Will you move away from conventional land based surveys as the aerial market expands?
No.
Aerial Surveying complements our land based services and enables us to offer a greater range of solutions to existing and new clients.
We want to have the flexibility to provide spatial data in many ways and we will work closely with clients to make sure the solutions we offer meet their needs in a cost effective way.
This may mean that we actually take a dual approach, combining data from both ground and aerial based sensors.
Why is it so important to have Geomatics at the core of your aerial services?
For us, an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) is simply a platform to carry survey sensors, be they cameras, thermal or hyperspectral imagers. The geo-referencing of the imagery collected is critical to its use.
Our Aerial team, including the pilots, are well qualified and experienced Geomatics professionals.
From the initial flight planning process, the quality and accuracy of the end deliverables is very much to the forefront of our minds and of course, we process our data in house.
What are the legal requirements for the operation of UAVs?
When any Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) is used for commercial purposes, the operators must be qualified and approved by the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).
Approval involves manufacturer's training, ground school, approval of flight operations manuals, flight tests and regular review.
All flying must demonstrate equivalence with manned flights. All flights are carefully planned, with liaison with the CAA, local airdromes, the RAF and the reservation of airspace where appropriate.
Are your UAVs restricted by bad weather?
Our Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) are the most capable on the market, with the ability to fly for extended periods of time and in moderate winds.
However, any conditions that restrict or compromise light reaching the onboard sensor lenses, will of course result in lower quality visuals in terms of resolution and accuracy, so we always build in flexibility to our schedules.
Can you explain the process for generating ortho-rectified photography and terrain models?
The technique is very similar to photogrammetry that has been used for decades for overlapping photographs from manned aircraft.
With Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), the flights are a lot lower, but the process is similar with the aircraft flying a grid to collect a set of overlapping images together with a geo-referenced flight log.
Our photogrammetric software is extremely powerful, using a block bundle adjustment to stitch the photography together and generate a 3D point cloud.
UAV imagery looks amazing but the data sets are large. How can they be used?
We work closely with all of our clients to ensure that the deliverables are tailored to their end user requirements. Some can work directly with the cloud data and aerial imagery while others require more conventional products. With our experience in conventional surveys through to cutting-edge techniques, we are well placed to advise on this.
What is Geodime's approach to Research and Development?
Our approach is to work closely with our suppliers, sector leaders and participating academic institutions, whilst investing heavily in the most capable equipment and develop our team members individual skillsets. This dynamic approach helps drive research into unique fields so that we can make valuable and significant contributions to the international remote sensing community.
Do you hire your survey equipment?
Most of the equipment we used is owned by Geodime. This means that we can be certain that it is all in calibration, and our staff are trained and familiar with the equipment we use.
This equipment includes Total stations, GPS, numerous UAVs and sensors and high definition laser scanners, together with boats and sensors for bathymetric surveys. Wherever possible our skillsets and tools are in-house, enabling us to guarantee our clients high quality services.