07395322561
The only Drone Orthophotography company on the Isle Of Wight
What is Drone Orthophotography
and why do i need it?
Drone Orthophotography is a process that uses a drone to capture aerial photographs/data that is then corrected and processed together to create a detailed and accurate map or model of a geographical area. How this process works ultimately depends on what type of Orthophotography job you're seeking to complete. The different options and methods will be explained in further detail below, however if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact us or ask us through our forum!
Drone Orthophotography is mainly separated into 2 options that can either be conducted separately, or in conjunction with one another to provide extremely detailed datasets. These 2 options are Photogrammetry and LIDAR, the pros and cons of each will be detailed below, where we will then dive deeply into each option.
Photogrammetry
Photogrammetry is the first option for drone orthophotography. This method utilises digital cameras to capture the world, and match each photo with a pinpoint GNSS PPK data point to then be processed into maps, surveys and 3D models. In other words, a series of photos are taken and each photo taken is accurately marked with satellite data to provide high accuracy image overlap that can then be turned into high accuracy maps & models without the need for thousands of pounds of equipment and weeks or even months of work but instead can be done in a single day!
Photogrammetry is your go-to service for most residential and commercial applications due to it's range of capabilities and most importantly, low cost and fast speed. You can see our other Drone Services on the drop down menu above, all of which use photogrammetry.
2D & 3D Orthophoto Maps & Models are datasets that are created from the photos taken by a drone, these datasets include but are not limited to:
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A full 2D resolution image of the entire mapped location.
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An accurate 2D Digital Elevation Map (DEM) image.
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3D Google Earth file.
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Accurate & Detailed 3D Model.
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Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) image.
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GeoTIFF Files.
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DEM GeoTIFF Files.
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Colourised DEM GeoTIFF Files.
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Point Cloud.
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XYZ RGB Point Cloud.
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3D Material Files.
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3D Texture Files.
LIDAR MAPPING & NDVI
We'll briefly touch into LIDAR & NDVI mapping as it's the other option in orthophotography and something that we're interested in investing into. Please note, although these services are not services that we currently offer, if you're interested in these services, contact us via email so we can chat. Currently we're the only company on the Isle Of Wight who conduct photogrammetry services, and the only company on the Isle Of Wight who's capable of conducting LIDAR & NDVI mapping. We're happy to invest into the needed equipment if these services are required.
Low Noise Propellers
Maximum Speed of 35mph & Maximum Distance from Operator at 11 Miles
DJI MINI 4 PRO
Omnidirectional Vision System with 3D Infrared Sensors.
24mm Zoom Lens Camera with Landscape & Portrait Toggle, 4K FHD Resolution, 3-Axis Mechanical Gimbal Camera Stabiliser.
Flight Time of 34mins Per Battery.
Safe Wind Speed Resistance of 24mph.
Operating Temperature's -10°C to +40°C.
Cinematic Mode - Normal Mode - Sport Mode.
249g in weight.
120m / 400ft in UK airspace.
ActiveTrack 360°
4K/60fps HDR
4k/200fps Slo-Mo
1.07 Billion Colours 10-bit D-Log M.
Day & Night Flying
LED Spotlight
The DJI Mini 4 Pro is an excellent drone both capability wise, as well as size & weight wise.
The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) is continuously strengthening and developing the drone rules and regulations which is putting a lot of pressure on drone operators and companies. Many companies have simply closed down and many recreational pilots have sold their drones due to simply not wanting to deal with the constantly changing rules and regulations.
Without going into the CAA rules completely, especially as they're all changing yet again in January 2026, they class each drone by they're weight, capabilities, adjoining licence and drone usage. The DJI Mini 4 Pro, weighing a tiny 249grams, falls into the absolute first CAA category, meaning that to fly the drone, you currently only need the A1-A3 CAA licence, operator and flyer ID's, and falls into the cheapest category of commercial insurance!
Due to this, we can massively cut costs and therefore lower our operating and service prices as most drone company's in England will deploy larger drones like the Mavic series which weighs around 958grams all the way up to the Matrice series which weighs around 6.5Kg! Both of these drones require an A2 licence to operate with strict restrictions which adds an extra £100 to licencing and increases insurance costs, and the Matrice also requires the GVC licence on top of that which adds an extra £600 and increased insurance costs. These drastically increase increase both operating costs, and service costs, which are directly transferred onto the client. The Mavic series drones costs between £2,000 - £7,000 and the Matrice drones costs upwards of £10,000, depending on the accessories can even reach into the £30k - £40k range! This also then furthers costs as companies need to pay off these drones, and also maintain them with servicing etc....
