Developing a Custom Survey Drone

We are coming to the end of this book. We have gone through various concepts relating to drones. In previous chapters, we studied different components and how they are assembled. In this chapter, we will learn how to develop a custom drone for aerial surveys. We will conceptualize the drone and configure it with the specific payload that would best fit for survey purposes.

Previously, we saw that a drone is a platform that carries a payload for a specific purpose. In this chapter, we’ll analyze the requirements of drones for survey purposes, conceptualize a drone based on those requirements, and then build one. We will also go through the basic requirements of conducting a survey using a drone. Aerial surveys are a frequent application for many different kinds of drones as with drones, aerial surveys take less time and require minimum effort to produce accurate results that are helpful to stakeholders.

In this chapter, we’re going...

Technical requirements

There are no technical requirements as such for this chapter. The contents of the previous chapters will be enough to help you understand the concepts that will be covered here. However, prior experience in soldering and working with circuits is preferred. If you want to design your own airframe, then having design experience in SolidWorks or Catia is required.

Having a working knowledge of how to assemble and place components would be a bonus.

Geospatial surveys

A geospatial survey is a systematic and organized way of collecting, analyzing, and interpreting geospatial data relating to the surface of the Earth. This approach of surveying employs various technologies to capture, process, and present information about the physical, natural, and man-made features of the Earth’s surface in the form of geographic coordinates. Geospatial surveys employ a wide range of techniques, which include satellite imagery, aerial photography, ground surveys with GPS and LiDAR, and advanced spatial data analysis using Geographic Information Systems (GISs). The primary objective of a geospatial survey is to gather accurate and up-to-date information about the Earth’s surface to make informed decisions.

The use of geospatial surveys in the industry

The use of geospatial surveys is multifaceted and spans various industries and applications. One significant application is in urban planning, where geospatial surveys aid in land...

Setting up the requirements for a survey drone

We have already studied aerial surveys, their advantages, and the types of sensors that are used, so we won’t dive into the details here. Instead, we will jump into the main features a drone should have for surveys.

High-quality imaging sensors

High-resolution cameras or specialized sensors, such as multispectral or LiDAR for capturing detailed and accurate survey data, are the first requirement. We should consider the types of surveys for which different sensors are required, such as RGB cameras and LiDAR, and also consider their weight as this will impact the total all-up weight and performance of the drone.

GPS

We will need precise GPS capabilities to georeference survey data and ensure accurate mapping is required since geo-tagged images are the prime requirement for surveys. Also, a precise GPS is required for autonomous drone flight. A GPS with RTK capabilities would be a better option in the long run.

Autonomous...

Selecting the drone’s components

Building a drone involves selecting and assembling various mechanical and electronic components to create a functional and reliable aerial platform. In this section, we’ll look at the key components of a drone and the considerations for selecting them. Everything right from the airframe to the latest flight controller has to be selected to make a perfect drone that can fulfill our surveying needs. Make sure that the drone is durable and complies with the local regulations.

Airframe

As we already know, the airframe is the skeleton of a rigid material that holds the electronics together in their desired area to make them function together as a proper system.

Here are the selection considerations for the airframe:

• Material (carbon fiber, aluminum, and so on): Since a carbon fiber body proves to be good in terms of weight versus strength, we’ll use a carbon fiber frame.
• Size and weight capacity: The airframe’...

Wiring and assembly

A quick wiring diagram can be found on the official ArduPilot website at https://ardupilot.org/copter/_images/Cubepilot_ecosystem.jpg.

We won’t focus too much on assembly and configuration here since we covered this in previous chapters:

Figure 12.8 – Assembly diagram by ArduPilot

Drone configurations

After assembling the drone, we need to configure it so that it can fly. We’ll need to conduct a series of steps to configure the drone based on AeroGCS. We studied the various options that are available in AeroGCS previously, so here, we’ll quickly go through the process and select the right options for our use case (however, the same process can be configured with Qground Control as well using the Herelink GCS we have selected above):

1. Connect the drone via a USB cable.
2. Select an airframe:

Figure 12.9 – Selecting an airframe in AeroGCS

Choose the following options:

• Class: Quad
• Type: X (considering the airframe is X-shaped)

Once you click Update, you’ll see the ESCs getting PWM signals.

Next, we will calibrate the sensors.

3. First, we must calibrate the accelerometer. We learned about this previously. The SENSORS tab will help us with this:
   • Click Calibrate
   • Once you...

Summary

In this chapter, we finished developing a survey drone. The important part of this process is selecting the correct components.

We have seen that a basic airframe can be chosen; however, we can design and improve the aesthetics of the drone as we want. We also studied drone configurations through AeroGCS. We used the Herelink system for telemetry and RC control, and its configuration can be learned through its datasheet. Then, we took a quick look at what we must do after assembling a drone. As mentioned previously, practice makes perfect; the more we study and practice, the more we’ll be close to perfection. Getting into the habit of studying datasheets and integration manuals will be highly beneficial in this regard.