Survey Protocol
Commercial Drone Survey Agreement & Standards Cheatsheet
📐 Accuracy & Ground Control Points (GCP)
- ✅ Target Accuracy: Horizontal RMSE < 2.5 cm (0.08 ft); Vertical RMSE < 4.0 cm (0.13 ft).
- ✅ GCP Target Placement: Minimum 5 surveyed ground control targets + 3 independent check points.
- ✅ Coordinate Reference System (CRS): NAD83 State Plane Coordinate System with NAVD88 geoid.
✈️ FAA Compliance & Airspace Rules
- ✅ FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot in Command: Valid commercial remote pilot certification on-site.
- ✅ LAANC Authorization: Real-time digital FAA airspace authorization for controlled airspace (Class B/C/D/E).
- ✅ Visual Observer (VO): VO required for complex construction sites or heavy equipment zones.
🌦️ Weather Abort & Re-Flight Rules
- ⚠️ Wind Speed Ceiling: Sustained winds > 22 MPH or gusts > 28 MPH trigger mission abort.
- ⚠️ Precipitation / Fog: Zero flights in rain, heavy drizzle, or low cloud decks below 400ft AGL.
- ✅ Free Weather Reschedule: Client charged zero penalty for weather delays outside pilot control.
📦 Deliverables & File Formats
- 💎 Orthomosaic GeoTIFF: Sub-inch ground sample distance (GSD) seamless orthophoto map.
- 💎 3D LiDAR Point Cloud: LAS / LAZ classified point cloud with bare-earth DTM ground extraction.
- 💎 Digital Elevation Models: 1-foot contour lines (DXF/SHP) and volume stockpile cut/fill reports.