A procedure for automating earthwork computations using UAV photogrammetry and open-source software

Nowadays, the earthworks and backfilling volume calculation is typically executed using manual and time-consuming procedures. The evolution of technologies enables the development of innovative automated approaches to speed up the calculations while improving accuracy. This paper aims at investigating such technologies proposing a new approach, using an UAV for the survey, an open source photogrammetric software (MicMac) and a set of ad hoc Python modules, to convert the coordinates of the point cloud from a global reference frame to a local one and to estimate volumes of interest to a roadworks site. Preliminary tests on a selected case study demonstrated how the proposed automated procedure may greatly improve the accuracy of calculations.