
Howell Kline Surveying, LLC and D. L. Howell & Associates, Inc. recently added Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) capabilities to their list of services.
Recent rules published by the Federal Aviation Administration have cleared the way for businesses to utilize UASs or "drones" as they are commonly known for a wide range of data gathering applications. This aerial platform is a useful addition to Howell Kline Surveying's "toolbox", which includes robotic total stations and Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receivers.
The UAS is a remotely controlled quad-copter equipped with a high resolution camera. The high resolution pictures can be digitally stitched together to create what is known as a digital ortho-photograph. An ortho-photograph is a photo that has any distortion removed, thereby allowing accurate measurements to be taken between points in the photo. Three-dimensional point clouds can also be generated from the photographs, allowing for measurements in 3D as well.
It is the......