UAV Surveyor

SeaBot Maritime | Academy

Practical training in aerial mapping and remote sensing

Plan a UAV survey, capture imagery and LiDAR data, and turn measurements you collect in the field into terrain models and maps in QGIS.

How do you know you’ve captured enough detail to map a site accurately while you’re still there to fly it again?

On this five-day course, you’ll start with the map or model you need to deliver and work back to the sensor, flight settings and ground control the survey requires. During two days in the field, you’ll collect imagery and LiDAR data and learn to spot gaps in coverage before you leave the site.

You’ll then process the data you helped collect, check the accuracy of your results against independent checkpoints and prepare finished maps in QGIS. Working with your own measurements lets you see how a decision made before take-off affects the detail in the final product.

UAV operators moving into surveying who want to learn how to plan flights for mapping and assess the quality of the results.

Surveyors and GIS specialists adding aerial data collection to their work.

Engineering, infrastructure and inspection teams that use site imagery, point clouds or terrain models.

Environmental monitoring, forestry and agricultural teams working with multispectral or thermal imagery, alongside researchers, students and technical staff who use spatial data.

Day 1 | Plan your survey
Start with the map or model you need to produce. Compare RGB cameras, LiDAR, multispectral and thermal sensors, then choose the sensor and flight settings that suit the brief. Plan where to establish ground control and where to place independent checkpoints so you can assess the accuracy of your results.

Days 2 and 3 | Collect and check data in the field
Assess the site and use satellite positioning (GNSS) to establish ground control and checkpoints. Configure and calibrate sensors for each flight, then collect georeferenced imagery and LiDAR data. Check your measurements on site so you can identify gaps in coverage and recognise poor-quality data.

Days 4 and 5 | Process, verify and map your results
Build orthomosaics from overlapping photographs and classify LiDAR point clouds to create surface and bare-earth terrain models. Calculate vegetation indices from multispectral data and interpret thermal imagery. Check positional accuracy against your independent checkpoints, then use QGIS to analyse the results, prepare maps and export your finished datasets.

I am an international student. Will I be able to join your training course?

Yes, international students are welcome to join our course. We can provide a letter of invitation to support your visa application. For more information about the visa process, please visit: https://www.gov.uk/browse/visas-immigration

Will accommodation and travel be included in the course price?

No, accommodation and travel are not included in the course price. However, we can recommend local hotels or advise whether your chosen accommodation is conveniently located near the training site before you book.

Can I join if I fly drones but haven’t carried out a survey before?

Yes, provided you hold a suitable basic UAV qualification. The course starts with survey planning and takes you through fieldwork, processing and mapping.

How much of the course takes place in the field?

Two of the five days are dedicated to field surveying. You’ll help establish ground control, set up sensors, collect data on survey flights and check its quality on site.

Will I work with data from the survey flights?

Yes. You’ll process imagery and LiDAR data you helped collect to create orthomosaics, point clouds and elevation models. You’ll also work with multispectral and thermal imagery and prepare maps in QGIS.

View Course Brochure

Course Information

Duration

Delivery

5 Days

In person

Student Places

Maximum 8 students per course

Cost

POA

Location

Plymouth, UK

SeaBot Maritime | Academy

UAV Surveyor

Practical training in aerial mapping and remote sensing

Plan a UAV survey, capture imagery and LiDAR data, and turn measurements you collect in the field into terrain models and maps in QGIS.

Contact us if you have any questions about this course or if you would like to discuss a tailored version to suit your company requirements.

We look forward to talking to you