Drone volume calculation compares a digital surface model (DSM) of your stockpile or earthworks with a reference surface: the original ground or a base level. The drone maps the area in a single flight, with nobody climbing onto the pile and without stopping operations.
What is it used for?
- material stockpiles: gravel, sand, soil, building materials;
- gravel pits and quarries: tracking volumes extracted and stored;
- earthworks: cut and fill, comparing the initial state with the current one;
- construction sites: checking progress and quantities with repeat flights (see our article on construction site monitoring by drone).
How it works
- Reconnaissance and, if accuracy requires it, placing ground control points (GCPs).
- Photogrammetric flight with overlapping images.
- 3D model: the software produces a DSM and a DTM.
- Reference surface: the original ground or a base level is defined.
- Calculation: the volume is the difference between the DSM and the reference surface; it is delivered with a report.
Depending on the package, you receive: DTM and DSM (GeoTIFF), contour lines, cross-sections, DWG/DXF plan and accuracy report.
What determines accuracy
- Ground resolution: 1 to 5 cm depending on flight height and camera. The finer it is, the more accurate the model.
- Ground control points (GCPs): they anchor the model in the coordinate system and improve accuracy.
- The reference surface: an error in the base weighs more on the bottom of a pile than on its top. It is often the first source of discrepancy.
- Vegetation and shadows, which blur the measured surface.
For a volume used in a contract or for invoicing, define the reference surface with the other party and have control points placed. For certified accuracy, the Project package relies on control points and partner surveyors: see drone or surveyor?
Prices
| Package | Price | Ideal for |
|---|---|---|
| RGB Essential | CHF 500 | Stockpiles and areas up to 2,000 m² |
| RGB Pro | CHF 1,000 | Technical plans, topographic studies |
| RGB Project | On quote | Large areas (quarries, industrial sites), certified accuracy |
Frequently asked questions
How accurate is a drone volume calculation?
It depends on the ground resolution (1 to 5 cm), on whether ground control points are used and above all on how the reference surface is defined. The Essential and Pro packages reach accuracy of up to ±3 cm; the Project package adds control points for certified centimetre-level accuracy.
Does operations have to stop during the flight?
No: the drone flies over the stockpile or site and nobody has to climb onto the pile. Any control points are placed before the flight.
How much does a drone volume calculation cost?
It falls within our measured-survey packages: RGB Essential CHF 500 (area up to 2,000 m², delivery within 3 days), RGB Pro CHF 1,000 (delivery within 4 days), RGB Project on quote for large areas such as quarries.
See also our article on RGB drone surveys or request a free quote: we reply within 24h anywhere in French-speaking Switzerland.