UAV Surveying Workflow and Field Practicum Training Course
Introduction
The rapid advancements in Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), or drone, technology have revolutionized the field of surveying and mapping. UAVs equipped with high-resolution cameras, LiDAR sensors, and other payloads offer an unprecedented ability to rapidly acquire detailed geospatial data from an aerial perspective. This enables the creation of highly accurate orthophotos, detailed Digital Surface Models (DSMs), Digital Terrain Models (DTMs), and 3D models with significantly reduced time, cost, and safety risks compared to traditional methods. From construction site monitoring and volumetric calculations to infrastructure inspection, environmental mapping, and urban planning, UAV surveying has become an indispensable tool for a wide range of industries. However, effectively leveraging UAV technology for professional surveying and mapping requires more than just flying a drone; it demands a comprehensive understanding of flight planning, data acquisition techniques, ground control strategies, photogrammetric processing workflows, and rigorous accuracy assessment. Without proper training in these critical aspects, professionals risk producing inaccurate data, compromising project integrity, and failing to meet industry standards. Many individuals and organizations are acquiring drones but struggle to implement a complete, professional-grade UAV surveying workflow that ensures reliable and precise deliverables.
Conversely, mastering the UAV Surveying Workflow and Field Practicum equips professionals with the essential skills to confidently plan, execute, process, and deliver highly accurate geospatial products using drone technology. This specialized skill set is crucial for transforming raw aerial data into precise, actionable intelligence, driving efficiency, cost savings, and superior quality across numerous industries. Our intensive 5-day "UAV Surveying Workflow and Field Practicum" training course is meticulously designed to equip surveyors, GIS professionals, civil engineers, construction managers, environmental consultants, land developers, and drone pilots with the essential theoretical knowledge and extensive practical, hands-on skills required to confidently implement a complete UAV surveying project from flight planning to final data delivery and accuracy assessment.
Duration
5 Days
Target Audience
The "UAV Surveying Workflow and Field Practicum" training course is ideal for a broad range of professionals and individuals who want to integrate drone technology into their surveying, mapping, and data collection workflows. This includes:
- Surveyors and Survey Technicians: Looking to adopt new, efficient data acquisition methods.
- Drone Pilots and UAV Operators: Who want to specialize in professional surveying and mapping applications.
- Civil Engineers and Construction Managers: For site progress monitoring, as-built surveys, and volumetric analysis.
- GIS Professionals: For creating high-resolution base maps and 3D data layers.
- Land Developers and Urban Planners: For site assessment, master planning, and 3D city modeling.
- Environmental Scientists: For ecological mapping, change detection, and disaster response.
- Agriculture Specialists: For precision farming applications and crop health monitoring.
- Anyone involved in projects that can benefit from rapid, high-resolution aerial data acquisition.
Course Objectives
Upon successful completion of the "UAV Surveying Workflow and Field Practicum" training course, participants will be able to:
- Understand the fundamental principles of UAV photogrammetry and LiDAR for surveying.
- Select appropriate UAV platforms and sensors for specific surveying project requirements.
- Develop comprehensive flight plans for optimal data acquisition, considering overlap, GSD, and safety.
- Execute practical field missions to acquire UAV imagery and measure Ground Control Points (GCPs).
- Process UAV-acquired imagery using photogrammetric software to generate orthomosaics and 3D models.
- Understand the role and importance of Ground Control Points (GCPs) and Check Points (CPs) for accuracy.
- Conduct rigorous accuracy assessments of UAV-derived geospatial products.
- Produce various UAV-derived deliverables, including orthophotos, DSMs, DTMs, and volumetric reports.
Course Modules
Module 1: Introduction to UAVs in Surveying and Mapping
- Evolution of UAV technology and its impact on surveying.
- Advantages and limitations of UAVs compared to traditional methods.
- Types of UAV platforms (multi-rotor, fixed-wing) and their applications.
- Understanding various UAV payloads for surveying (RGB camera, multispectral, LiDAR).
- Regulatory landscape, safety guidelines, and legal considerations for commercial UAV operations.
Module 2: UAV Photogrammetry Principles and Workflow Overview
- Principles of photogrammetry: Overlap, GSD, camera calibration.
- The complete UAV photogrammetry workflow: Planning, acquisition, processing, deliverables.
- Understanding direct georeferencing (DG) vs. Ground Control Points (GCPs).
- Key software components for UAV photogrammetry (flight planning, processing, visualization).
- Introduction to the practical field practicum component of the course.
