Course Details

UAV and Drone-based Remote Sensing Training Course

Introduction

The advent of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), commonly known as drones, has profoundly impacted the field of Remote Sensing, offering an unprecedented ability to collect high-resolution, on-demand geospatial data. Unlike traditional satellite or manned aircraft platforms, drones provide unparalleled flexibility, allowing for data acquisition at very low altitudes, high temporal frequencies, and custom flight paths. This proximity to the ground results in ultra-high spatial resolution imagery, making it ideal for detailed mapping, precise monitoring, and localized analysis across a myriad of applications, including precision agriculture, construction progress monitoring, infrastructure inspection, environmental surveys, and even search and rescue operations. Drones equipped with various sensors – from RGB cameras to multispectral, hyperspectral, LiDAR, and thermal imagers – can capture diverse types of information, providing granular insights into various phenomena. The immediate access to data, combined with cost-effectiveness for smaller areas, positions drones as a transformative tool in modern geospatial workflows. However, effectively operating drones for remote sensing, ensuring data quality, and processing the collected imagery requires specialized knowledge of flight planning, sensor integration, photogrammetry, and data analysis. Many professionals are keen to integrate drone technology into their operations but lack the comprehensive understanding of the entire workflow, from regulatory compliance and safe piloting to advanced data processing and interpretation.

Conversely, mastering UAV and drone-based remote sensing empowers professionals to acquire bespoke, high-fidelity geospatial data, enabling detailed analysis and rapid decision-making for complex spatial problems. This specialized skill set is crucial for transforming raw drone data into actionable intelligence, driving efficiency, accuracy, and innovation across numerous industries. Our intensive 5-day "UAV and Drone-based Remote Sensing" training course is meticulously designed to equip GIS professionals, surveyors, agriculturalists, environmental scientists, urban planners, engineers, construction managers, and researchers with the essential theoretical knowledge and practical, hands-on skills required to confidently plan, execute, process, and analyze data from drone-based remote sensing missions.

Duration

5 Days

Target Audience

The "UAV and Drone-based Remote Sensing" training course is designed for a broad audience who wish to integrate drone technology into their professional workflows for data acquisition and analysis. This includes:

• GIS Professionals and Technicians: Seeking to expand their data collection capabilities beyond traditional methods.
• Surveyors and Mappers: For high-accuracy topographic surveys, volumetric calculations, and site mapping.
• Agriculturalists and Agronomists: For precision farming, crop health monitoring, and yield prediction.
• Environmental Scientists and Ecologists: For habitat mapping, pollution monitoring, and ecological assessments.
• Civil Engineers and Construction Managers: For site progress monitoring, infrastructure inspection, and quantity surveying.
• Urban Planners and Developers: For detailed urban mapping, 3D modeling, and site planning.
• Mining Engineers: For volumetric calculations, pit mapping, and safety inspections.
• Researchers and Academics: In geosciences, environmental science, engineering, and related fields.
• Anyone interested in leveraging drone technology for high-resolution geospatial data acquisition and analysis.

Course Objectives

Upon successful completion of the "UAV and Drone-based Remote Sensing" training course, participants will be able to:

• Understand the fundamental principles of UAV technology and its role in remote sensing.
• Comprehend relevant drone regulations, safety protocols, and ethical considerations for operation.
• Plan and execute efficient and safe drone missions for various remote sensing applications.
• Select appropriate drone platforms and sensors for specific data collection requirements.
• Process raw drone imagery into orthomosaics, Digital Surface Models (DSM), and 3D point clouds using photogrammetry software.
• Perform basic analysis on drone-derived data for land cover mapping, volumetric calculations, and change detection.
• Assess the quality and accuracy of drone-generated geospatial products.
• Integrate drone data products with GIS software for advanced analysis and visualization.

 Course Modules

Module 1: Introduction to UAVs/Drones for Remote Sensing

• Evolution of UAV technology and its impact on geospatial data acquisition.
• Types of drones: Multi-rotor, fixed-wing, VTOL, and their suitability for remote sensing.
• Key components of a drone system: Airframe, propulsion, flight controller, GPS, payload.
• Overview of various sensors used in drone remote sensing: RGB, multispectral, thermal, LiDAR.
• Advantages and limitations of drone-based remote sensing compared to satellite/manned aircraft.

