Module 1: Introduction to Drones/UAVs for Remote Sensing and Mapping

• What are Drones/UAVs and their role in modern mapping and remote sensing.
• Advantages of drone-based mapping over traditional methods.
• Key components of a drone system for mapping (platform, payload, ground control).
• Overview of common drone mapping applications (e.g., construction, agriculture, environmental, surveying).
• Understanding the typical workflow of a drone mapping project.
• Practical session: Exploring different drone models and their components, discussing their suitability for various mapping tasks.

Module 2: Drone Regulations, Safety, and Best Practices

• Overview of international and national drone regulations (e.g., basic licensing, airspace restrictions).
• Importance of pre-flight checks and maintenance.
• Safety protocols for drone operation (e.g., weather considerations, emergency procedures).
• Ethical considerations and privacy concerns in drone data collection.
• Best practices for responsible and compliant drone piloting.
• Practical session: Reviewing a pre-flight checklist and discussing safe drone operation scenarios.

Module 3: Drone Hardware and Sensors

• Types of drone platforms: Multi-rotor vs. Fixed-wing.
• Understanding different camera sensors for mapping: RGB, multispectral, thermal, LiDAR.
• Importance of camera calibration and lens distortion.
• Ground Control Points (GCPs): Purpose, placement, and measurement.
• Introduction to RTK/PPK drones for improved accuracy.
• Practical session: Examining different drone payloads/sensors and discussing their applications and data types.

Module 4: Flight Planning and Data Acquisition Techniques

• Principles of photogrammetric flight planning (e.g., overlap, sidelap, GSD).
• Using automated flight planning software (e.g., DJI GS Pro, Pix4Dcapture).
• Designing flight missions for specific outputs (e.g., orthomosaic, 3D model, DSM).
• Techniques for effective data acquisition in challenging environments.
• Best practices for setting up and deploying GCPs.
• Practical session: Designing a photogrammetry flight plan for a given area of interest using flight planning software.

Module 5: Drone Data Pre-processing: Photogrammetry Basics

• Introduction to photogrammetry: Principles of image overlap and triangulation.
• Understanding the role of Structure from Motion (SfM) algorithms.
• Key steps in photogrammetric processing: Image alignment, sparse point cloud generation.
• Error identification and correction in photogrammetric processing.
• Introduction to photogrammetry software interfaces (e.g., Pix4Dmapper, Agisoft Metashape).
• Practical session: Importing drone images into photogrammetry software and performing initial image alignment.

Module 6: Generating Orthomosaics and Digital Surface Models (DSMs)

• Dense point cloud generation from aligned images.
• Principles of Digital Surface Models (DSMs) and Digital Terrain Models (DTMs).
• Creating accurate orthomosaics from drone imagery.
• Understanding orthomosaic resolution and geometric accuracy.
• Exporting various products for further analysis.
• Practical session: Generating a dense point cloud, DSM, and orthomosaic from drone imagery in photogrammetry software.

Module 7: Analyzing Drone-Derived Products for Mapping

• Visual interpretation of high-resolution orthomosaics.
• Deriving measurements: Area, distance, volume calculations from DSMs.
• Creating contours and cross-sections from elevation models.
• Change detection using multi-temporal drone data.
• Integrating drone products into GIS software for further analysis.
• Practical session: Performing measurements (e.g., volume calculation of a stockpile) and creating contours from a generated DSM in GIS software.

Module 8: Advanced Drone Sensors and Applications

• Multispectral drone data: Applications in agriculture (e.g., crop health, precision farming).
• Thermal drone data: Applications in building inspection, environmental monitoring, search and rescue.
• LiDAR from drones: High-accuracy elevation models, forest canopy penetration, power line inspection.
• Hyperspectral drone sensors and their niche applications.
• Integrating different sensor data for comprehensive analysis.
• Practical session: Analyzing a multispectral or thermal drone dataset for a specific application (e.g., identifying plant stress or heat loss).

Module 9: Data Management and Sharing for Drone Projects

• Strategies for managing large drone datasets (storage, organization, backup).
• Cloud-based platforms for drone data processing and sharing.
• Data privacy and security considerations for drone imagery.
• Best practices for delivering drone mapping products to clients or stakeholders.
• Archiving and version control for drone projects.
• Practical session: Uploading and sharing drone-derived products on a cloud platform or setting up a local data management structure.

Module 10: Project Planning and Implementation with Drones

• Developing a comprehensive drone mapping project plan (objectives, scope, deliverables, timeline).
• Budgeting and resource allocation for drone operations.
• Team roles and responsibilities in a drone project.
• Quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) in drone mapping.
• Case studies of successful drone mapping projects in various industries.
• Practical session: Participants outline a complete drone mapping project plan for a real-world scenario, from initial requirements to final deliverables.

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