Estate Management Survey
Estate Planning & Inspection Photography
Overview
A full estate mapping was required by the client for accurate measurement and boundary analysis. They also required asset inspection of the out buildings to detect issues for further investigation.
Sector - Estate Management
Output - 3D model and 2D orthomosaic
Location - Derbyshire
Delivery - July 2025
Drone Data Capture Method
1. Office Preparation
Checked airspace restrictions to confirm required authorisations and permissions.
Completed pre-flight assessments in line with CAA requirements.
Identified all assets including buildings, outbuildings, fences and landscape features.
Planned the mission route, including flight altitude, speed, ground sampling distance (GSD) and area coverage using planning DJI Pilot 2.
2. Pre Flight Preparation:
Conducted an initial reconnaissance flight to verify site conditions, obstacles and lighting.
Refined the survey area in the controller on site, adjusting the altitude slightly to avoid several larger trees.
Ensured adequate photo overlap to give high accouracy to the final deliverables.
Confirmed RTK GPS fix for centimeter-level accuracy.
3. Oblique Data Capture:
The first flight was to capture oblique images across the entire estate using the planned route and the 5-directional oblique capture, where the gimbal captures images from multiple angles simultaneously.
Once the final settings were confirmed, the drone flew the route autonomously, capturing the data for the 3D model.
4. Ortho Data Capture:
To capture the Nadir (2D) data, the same refined survey area was used as for the oblique data capture.
The larger trees also had to be accounted for and so the altitude was raised to maintain separation and safety.
The drone flew the automatically generated optimal flight plan after the speed, altitude and GSD were set.
5. Quality Check and Supplemental Capture:
Analysed initial data on-site, including RTK fix and checking for overlaps and photo clarity.
Performed additional manual flight with the photo capture mode set to auto 1 second, around a specific outbuilding to ensure that all data was captured effectively.
6. Post-Processing:
Processed images and data in DJI Terra to create precise 2D orthomosaic and 3D model.
Uploaded all photographs, mesh and GeoTiff files to Nira.
Annotated inspection findings such as damage, deterioration and maintenance needs on outbuildings.
Used Nira's inbuilt report generation software to collate key findings for client.
7. Reporting and Delivery:
Provided accurate boundary maps and spatial data.
Deliver asset condition report with annotated imagery.
Delivered final 3D model, GeoTiff and link to Nira to the client.
Benefits
Accurate Site Representation
High-resolution, geometrically correct aerial images of the land that reflect true distances and shapes, enabling precise mapping and measurements for boundaries, planning and development.
Improved Planning and Decision-Making
Provided clear visual context and easy-to-use measurement tools (in Nira) to support decisions for land management, construction, agriculture and environmental projects.
Up-to-Date Land Monitoring
Current data to monitor changes in vegetation, erosion, drainage and land use over time without relying on outdated satellite imagery.
Cost and Time Efficiency
Faster and less expensive than traditional surveying methods.