Whereas the DJI Mini 4 Pro only costs around £1,000, with specific tools and accessories bringing this up into the £2 - £3k range, which is still cheaper than the Mavic series which is the next step up. The DJI Mini 4 pro only requires the open category A1 - A3 which costs around £15, with little to no restrictions in it's flight which also means we can do more with our operations!
The DJI Mavic Series and DJI Matrice Series are absolutely amazing drones, high tech, lots of features, and drones we're personally interested into bringing to our services, however these platforms should only be used for specific needed tasks like thermal imagery, NDVI mapping, or LIDAR mapping. For everything else, the DJI Mini 4 Pro excels in both capability and in operating costs, needing less maintenance, cheaper insurance and cheaper licences.
Using our DJI Mini 4 Pro Drone, we used photogrammetry to create a 2D & 3D map of the field, whilst also creating a DEM map to show how the earth was moving.
With a total flight time of approximately 4 minutes, we covered 4.09 acres of land whilst taking around 50 photos and processed the data through two different software's where we've been able to create the images and models above.
We were able to determine that there was an elevation change of 45.4ft and to showcase how the land was shaped during this elevation change. This not only helped with drainage planning and land monitoring, but it also provided the farmer with valuable data for future land developments.
Using our DJI Mini 4 Pro Drone, we used photogrammetry to create a 2D & 3D map of a house for sale, whilst also creating a DEM map to show how the house was positioned on the land.
With a total flight time of approximately 30 minutes, we conducted two flight patterns, one overhead and one in orbit around the house, taking around 120 photos. We also matched this up with a further 50 photos from our DSLR camera on the ground to gather the high definition textures of the house walls due to the limited airspace around the house for the drone.
Not only were we able to create a 3D model of the house that the real-estate company was able to show to potential buyers and developers, we were also able to show a negative slope of 25.7ft on the property that was most prominent at the rear of the house which was then used to identify structural damage!
What is LIDAR?
LIDAR stands for "light detection and ranging", a special camera attachment is fitted to a compatible drone where the camera then sends out pulses of laser light and measures the exact time it takes for these pulses to return as they bounce from the ground. It then also measures the intensity of that reflection to create an extremely highly detailed point-map, which can be seen in the coloured photos above.
LIDAR technology has been around for many decades, used by high powered cameras fitted to aircraft, and extremely high powered cameras fitted to satellites, however it's only recently been made available in the size and power feasible for carrying onto drones. These advances in technology are happening quickly, with DJI leading the way, however even with all these major companies and the huge speeds in advancements, you're still limited to large and expensive drones and cameras, due to this, costs can be quite high.
LIDAR Cameras uses oscillating mirrors to send out laser pulses in many directions so as to generate a "sheet" of light as the drone moves forward. Through measuring the timing and intensity of the returning pulses, it can provide reading o the terrain and points on the ground and in the air, much more detailed than regular photogrammetry can see. Due to this, it's also increasingly common to match up photogrammetry and lidar maps to create an extremely highly detailed visual representation of the area flown over and mapped.
LIDAR can be used to create Digital Terrain Models (DTMs), these are models that are highly detailed, they'll show every single pixel of the ground, power lines which are normally impossible to see using regular photogrammetry, it'll even show you the health and growth of vegetation such as forests and farms.
When LIDAR is paired with Multispectral measurements, you're able to scientifically measure the health, growth, even moisture level of vegetation, emergence deficiencies, weed pressure, crop lodging, seedling identification, crop growth information, and much, much more. Using a mixture of lenses such as near-infrared/Red Edge/Red/Green/Sunlight. You're then able to process this data into a Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI). This data is extremely useful for farmers, however it's also useful for surveying to understand how the land is acting or reacting to it's current environment and to help prepare for future planning and development.
As you can see, LIDAR is extremely advanced, capable and useful for a huge variety of industries and sectors, however due to the costs of equipment, even though they've significantly dropped over the last 60 years, hiring LIDAR services can be quite expensive and thus might not be right for everyone.
If you're interested in hiring LIDAR or Multispectral measurements, please contact us today so that we can help.
Current Pricing & Availability
*For our Photogrammetry services only*
Entertainment
&
Media
Prices will vary depending on the scale of the service required.
Available
Emergency
Services
Prices will vary depending on the scale and length of the operation. We will work off of a £50 per hour call-out fee, with any additional costs such as modelling or mapping, transparently laid out.
