Fixed-wing or quadcopters?

Most fixed-wing drones available on the market will offer between one and two hours of flight time, compared to 30-45 minutes for quadcopters. Fixed-wing drones are therefore able to cover more area with one flight, thus allowing you to collect data on a large area (quarry, road, etc.) in a single flight. Quadcopters may require more missions to complete the same survey.

Quadcopters and Versatility

With field-swappable payloads, quadcopters offer the ability to go from one payload to another in minutes. There are also more available options for payloads on quadcopters than on fixed-wing systems.

UAV-based LiDAR systems have gained popularity in the surveying industry because of their accuracy and reduced processing time. However, the biggest efficiency gain is the ability to penetrate vegetation to get readings on the original ground. And since there is much less burden involved in processing LiDAR data, the user will not require a dedicated super-computer. This means that deliverables will be available a few minutes post-flight. Fixed-wing drones will only accommodate photogrammetry payloads.

Bottom line for surveying applications

Quadcopters represent a clear advantage for surveying applications. They can carry heavy payloads (i.e., LiDAR), they can be flown manually, take off and land in a confined space, and produce deliverables very quickly.

UAV-based LiDAR systems have gained popularity in the surveying industry because of their accuracy and reduced processing time. However, the biggest efficiency gain is the ability to penetrate vegetation to get readings on the original ground. And since there is much less burden involved in processing LiDAR data, the user will not require a dedicated super-computer. This means that deliverables will be available a few minutes post-flight. Fixed-wing drones will only accommodate photogrammetry payloads.