Drone Surveying & Inspection

You need current site conditions, earthwork volumes, or roof and facade condition without scaffolding, lifts, or days of ground survey.

FAA Part 107 aerial operations for site mapping, roof and facade inspections, earthwork volumetrics, and construction progress documentation. Georeferenced orthomosaics and 3D terrain models — no scaffolding, lifts, or site disruption.

Request a quote (858) 295-0101
Aerial photogrammetry of a commercial construction site captured by drone

You send

  • Site address and the area to fly: a sketch, KML, or parcel number
  • What you need: orthomosaic, surface model, volumes, or inspection report
  • Coordinate system and datum your team works in
  • An on-site contact and any site safety rules

You receive

  • Georeferenced orthomosaic maps
  • 3D terrain models and digital elevation models
  • Annotated inspection reports (roofs, facades)
  • Volumetric calculations for earthwork and stockpiles
  • High-density photogrammetric point clouds (LAS/LAZ format)
  • 3D textured mesh models (OBJ/FBX formats) for conceptual visualization
  • AutoCAD Civil 3D compatible surface models (DWG)

Timeline depends on

  • Airspace near airports needs FAA authorization before the flight
  • Wind, rain, and marine layer can move the flight day
  • Site size and the required ground resolution
  • Confirmed in the written scope before you commit

FieldScan operates FAA Part 107-compliant drones for aerial mapping, inspection, and progress documentation across San Diego County and Southern California. Drones reach what a tripod scanner or a ground crew can’t do efficiently — rooftops, large sites, active construction, steep terrain — and they do it without lifts, scaffolding, or shutting down the site.

What drone surveying delivers

Site mapping and topography. A flight produces a georeferenced orthomosaic and a 3D terrain model of an entire site in a single mobilization. With RTK ground control, the data is accurate enough for earthwork planning, drainage analysis, and site design coordination.

Earthwork and stockpile volumetrics. Drone-derived surface models let us calculate cut, fill, and stockpile volumes far faster and more safely than walking a site with a rod. Recurring flights track how volumes change over a project’s life.

Roof and facade inspection. High-resolution imagery of roofs, parapets, and building facades — captured without putting anyone at height. The deliverable is an annotated report with georeferenced imagery, so a facility manager or contractor can locate every flagged condition precisely.

Construction progress documentation. Scheduled flights create a time-stamped visual and dimensional record of how a project is advancing — useful for owner reporting, schedule verification, and dispute documentation.

Where drones fit (and where they don’t)

Drones are the right tool for exteriors, sites, roofs, and large areas. They are not a substitute for a legal boundary survey or for millimeter-grade interior as-builts. FieldScan’s advantage is that we run drones alongside laser scanning and ground survey, so we recommend the method your accuracy requirement actually needs rather than selling you the one tool we happen to own.

A common combined workflow: drone for the site and roof, laser scanning for the interior, ground control tying both into one coordinate system. The client gets a single coherent dataset instead of three disconnected deliverables.

Airspace and compliance

Much of San Diego County is controlled airspace. Operations near San Diego International, Montgomery-Gibbs, McClellan-Palomar, and Brown Field require LAANC authorization or a manual FAA waiver before takeoff. We handle that clearance during planning. It is part of the job, not an afterthought — flying without it is both illegal and uninsurable.

Pricing context

Drone work is priced by site size, deliverable type, and whether the engagement is one-time or recurring. A single-day mapping flight with a standard orthomosaic and terrain model is the entry point; volumetric reporting, inspection annotation, and recurring progress flights scope on top. Recurring construction-progress programs are typically set at a fixed per-flight rate.

What you receive

  • Georeferenced orthomosaic maps
  • 3D terrain models and digital elevation models
  • Volumetric calculations for earthwork and stockpiles
  • Annotated inspection reports for roofs and facades
  • Raw imagery on request for your own downstream processing

Drone surveying pairs naturally with 3D laser scanning for projects that need both exterior and interior capture, and feeds land surveying workflows where a stamped deliverable is required — including an ALTA/NSPS survey for commercial real estate transactions. Tell us about your site and we’ll recommend the right capture method.

Frequently asked questions

Do you need FAA authorization to fly in San Diego?
Yes. Every FieldScan drone flight is flown by an FAA Part 107 certified remote pilot from our partner team, under Part 107 rules. Much of San Diego County sits in controlled airspace near airports (San Diego International, Montgomery-Gibbs, McClellan-Palomar, Brown Field), which requires LAANC authorization or a manual waiver before takeoff. We handle that clearance as part of project planning, not as a surprise on the day.
How accurate is drone mapping compared to ground survey?
With RTK GNSS ground control, photogrammetric deliverables typically reach 2–5 cm horizontal accuracy — excellent for site mapping, volumetrics, and progress documentation. For legal boundary or design-grade work requiring tighter tolerances, we pair drone data with ground survey or laser scanning rather than relying on photogrammetry alone. We'll tell you upfront which method your accuracy requirement actually needs.
Can you inspect roofs and facades without scaffolding?
Yes — that's one of the strongest cases for drones. We capture high-resolution imagery of roofs, parapets, and facades without lifts, scaffolding, or putting anyone at height. The deliverable is an annotated inspection report with georeferenced imagery, so defects can be located precisely for follow-up.
What's the turnaround on a drone mapping job?
Field capture for a typical commercial site is a single day, often a few hours. Processed deliverables — orthomosaics, terrain models, volumetric reports — usually follow within 3–7 business days depending on site size and the products scoped. Recurring construction-progress flights can be set on a fixed schedule with faster turnaround.
Do I need a traditional land surveyor or a drone survey?
Aerial mapping is ideal for capturing topography, earthwork volumetrics, and visual roof inspections. However, if your project requires a legal boundary determination, ALTA/NSPS survey, or a stamped topographic map, those specific deliverables are performed by our licensed California Professional Land Surveyor (PLS) partner. We routinely combine drone capture with these stamped deliverables for a comprehensive dataset.
How accurate is drone mapping compared to laser scanning?
When paired with GNSS RTK ground control receivers, drone mapping produces data accurate enough for earthwork planning, drainage analysis, and site design coordination. However, for interior as-builts or MEP coordination that demand millimeter-grade precision, we utilize 3D laser scanning instead, which produces high-density point clouds accurate to ±2mm.

Get a written scope and quote

Tell us the building or site, what you need to deliver, and your deadline. We reply with a written scope and quote, typically within 24 hours.

Request a quote (858) 295-0101

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