Module 2: Drone Regulations, Safety, and Flight Planning Fundamentals

• Navigating the regulatory landscape: Aviation authorities, permits, airspace restrictions.
• Essential safety protocols: Pre-flight checks, weather considerations, risk assessment.
• Mission planning software: Introduction to common platforms (e.g., DJI GS Pro, Pix4Dcapture, DroneDeploy).
• Defining mission objectives: Desired Ground Sampling Distance (GSD), overlap, flight altitude, coverage area.
• Best practices for safe and efficient flight execution.

Module 3: Data Acquisition and Sensor Management

• Understanding sensor characteristics: Resolution, spectral bands, focal length.
• Optimizing image acquisition parameters: Shutter speed, ISO, aperture.
• Importance of sufficient image overlap (frontal and side overlap) for photogrammetry.
• Strategies for collecting Ground Control Points (GCPs) and Check Points for accuracy.
• Data management in the field: Storage, battery management, pre-flight checklists.

Module 4: Introduction to Photogrammetry and Data Processing Workflows

• Principles of photogrammetry: Structure from Motion (SfM) and Multi-View Stereo (MVS).
• Introduction to photogrammetry software (e.g., Pix4Dmapper, Agisoft Metashape, RealityCapture).
• Workflow for processing drone imagery: Image import, alignment, dense point cloud generation.
• Building Digital Surface Models (DSM) and Digital Terrain Models (DTM) from point clouds.
• Generating orthomosaic maps: Stitching individual images into a seamless, georeferenced product.

Module 5: Product Generation: Orthomosaics, DSMs, and 3D Models

• Detailed steps for generating high-quality orthomosaics.
• Understanding and refining DSMs: Removing artifacts, filtering noise.
• Introduction to 3D point cloud classification (e.g., ground vs. non-ground).
• Creating 3D mesh models and textured models for visualization.
• Exporting various drone-derived products for use in other software.

Module 6: Analysis of Drone-Derived Data for Mapping and Measurement

• Performing land cover classification on high-resolution orthomosaics.
• Feature extraction: Identifying and digitizing objects (e.g., buildings, trees, roads).
• Volumetric calculations: Estimating stockpile volumes, cut and fill analysis.
• Measuring distances, areas, and heights from drone-generated products.
• Change detection using multi-temporal drone data for localized monitoring.

Module 7: Multispectral and Thermal Drone Data Analysis

• Introduction to multispectral sensors for vegetation analysis (Red, Green, Blue, Near-Infrared, Red Edge).
• Calculating and interpreting vegetation indices (e.g., NDVI, NDRE) from multispectral data for crop health.
• Understanding thermal infrared principles and drone thermal cameras.
• Applications of thermal imagery: Building energy audits, solar panel inspection, wildlife detection, heat stress in crops.
• Processing and analyzing multispectral and thermal drone data.

Module 8: Advanced Applications, Integration, and Future Trends

• Introduction to LiDAR on drones: Principles and applications (e.g., dense vegetation mapping, precise terrain models).
• Integrating drone data with traditional GIS datasets for comprehensive analysis.
• Case studies of successful drone applications in various industries.
• Challenges and limitations of drone technology in real-world scenarios.
• Emerging trends: AI and machine learning for automated feature recognition, autonomous flight, beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) operations, drone-as-a-service.

CERTIFICATION

• Upon successful completion of this training, participants will be issued with Macskills Training and Development Institute Certificate

TRAINING VENUE

• Training will be held at Macskills Training Centre. We also tailor make the training upon request at different locations across the world.

AIRPORT PICK UP AND ACCOMMODATION

• Airport pick up and accommodation is arranged upon request

TERMS OF PAYMENT

Payment should be made to Macskills Development Institute bank account before the start of the training and receipts sent to info@macskillsdevelopment.com