Drone & LiDAR
Engineering
More than just aerial photos — we produce accurate Digital Twins of your site, ready for engineering and design work. Professional-grade data, faster and simpler than ever.
More Than Just Aerial Photos
We don't just create drone images — we produce an accurate Digital Twin of your site that can be used directly for engineering and design work.
Alongside high-resolution orthophotos, we generate detailed 3D PointCloud models that are imported into modern CAD software, allowing engineers to work with a true Digital Twin of the site.
This makes tasks such as site design, terrain modelling, cut/fill calculations, and pipe runs faster and more accurate.
- Drone photogrammetry
- Airborne laser scanning
- Terrestrial laser scanning
Not All Drone Missions Are the Same
Raw drone photos may look impressive, but like normal photographs they contain perspective and distortion. This means photos alone cannot be accurately measured or used for engineering-level design or analysis.
At CADSense we use professional drones, survey equipment, and specialised processing software to convert these images into true orthophotos — perfectly corrected, top-down maps with no distortion.
The result is a high-resolution image that is to scale and suitable for engineering, mapping, and measurement. In other words, you get a precise Digital Twin of your site — not just a nice aerial picture.
See Real Survey Data Live
Click below to open a real drone survey in our interactive 3D viewer — orbit, fly, measure, and section the data right in your browser. No software needed.
Full drone survey including orthophoto, elevation heatmap, and 3D PointCloud. Orbit, fly, measure distances and areas directly in your browser.
From Survey to CAD Design
These examples show actual outputs from our drone survey workflow — from raw aerial data through to finished CAD drawings ready for construction.
Centimetre-Accurate Maps
Our RTK GNSS drones give you high-precision site data you can trust. These purpose-built systems capture centimetre-level accurate maps and measurements, ideal for engineering, construction, and planning.
RTK GNSS Positioning
Centimetre-level accurate positioning using real-time kinematic GNSS. No ground control points needed on many sites — fast and reliable.
True Orthophotos
Hundreds or thousands of aerial photos processed into a perfectly corrected top-down map, to scale and suitable for engineering use.
3D PointClouds & TIN Surfaces
Process aerial data into 3D PointClouds, TIN surfaces, 3D models, and meshes for use in AutoCAD, Civil 3D, GIS, and more.
Machine Control Surfaces
Output machine control surfaces for contractors with GPS-enabled machinery — delivering exacting excavation standards direct to the machine.
Cut & Fill Calculations
Full cut and fill excavation calculations from a complete 3D model of your site survey — accurate volumes and earthwork estimates.
CAD & GIS Ready
All data delivered ready to use in AutoCAD, Civil 3D, Plant 3D, ArcGIS, and most modern CAD and GIS platforms.
From Flight to Finished Data
Every drone survey follows a rigorous process to ensure your data is accurate, usable, and delivered in the right format for your team.
Site Planning
We assess your site, plan the flight area, and select the best technology combination for the required accuracy and deliverables.
Aerial Capture
Hundreds or thousands of high-resolution aerial photos captured with our RTK GNSS drone at precise, overlapping intervals.
Processing
Specialised photogrammetry software processes the images into orthophotos, PointClouds, TIN surfaces, and 3D models.
Delivery
Your data arrives in the format your team uses — ready for CAD, GIS, or machine control. We're happy to assist with integration.
What You Get
Every project is different, so we choose the best technology for the job to achieve the required accuracy while keeping project costs sensible. Typical deliverables include:
- True orthophotos — distortion-free, to-scale aerial maps
- 3D PointClouds — measurable in CAD or online viewer
- TIN surfaces — for terrain modelling and analysis
- Cut & fill calculations — accurate earthwork volumes
- Contour maps — for civil and planning use
- Machine control surfaces — for GPS-enabled equipment
- AutoCAD DWG/DXF — direct CAD integration
- Civil 3D surfaces — for civil design workflows
- GIS formats — shapefile, GeoTIFF, KML
- E57 / LAS / RCP — standard PointCloud formats
- Online portal — browser-based viewing and measurement
- Farm & property mapping — sales info and land management
See It In Action
View live examples of our drone survey data — orthophotos, PointClouds, elevation heatmaps and more. All projects completed right here in Southland.
View Scan Samples → Hi-Res Mapping →Ready to Get Started?
Tell us about your site and what you need — we'll advise on the best approach and give you a clear, no-jargon quote.
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