Module 1: Introduction to Drones and Remote Sensing

• Evolution of drone technology and its impact on geospatial data
• Overview of remote sensing principles
• Advantages of drone-based remote sensing over traditional methods
• Key components of a drone system for mapping
• Understanding different types of drones (fixed-wing, multi-rotor)
• Practical session: Introduction to drone types and their basic functionalities

Module 2: Drone Technology and Components

• Drone hardware: airframe, motors, propellers, batteries
• Flight controllers and navigation systems (GPS, IMU)
• Communication systems and ground control stations
• Payloads: cameras (RGB, multispectral, thermal, Lidar) and sensors
• Software for drone operation and flight planning
• Practical session: Identifying and understanding drone components and their functions

Module 3: Regulations, Safety, and Ethics in Drone Operations

• National and international drone regulations (e.g., FAA, EASA)
• Airspace classifications and restrictions
• Pre-flight checks and safety protocols
• Risk assessment and mitigation strategies
• Ethical considerations in drone data collection and privacy
• Practical session: Reviewing and discussing drone flight regulations and safety checklists

Module 4: Principles of Photogrammetry for Drone Data

• Introduction to photogrammetry: definition and history
• Image overlap and sidelap requirements
• Understanding camera parameters and lens distortion
• Principles of stereoscopy and parallax
• Image acquisition geometry for 3D reconstruction
• Practical session: Analyzing image overlap and geometry in sample drone datasets

Module 5: Mission Planning and Data Acquisition

• Software for automated flight planning (e.g., DJI GS Pro, Pix4Dcapture, UgCS)
• Defining mission parameters: altitude, speed, overlap, resolution
• Planning for different terrain types and project objectives
• Weather considerations and flight window optimization
• Executing automated flight missions
• Practical session: Designing a flight plan for a specific mapping project using flight planning software

Module 6: Ground Control Points (GCPs) and Surveying Techniques

• Importance of Ground Control Points (GCPs) for accuracy
• Types of GCPs and their placement strategies
• Techniques for collecting GCP coordinates (RTK, PPK, traditional surveying)
• Using check points for accuracy validation
• Best practices for GCP distribution and measurement
• Practical session: Planning GCP placement for a drone mapping project

Module 7: Photogrammetric Software and Processing Workflows

• Overview of common photogrammetric software (e.g., Pix4Dmapper, Agisoft Metashape, RealityCapture, DroneDeploy)
• Project setup and image import
• Initial processing: alignment, sparse point cloud generation
• Dense point cloud generation and filtering
• Understanding processing parameters and their impact on output
• Practical session: Importing drone images and performing initial processing steps in photogrammetric software

Module 8: Generating Orthomosaics and Digital Surface Models (DSMs)

• Principles of orthorectification
• Creating orthomosaic maps from drone imagery
• Understanding Digital Surface Models (DSMs)
• Generating DSMs from dense point clouds
• Applications of orthomosaics and DSMs
• Practical session: Generating a high-resolution orthomosaic and DSM from processed drone data

Module 9: Generating Digital Terrain Models (DTMs) and Point Clouds

• Differentiating between DSM and DTM
• Techniques for filtering ground points to create DTMs
• Understanding point cloud properties (density, classification)
• Visualizing and analyzing point clouds
• Exporting point clouds in various formats (LAS, LAZ)
• Practical session: Classifying points and generating a DTM from a dense point cloud

Module 10: Advanced Photogrammetric Products and Deliverables

• Creating 3D textured meshes and models
• Volume calculations and change detection
• Cross-section and profile generation
• Contour line generation
• Exporting various products for different applications
• Practical session: Performing volume calculation and generating contour lines from drone-derived products

Module 11: Multispectral and Hyperspectral Drone Remote Sensing

• Introduction to multispectral and hyperspectral sensors for drones
• Applications in agriculture, environmental monitoring, and forestry
• Understanding spectral indices (e.g., NDVI, NDRE)
• Processing multispectral and hyperspectral data
• Calibration and radiometric correction for specialized sensors
• Practical session: Processing multispectral drone imagery and calculating vegetation indices

Module 12: Thermal and Lidar Drone Remote Sensing

• Principles of thermal imaging and its applications (e.g., building inspection, energy audits)
• Processing and interpreting thermal drone data
• Introduction to Lidar technology and its advantages for DTM generation
• Processing Lidar point clouds from drone platforms
• Applications of drone Lidar (e.g., corridor mapping, precise volume calculation)
• Practical session: Analyzing thermal imagery for specific applications