Available
Real-Estate
Prices will vary greatly depending on the size of the property. You can expect a price range of £150 - £10k per property.
Available
Local Governments
Prices will vary depending on scale, time & risk.
Available
Housing
Developers
Price will vary depending on client needs and additional services. We can either map and 3D model individual homes, or entire areas on a one-off basis, or monthly occurrence. We offer cheaper discounted rates for larger jobs & monthly jobs.
Available
Construction
Prices vary depending on size of site area. DEM maps range in price from £100 - £5k and 3D Models range in price from £150 - £15k.
Available
Mining & Bulk
Prices vary depending on size of site area. Stockpile measurements range from £150 - £5k. 3D mapping & modelling range from £500 - £25k.
Available
Agriculture
Prices vary depending on size of site area. DEM maps range in price from £100 - £5k and 3D Models range in price from £250 - £30k.
Available
Industries
Prices vary depending on size of site and complexity of site requirements.
Available
How does our process work?
The first step in hiring our drone photogrammetry service is to contact us for an estimated quote. You'll explain what you're seeking and what your end goal is, and we'll create a custom quote for you and your project.
Price Quote
The second step in hiring our service is for us to come out to the location in question to provide a free survey and risk assessment. We'll tell you there and then if it's something we're able to do or not, and we'll then be able to create an accurate price quote and then invoice you.
Site survey and risk assessment.
Payment
Due to the rules and regulations with the CAA, insurance companies, and local laws, we require payment for our drone services before we conduct our main flight. This can be done either with a 50% upfront and 50% on completion, or 100% upfront. We also accept payment plans however an upfront deposit must be made.
Main Flight
Once payment has been made, we will conduct the main flight when is most suitable. If the flight needs to be postponed due to unavoidable circumstances such as changes in the weather or an on-site emergency, we will rebook to a different date, free of charge.
Data Processing
Once the flight has been concluded, we will go away and process all the data into the requested format. Once we have an indication on how long this may take, we will provide you with an email updating you on the estimated time it will take to complete the processing.
Completion
Once everything has been processed, we will contact you to let you know that it's finished. At this time, if you've paid in full, we'll transfer the data over to you via the most suitable method. If you've paid in half, we will require the second payment, completing the total in full, before we hand over the finished data.
FOR A PRICE QUOTE
CONTACT US VIA EMAIL AT
info@media4youiow.co.uk
1
Entertainment & Media
A prime example of this is the video shown above with a detailed 3D model of Genoa used by Red Bull for broadcasting their mountain biking event. Whether you're looking for something small or large, photogrammetry can be a great way to advertise or entertain!
2
Emergency Services
An often overlooked sector of Drone Photogrammetry, our services can be used to accurately map an incident or location. With over a decades experience with the fire & rescue service, different law enforcement counties and a valid security clearance by Sussex Constabulary, we can provide the service any emergency service may need.
3
Real-Estate
Drone Photogrammetry is a HUGE benefit to real-estate, whether you're looking to accurately model a property to attract potential buyers & investors, or you're looking to create digital elevation maps for surveyors, we can get what you need and get it quickly & affordably!
4
Local Governments/Councils
By offering affordable photogrammetry, we can support local governments/councils with a huge range of services.
5
Housing Developers
Housing developments is undergoing a huge boom in the UK and thus it's important to get it right. With our photogrammetry, we can offer 1 off services, or a monthly progress report with 3d modelling at DEM maps to show your investors, clients or councils how the developments are going!
6
Construction Companies
When you're hired to build something, you want to ensure your customers satisfaction, our detailed 3D modelling can be a perfect solution, showcasing the build process to your investors or client and providing an end model of their property!
7
Mining & bulk material
Drone Photogrammetry is especially useful for mining operations, to not only map the land with high resolution images but to also model the land and it's current state. With bulk materials, our drones can also accurately calculate the measurements of a stockpile, providing data such as volume, void and area measurements.
8
Agriculture
Agriculture can benefit from photogrammetry as well, mapping the land with a DEM map can help with drainage, land monitoring and future planning, as well as 3D modelling your property. Agriculture can also especially benefit Thermal mapping, NDVI mapping and LIDAR mapping.
9
Industries - oil/gas
Industry can massively benefit drone photogrammetry due to the strict health and safety rules, as well as the high importance for investors and shareholders. Drone photogrammetry can document infrastructure and monitor it's condition and maintenance, as well as show development for investors and stakeholders!
Drone Orthophotography is a service that can benefit a multitude of different industries and professions, from small to large, simple to complex, we can serve a wide range of clients.