Where am I going, and how am I getting there?High-tech Unmanned Aircraft, UA, are essential tools in construction, architecture, agriculture, and other industries today. These flying tools collect high-resolution images from vantage points not possible outside the use of a helicopter or a plane, not to mention increased job site safety. UA data enables project engineers to review a project location before visiting it or review existing site conditions to determine the feasibility of a design. Project managers make area measurements or calculate daily excavation volumes. Project stakeholders use UA video to monitor project progress in near-real-time, allowing for early detection of needed corrections before they become a problem later in the project. Interaction with high definition 3D models enables virtual inspections and as-built documentation during project wrap-up. Another as-built item could report on the vegetative health of landscaping installed by your landscape contractor.By combining my surveying, engineering, and computer knowledge, it is my mission to help engineering and construction companies realize cost savings utilizing UA on their projects. To help engineers, architects, project managers, and other stakeholders improve their workflows and visibility into a project. To partner with them to lower project costs and increase productivity. To supply deliverables that support various needs, including• Feasibility assessments• Drainage calculations• Volume calculations• 3D visualization• DocumentationIntelligent UA photos store centimeter-level location data, which allows for accurate base layer data used in project CAD files. Using accurate base layer data facilitates project visualization as well as measurements.A picture is worth millions of calculations!After meeting with clients to thoroughly understand requirements, I plan the flight and prepare a mission plan that documents requirements, FAA authorizations/waivers (if needed), vicinity map, flight area, insurance coverage, and other pertinent information. Upon successful flight execution, I process the captured photos with specialized software to generate• Point clouds• Meshes• Elevation models• 3D Models and• Geographically corrected photos… forming the basis for other calculations. Client files are made available to them on a secure web site. I enjoy spending time with clients to ensure their understanding of the data.It is incredible how much information can be extracted from overlapping photos to be more efficient and effective for your project today.