Survey & Mapping

The whole site, mapped and measured to a stated accuracy.

Current orthomosaics, terrain models and stockpile volumes for civil, quarry and infrastructure jobs across the Hunter Valley, New England and the Central West. Engineering survey and mapping, delivered to a stated accuracy. Every job is quoted for the deliverable, not by the hour.

Straight-down aerial of a gravel quarry: two large circular stockpiles, one dark and one light, divided by pale haul roads.

Overview

Current ground, reconciled against design.

Earthworks reconciliation stalls when the field crew is booked out for weeks or the area is too large to walk. Design, claims and progress reporting all wait on a current picture of the ground. We return an orthomosaic, a terrain model and the volumes that come out of them, reconciled against the design surface or the previous capture. Cut, fill and stockpile balance are measured figures, not estimates.

The capture is planned to the accuracy the job needs: the capture specification and the ground control are set before we arrive. The data is checked against the control and read by an engineer who knows what a quarry face, a batter or a subdivision pad is for. The report states the accuracy achieved, not just the accuracy aimed for.

Led by a reliability engineer and NSW-licensed investigator.

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Uses

What it is used for.

Earthworks reconciliation

Cut and fill against the design surface at each claim period, so quantities are agreed on the same model rather than argued over the dockets.

Stockpile surveys

Volumetric measurement of product, overburden and topsoil stockpiles for quarries and civil yards, against a stated base surface at month end or before an audit.

Design and planning orthomosaics

A current orthomosaic and terrain model of a road corridor, subdivision or quarry for consultancies, councils and developers, replacing imagery that is years out of date.

Monthly progress models

The same site captured on the same control each month, so progress, variations and delays are read off a dated model rather than a site walk.

Drainage and terrain review

Surface models of culvert approaches, batters, drains and low points, so a contractor or consultant can see where water goes before design or after a storm.

Site and asset base layers

An orthomosaic of a quarry, depot or yard as a dated base layer for asset IDs and zones, ready for later condition inspection work.

Deliverables

What is delivered.

The outputs below sit inside the Engineering Condition & Evidence Report for the job, each produced to the accuracy set at the quote and checked against ground control where it was used. Formats and the datum are agreed for the job so the files open in the client's design or GIS software without rework.

Orthomosaic of the site, georeferenced to the agreed datum, with the capture date stated
Digital terrain model and digital surface model, supplied in the formats the client's design or GIS software uses
Cut and fill reconciliation against the design surface or the previous capture, with volumes tabulated by zone
Stockpile survey with volumetric reconciliation by pile and the base surface each pile is measured against
Monthly progress model on fixed ground control, with change between visits shown and measured
Contours and cross sections at the intervals the job needs
Ground control report: the control points used, the residuals achieved and the checks performed

The report

Reported as an Engineering Condition & Evidence Report.

Every engagement returns the same six parts, whatever the asset. The service-specific outputs above sit inside it.

01
Capture to a stated specification
Ground sample distance, overlap and accuracy are set before the flight and recorded.
02
Defects mapped to asset IDs and zones
Every finding is located on an orthomosaic or model, not left in a folder of photos.
03
Condition or criticality rating
Rated against a declared standard: severity by likelihood.
04
Recommended action and timeframe
What to do about each rated defect, and by when.
05
Evidence annex
Hashed originals, metadata, capture log and a chain-of-custody statement.
06
Areas not inspected and limitations
Stated plainly, so the report is read for what it covers.

Defects mapped to zonesIllustrative

Process

How a job runs.

Brief

Send us the area, what the model is for and the accuracy it needs, and we reply within one business day. We confirm access, timing and the datum, then send a fixed quote for the deliverable.

Capture to specification

Where the accuracy calls for it, ground control is placed and measured before the flight, and the capture is set to the specification the accuracy requires. It is planned around the site, the airspace and the weather.

Process and check

The imagery is processed into the orthomosaic and models, then checked against the control. Volumes are computed against the design surface or the previous capture.

Report

The report is issued with the outputs, the ground control report and an evidence annex of hashed originals and the capture log. The figures hold up in a claim meeting as well as a design review.

Limits

Engineering survey and mapping, not a registered survey.

The outputs are engineering survey and mapping for design, reconciliation and progress. They are not a cadastral or registered survey: boundaries, title levels and anything relied on as a registered survey sit outside what we provide. The report states the accuracy achieved, the control used and any areas not captured, such as ground under tree canopy, water or stored material.

Volumes are a measured comparison between two surfaces and are reported as such. How they are applied to a contract, and any engineering certification of the model, rests with the client and their engineer. Models are built from the imagery captured, and the report states the method used.

Common questions

Survey & Mapping, answered.

What accuracy can you deliver?

Accuracy depends on the ground control, the capture specification and the terrain, and it is set at the quote for the purpose of the job. A model for a monthly volume reconciliation is specified differently to one used for detailed design. The report records the control used and the residuals achieved, so the figure is checked, not assumed.

What formats do you deliver, and will they open in our design software?

Formats and the datum are set at the quote to suit the client's design or GIS software. Orthomosaics are delivered as georeferenced rasters, terrain and surface models in the formats agreed at the quote, and volumes as tables by zone or by pile. Each file carries the datum, the capture date and the accuracy achieved.

How much does a survey and mapping job cost?

The quote is a fixed price for the outputs, not by the hour. It is set by the area, the accuracy required, the amount of ground control, the outputs needed and whether it is one visit or a recurring programme. Programmes are quoted as a programme, because the control is set once and reused at each visit.

How often can a site be captured for progress?

As often as the programme needs. Monthly is usual for earthworks and quarry reconciliation. Ground control stays in place between visits where the site allows, so each model sits on the same datum and change between visits is taken straight off the models. Weather is checked before each visit and the capture moves to the next suitable day if conditions rule it out.