Module 13: Data Quality Assessment and Accuracy Validation

• Assessing the geometric accuracy of orthomosaics and DSMs
• Using check points for independent validation
• Understanding RMSE (Root Mean Square Error) and other accuracy metrics
• Identifying and mitigating sources of error in drone data
• Best practices for data quality control
• Practical session: Performing an accuracy assessment of a drone-derived orthomosaic using check points

Module 14: Integrating Drone Data with GIS

• Importing drone-derived products (orthomosaics, DSMs, point clouds) into GIS software
• Georeferencing and projection considerations
• Performing spatial analysis with drone data in GIS
• Creating maps and visualizations from drone products
• Sharing and disseminating drone data and products
• Practical session: Integrating drone products into a GIS project and performing basic analysis

Module 15: Applications of Drone Remote Sensing and Photogrammetry

• Agriculture: crop health, precision farming, yield estimation
• Construction and infrastructure monitoring: progress tracking, asset management
• Environmental monitoring: vegetation mapping, watershed analysis, wildlife tracking
• Mining and aggregates: volume calculations, pit mapping
• Emergency response and disaster management: damage assessment, search and rescue
• Practical session: Exploring case studies and discussing potential drone applications in various industries

Module 16: Data Management and Storage for Drone Data

• Strategies for organizing and archiving large drone datasets
• Cloud storage solutions for drone data
• Data backup and recovery
• Metadata standards for drone imagery and products
• Data security and privacy considerations
• Practical session: Developing a data management plan for a drone project

Module 17: Advanced Analytics and Automation with Drone Data

• Scripting for automated drone data processing (e.g., Python with photogrammetry APIs)
• Machine learning for feature extraction and classification from drone imagery
• Object detection and counting from drone data
• Time-series analysis of drone data for change detection
• Integrating drone data with other sensor platforms
• Practical session: Applying a simple machine learning model to classify features in drone imagery

Module 18: Future Trends and Emerging Technologies in Drone Remote Sensing

• AI-powered drone autonomy and real-time processing
• Swarm intelligence for drone data collection
• Integration with 5G and IoT networks
• Miniaturization of advanced sensors
• Regulatory evolution and societal impact of drones
• Practical session: Discussion on emerging drone technologies and their potential impact on remote sensing

Requirements:

·       Participants should be reasonably proficient in English.

·       Applicants must live up to Armstrong Global Institute admission criteria.

Terms and Conditions

1. Discounts: Organizations sponsoring Four Participants will have the 5th attend Free

2. What is catered for by the Course Fees: Fees cater for all requirements for the training – Learning materials, Lunches, Teas, Snacks and Certification. All participants will additionally cater for their travel and accommodation expenses, visa application, insurance, and other personal expenses.

3. Certificate Awarded: Participants are awarded Certificates of Participation at the end of the training.

4. The program content shown here is for guidance purposes only. Our continuous course improvement process may lead to changes in topics and course structure.

5. Approval of Course: Our Programs are NITA Approved. Participating organizations can therefore claim reimbursement on fees paid in accordance with NITA Rules.

Booking for Training

Simply send an email to the Training Officer on training@armstrongglobalinstitute.com and we will send you a registration form. We advise you to book early to avoid missing a seat to this training.

Or call us on +254720272325 / +254725012095 / +254724452588

Payment Options

We provide 3 payment options, choose one for your convenience, and kindly make payments at least 5 days before the Training start date to reserve your seat:

1. Groups of 5 People and Above – Cheque Payments to: Armstrong Global Training & Development Center Limited should be paid in advance, 5 days to the training.

2. Invoice: We can send a bill directly to you or your company.

3. Deposit directly into Bank Account (Account details provided upon request)

Cancellation Policy

1. Payment for all courses includes a registration fee, which is non-refundable, and equals 15% of the total sum of the course fee.

2. Participants may cancel attendance 14 days or more prior to the training commencement date.

3. No refunds will be made 14 days or less before the training commencement date. However, participants who are unable to attend may opt to attend a similar training course at a later date or send a substitute participant provided the participation criteria have been met.

Tailor Made Courses

This training course can also be customized for your institution upon request for a minimum of 5 participants. You can have it conducted at our Training Centre or at a convenient location. For further inquiries, please contact us on Tel: +254720272325 / +254725012095 / +254724452588 or Email training@armstrongglobalinstitute.com

Accommodation and Airport Transfer

Accommodation and Airport Transfer is arranged upon request and at extra cost. For reservations contact the Training Officer on Email: training@armstrongglobalinstitute.com or on Tel: +254720272325 / +254725012095 / +254724452588