Photogrammetry

Drone Photogrammetry

3D Modelling | Point Clouds | Digital Surface Models | Volumetrics    

Drone Photogrammetry 


Drone photogrammetry is a technique that uses   drones to capture aerial imagery and data that can be used to create 3D models and maps. The process involves using a drone equipped with a camera to capture a series of overlapping images of a specific area or object from different angles.


The images are then processed using specialized software that uses algorithms to stitch together the overlapping images into a 3D model or map. This process is called photogrammetry and relies on the principles of triangulation, which involves using multiple points of reference to determine the location and position of objects in space.


Drone photogrammetry has a wide range of applications, including surveying, mapping, urban planning, agriculture, and environmental monitoring. It is particularly useful for creating highly detailed and accurate 3D models and maps of areas that are difficult or dangerous to access on foot, such as construction sites, mines, and disaster zones.


One of the main advantages of drone photogrammetry is its ability to capture high-resolution imagery quickly and efficiently, allowing for rapid data collection and analysis. This can lead to cost savings and improved accuracy compared to traditional surveying and mapping methods.


However, drone photogrammetry also requires careful planning and execution, including ensuring that the drone is flown within legal and safety guidelines, and properly processing and analysing the data to ensure its accuracy and usefulness.


Below is a video of a 3D model constructed for Oakley Hall Hotel near Basingstoke which was scanned and mapped by using our photogrammetry workflow.

Point Cloud Exports


Our Point Clouds are available in the following formats, however do get in touch if your needs are not listed below:


  • Wavefront .OBJ
  • Standford .PLY
  • ASPRS .LAS
  • .LAZ
  • ASTM .e57
  • Topcon .CL3
  • ASCII .PTS
  • Autodesk .DXF
  • .U3D
  • Point Cloud Data .pcd
  • Potree .zip
  • Cesium 3d Tiles .zip
  • Scene Layer Package .slpk
  • Agisoft .OC3

Digital Surface Models (Photogrammetry)


Digital Surface Models (DSMs) and Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) have various use cases across multiple industries. DSMs and DEMs are used to create accurate representations of the Earth's surface, capturing elevation data and creating detailed topographic maps. They are essential for land surveying, urban planning, and infrastructure development.


They can play a crucial role in various industries, providing accurate elevation data for decision-making, planning, and analysis in fields ranging from engineering and environmental management to agriculture and renewable energy. They can help indicate how water may act on the land. Comparison over time can show changes in land features such as cliffs, ridges or sinking.


The image below is a basic DEM. They uses heat map colours to indicate differences. Here reds are higher elevation and blues are lower with greens in-between:

Oakley DEM

Digital Terrain Models with Contours

See also Drone Survey here


Digital Terrain Models (DTMs) show a projection of the ground relief and can assist with relative level surveys of land.


The image below is a basic DTM with contours at 1m intervals. The heat map colours indicate differences:

Digital Terrain Model with 1m Contours

Volume and Other Measurements


Photogrammetry can be used to take accurate measurements of a model in digital space. This can be useful in many applications including measuring stockpiles or planning site clearance and earthworks.

Taking Volume Measurements with Photogrammetry

Drone Data Exports and Outputs



The table below is a list of some of the many available post-processing outputs we can provide. Please enquire if you do not see your requirement below.

Output Compatible With Description and Usage
IFC (.ifc) Revit, ArchiCAD, Vectorworks, Tekla Structures, Navisworks, Bentley MicroStation, AutoCAD (via plugins) Open standard for BIM, supports interoperability across different BIM software. Used for sharing detailed 3D models and metadata.
DWG (.dwg) AutoCAD, Revit, ArchiCAD, MicroStation, BricsCAD, IntelliCAD, Vectorworks, DraftSight, SketchUp Widely used CAD file format for 2D and 3D drawings. Supports detailed engineering and architectural design with layers and annotations.
DXF (.dxf) AutoCAD, Revit, ArchiCAD, MicroStation, Rhino, SolidWorks, BricsCAD, SketchUp, ZWCAD Commonly used for data exchange between different CAD systems. Supports both 2D and 3D geometries, widely compatible.
GeoTIFF (.tif) ArcGIS, AutoCAD (via plugins), Global Mapper, ERDAS IMAGINE, ENVI, GRASS GIS, Google Earth Pro, MapInfo Georeferenced raster format used for satellite imagery, orthophotos, and digital elevation models (DEMs).
PNG (.png) All image viewers, AutoCAD, ArcGIS, Adobe Photoshop, GIMP, SketchUp Raster image format with lossless compression, supports transparency. Used for maps, graphics, and web applications.
JPEG (.jpg) All image viewers, AutoCAD, ArcGIS, Adobe Photoshop, GIMP, SketchUp Compressed raster image format, commonly used for photographs and web graphics.
PDF (.pdf) Adobe Acrobat Reader, All major image viewers, AutoCAD (via plugins), ArcGIS, Bluebeam Revu, SketchUp Versatile format for exporting map layouts with vector and raster graphics, text, and interactive elements.
GPKG (Geopackage) QGIS, ArcGIS, AutoCAD (via plugins), Global Mapper, MapInfo, FME, GRASS GIS SQLite-based open standard format for storing vector and raster data. Supports complex GIS datasets.
CSV (.csv) Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets, AutoCAD (via plugins), Revit (via plugins), ArcGIS, Tableau, R, Python Text format for tabular data, widely used for exporting attribute data, point coordinates, and integration with databases and spreadsheets.
KML/KMZ (.kml, .kmz) Google Earth, ArcGIS, QGIS, MapInfo, AutoCAD (via plugins), Global Mapper XML-based format for storing geographic data. KMZ is the compressed version. Widely used for geospatial data visualisation in Google Earth.
OBJ (.obj) Blender, 3ds Max, AutoCAD (via plugins), Rhino, SketchUp, Maya, Cinema 4D, Houdini, Unity, Unreal Engine Common format for 3D models, supports simple geometry, textures, and materials. Used in 3D graphics, animation, and some BIM workflows.
LAS (.las) LAStools, QGIS, ArcGIS, AutoCAD Civil 3D, Global Mapper, CloudCompare, MicroStation, ReCap Standard format for point cloud data, supports detailed terrain analysis and 3D modeling.
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