Application of UAS for Spatial Data Acquistion

In recent years Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) photogrammetry as spatial data collection method was developed. The said method represents a combination of aerial and terrestrial photogrammetry not as a substitution but as a supplement to existing modern surveying data collection methods. With development of microtechnology, IT systems as well as structure from motion (SFM) technique for photogrammetric data processing, an economical, high resolution, spatial data acquisition in a short period of time was enabled. This reduces the field work significantly, transferring topographic survey and mapping to a virtual reality in the office. End products and documentation entail 3D models, point clouds, digital terrain models as well as high resolution digital orthophoto, which puts surveying experts in a new, better and more equal position on the market. Also, their role in the analysis and interpretation of spatial data in a GIS environment grows. This paper present uses of UAS’s with different platform constructions, and different types of digital cameras as sensors for data collection. First example showcases a use of a fixed wing UAS with RTK positioning system, autonomous navigation system and a digital, compact, non-professional camera in a lake coastal zone survey project. The second case study is an example of how a rotary wing hexacopter with manual control and a professional high resolution digital SLR camera with interchangeable lenses, as a platform for the purpose of field survey and digital documentation of cultural heritage can be applied. Purpose of the paper is to show the versatility of UAS photogrammetry for most of the tasks that have so far been reserved for traditional surveying methods.