Module 3: UAV Mission Planning for Surveying
- Defining project requirements: Accuracy, deliverables, area of interest.
- Choosing appropriate flight parameters: Altitude, GSD, forward and side overlap.
- Designing flight paths using mission planning software (e.g., DJI Pilot 2, Pix4Dcapture, UgCS).
- Incorporating terrain awareness and safety considerations into flight plans.
- Preparing for the field practicum: Pre-flight checks and site assessment.
Module 4: Field Practicum: UAV Data Acquisition and GCP Measurement
- Hands-on UAV deployment and pre-flight checks.
- Executing planned UAV survey missions in the field.
- Practical setup and operation of survey-grade GNSS for GCP measurement.
- Strategic placement and precise measurement of Ground Control Points (GCPs) and Check Points (CPs).
- Troubleshooting common field acquisition issues.
Module 5: Photogrammetric Data Processing (Part 1: Alignment and Point Cloud)
- Importing UAV imagery and GCP data into photogrammetry software (e.g., Agisoft Metashape, Pix4Dmapper, RealityCapture).
- Initial image alignment and sparse point cloud generation.
- Accurate marking of GCPs on images and bundle adjustment.
- Generating dense point clouds: Settings and quality considerations.
- Basic point cloud cleaning and filtering.
Module 6: Photogrammetric Data Processing (Part 2: Orthomosaic and DSM/DTM)
- Principles of orthorectification and orthomosaic generation.
- Creating seamless, geometrically correct orthomosaics.
- Generating Digital Surface Models (DSMs) from dense point clouds.
- Extracting Digital Terrain Models (DTMs) from DSMs (ground classification).
- Editing and refining DSMs/DTMs for improved accuracy.
Module 7: Accuracy Assessment and Quality Control
- Understanding the role of independent Check Points (CPs) for accuracy validation.
- Calculating RMSE, CE90, LE90, and other accuracy metrics for UAV-derived products.
- Best practices for reporting accuracy statements.
- Identifying common sources of error in UAV surveying (e.g., poor GCPs, insufficient overlap, camera calibration).
- Strategies for quality control throughout the entire workflow.
Module 8: Deliverables, Applications, and Advanced Topics
- Generating common UAV deliverables: Orthophotos, DSMs, DTMs, contour maps, profiles.
- Performing volumetric calculations (cut/fill, stockpile) from UAV-derived DTMs/DSMs.
- Creating 3D textured mesh models for visualization and analysis.
- Introduction to UAV LiDAR data acquisition and processing (conceptual).
- Integrating UAV data into GIS and CAD environments.
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
Uav Surveying Workflow And Field Practicum Training Course in Kenya
| Dates | Fees | Location | Action |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18/08/2025 - 22/08/2025 | $1,750 | Mombasa |
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| 25/08/2025 - 29/08/2025 | $1,500 | Nairobi |
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| 08/09/2025 - 12/09/2025 | $1,750 | Mombasa |
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| 22/09/2025 - 26/09/2025 | $1,500 | Nairobi |
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| 06/10/2025 - 10/10/2025 | $1,750 | Mombasa |
|
| 20/10/2025 - 24/10/2025 | $1,500 | Nairobi |
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| 03/11/2025 - 07/11/2025 | $1,750 | Mombasa |
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| 24/11/2025 - 28/11/2025 | $1,500 | Nairobi |
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| 01/12/2025 - 05/12/2025 | $1,750 | Mombasa |
|
| 08/12/2025 - 12/12/2025 | $1,500 | Nairobi |
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| 05/01/2026 - 09/01/2026 | $1,750 | Mombasa |
|
| 19/01/2026 - 23/01/2026 | $1,500 | Nairobi |
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| 02/02/2026 - 06/02/2026 | $1,750 | Mombasa |
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| 23/02/2026 - 27/02/2026 | $1,500 | Nairobi |
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| 02/03/2026 - 06/03/2026 | $1,750 | Mombasa |
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| 23/03/2026 - 27/03/2026 | $1,500 | Nairobi |
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| 06/04/2026 - 10/04/2026 | $1,750 | Mombasa |
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| 20/04/2026 - 24/04/2026 | $1,500 | Nairobi |
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| 04/05/2026 - 08/05/2026 | $1,750 | Mombasa |
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| 25/05/2026 - 29/05/2026 | $1,500 | Nairobi |
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| 01/06/2026 - 05/06/2026 | $1,750 | Mombasa |
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| 15/06/2026 - 19/06/2026 | $1,500 | Nairobi |
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