Drone Photogrammetry & Digital Twins
Hover Aerial Imaging delivers survey-grade drone photogrammetry across South East Queensland and Northern New South Wales. Operating under CASA ReOC #9398, we capture aerial imagery using RTK and PPK positioning to achieve sub-centimetre absolute accuracy (1cm + 1ppm horizontal, 1.5cm + 1ppm vertical), with relative accuracies of 3 to 5 millimetres.
The output isn't a flyover video. It's a millimetre-grade 3D digital twin to LOD 400 specification, dense point clouds, and CAD/BIM-ready deliverables your engineering team can sign off on.
What does our photogrammetry deliverable include?
Every photogrammetry project yields a structured set of engineering deliverables, supplied in the formats your software stack already runs:
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LOD 400 textured 3D meshes (.OBJ, .FBX, .RCP) — highly detailed assemblies with accurate size, shape, and location, suitable for clash detection, fabrication design, and temporary works engineering
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Dense point clouds (.LAS, .LAZ) — survey-grade spatial data, ASPRS-classified where required, optimised for direct ingestion into Civil 3D, Bentley OpenRoads, and Trimble Business Center
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Digital Elevation Models (DEM/DTM) — bare-earth and surface terrain models, vegetation-stripped on request
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Georeferenced orthomosaics (.GeoTIFF) — distortion-corrected 2D maps for engineering plan overlay and project tender submissions
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Survey reports (.PDF) — accuracy validation, GCP coordinates, RTK base setup, and project methodology
How accurate is RTK drone photogrammetry?
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Standard consumer drone GPS yields metre-level accuracy useful for property listings, useless for engineering.
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Our RTK and PPK workflows correct positioning data against a survey-grade base station, achieving 1cm + 1ppm horizontal and 1.5cm + 1ppm vertical absolute accuracy.
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Relative accuracy across the captured surface sits between 3 and 5 millimetres.
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We validate every project against ground control points (GCPs) placed before flight and present the residual error report as part of every deliverable.
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Traditional ground surveying captures a few hundred discrete points per hectare. Photogrammetry captures millions.
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For complex assets — bridge undersides, multi-level earthworks, structures with truss systems, irregular embankments — photogrammetry produces a complete model rather than software-interpolated guesses between sparse points.
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The trade-off: photogrammetry doesn't penetrate dense canopy. For surveys under heavy vegetation, ground methods or LiDAR remain the right tools.
When does photogrammetry beat traditional ground survey?
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Civil engineering and earthworks contractors use our point clouds for cut-and-fill volumetrics and site planning.
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Structural engineers use our LOD 400 digital twins for as-built records, clash detection, and temporary works design.
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Asset managers use orthomosaics for baseline dilapidation records. Architects and BIM coordinators use our 3D meshes as the geometric foundation for retrofits and adaptive reuse projects.
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Quantity surveyors use our DTMs and contours, and point clouds for accurate tender pricing.
Which industries use our photogrammetry data?
Frequently Asked Questions
What does LOD 400 mean for a digital twin?
Level of Development (LOD) 400 means the 3D model represents specific assemblies with exact size, shape, location, and orientation — accurate enough for fabrication, clash detection, and temporary works engineering. LOD 200/300 models are coarser; LOD 500 is reserved for as-operated, sensorintegrated digital twins. For most structural retrofits and as-built workflows, LOD 400 is the procurementgrade specification.
Do you provide a Registered Surveyor sign-off on photogrammetry deliverables?
Drone photogrammetry data does not require Registered Surveyor sign-off for most engineering and asset-management workflows. For cadastral, planning, or legal purposes, we partner with LSAQ registered Queensland surveyors who certify the deliverable. We can quote with or without surveyor sign-off — let us know your project requirements.
How long does a photogrammetry project take from booking to delivery?
Standard turnaround for a sub-50-hectare site is 5 to 7 working days from capture date. Capture itself is typically half to one full day on site. Critical inspections can be expedited to 48-hour delivery on request. Larger or more complex datasets (multi-day captures, LOD 400 structural twins) are scoped individually
Can your photogrammetry data be imported into Revit and Civil 3D directly?
Yes. We export point clouds in LAS/LAZ for Civil 3D and Recap (Revit's native point cloud format). For Revit, we can deliver an RCP file ready for direct import into a project. For BIM coordinators, we also supply OBJ and FBX 3D meshes that can be referenced into Revit, Navisworks, or BIM 360 / ACC.
Do you fly photogrammetry inside Brisbane CBD restricted airspace?
Yes. Our CASA ReOC #9398 covers commercial drone operations including controlled and restricted airspace. We handle pre-flight CASA airspace authorisations, populous-area approvals, and Airservices Australia coordination as part of every Brisbane CBD photogrammetry project.