Drone Volumetric Surveys
Know exactly how much material is on your site. Our drone volumetric surveys measure stockpile volumes, cut/fill quantities, and material movements with accuracy within 1–2% — faster, safer, and more affordable than sending a crew to climb every pile.
Why Drone Volumetrics?
Safer Operations
No one needs to climb unstable stockpiles. The drone captures the entire surface from the air, eliminating fall hazards, equipment interaction risks, and operational shutdowns during the survey.
Survey in Hours, Not Days
A site with dozens of stockpiles that might take a ground crew 2–3 days can be flown in a single morning & processed that afternoon, so you get results within days — ideal for monthly inventory cycles.
Millions of Data Points
A GPS rover collects a few hundred points per stockpile. Our drone captures millions. This dense surface model captures every contour, undercut, and irregular shape that ground methods miss — and our AI-assisted processing pipelines deliver more accurate volume calculations in a fraction of the time.
Track Material Movement
With repeat surveys, you can calculate exactly how much material was added, removed, or moved between periods. This is invaluable for inventory management, cut/fill analysis, contract & design verification, and regulatory reporting.
Who Needs Volumetric Surveys?
Mining & Aggregates
Monthly stockpile inventories for ore, waste rock, gravel, sand, and crusite. Reconcile production with truck counts and conveyor totals. Meet BC Mines Act reporting requirements.
Construction
Earthworks cut/fill calculations, borrow pit tracking, and progress payments based on actual material moved. Verify contractor claims with objective drone data.
Landfill & Waste
Airspace consumption tracking, remaining capacity estimates, and regulatory compliance reporting for active landfill sites across BC.
Forestry & Biomass
Log deck and wood chip pile measurement for forestry operations, mills, and biomass energy facilities throughout the BC Interior.
Volumetric Deliverables
Volumetrics FAQ
With proper ground control and RTK positioning, drone volumetric surveys typically achieve accuracy within 1–2% of the actual volume. Independent studies have consistently shown that drone photogrammetry matches or outperforms traditional GPS rover methods on stockpile measurement, mainly because the drone captures millions more surface points.
In most cases, no. Drone surveys are non-intrusive — we fly above the site while operations continue below. We coordinate with your operations team to ensure safe separation from active haul routes and equipment, and we can often survey during shift changes or scheduled breaks to minimize any impact.
Most mining and aggregate operations survey monthly for inventory reconciliation. Construction sites typically survey at project milestones or monthly for progress payments. Because drone surveys are fast and cost-effective, many clients increase their survey frequency once they switch from ground methods — giving them better data for decision-making.
Pair With These Services
Need Accurate Stockpile Volumes?
Get a free quote for drone volumetric surveys — we'll have your volume report ready within days.