SOP

Standard Operating Procedures for Pilots

Construction Progression SOP


Texas Drone Company · DJI Mavic 3E · v1.1


Section 1 — On-site arrival & setup

Site arrival protocol

  1. Go to the site trailer first. Introduce yourself and tell them you will be flying. This lets them notify heavy machinery operators in the area.
  2. Format the SD card before flying — unless you have enough space. Advanced Camera Settings → Format Memory Card.
  3. Walk the site. Identify hazards, active machinery, cranes, flag poles, and obstructions before arming the aircraft.
  4. Set gimbal to -23° and leave it there for the entire job. Gimbal pitch does not change between photo and video modes.

Camera settings — photo baselines (Auto mode)

Camera is set to auto for construction progression. Use these as starting points and adjust on the fly. Always review your first shot before committing to the full sequence.

Condition ISO Shutter Notes
Bright sun 100 1/1500s Most Texas days — watch for blown highlights on concrete
Partly cloudy 200 1/800s Good balanced light
Overcast 400 1/500s Flat shadows — watch exposure on dirt and concrete
Golden hour 400–800 1/400s Bracket shots — light changes fast

Camera settings — video orbit baselines (4K 30fps)

Condition ISO Shutter ND Filter
Bright sun 100 1/60s ND64 recommended
Partly cloudy 100 1/60s ND16
Overcast 200 1/60s ND8 or none

No ND filters? Use 1/1000s shutter — less cinematic motion blur but acceptable for deliverables.

Shot sequence overview

Shot type Altitude Gimbal Count
Context photos (red) 300–400 ft AGL -23° 4 sides + 4 corners
Building photos (blue) 100–150 ft AGL -23° 4 sides + 4 corners
Video orbit CCW · 4K 30fps -23° 1 per building
360 pano Aerial: Mavic 3E · Ground: Insta 360 When requested


Section 2 — Context photos (red arrows)

Altitude: 300–400 ft AGL · Gimbal: -23° · Camera: Auto

Purpose

Shot count & coverage

Framing rules

A couple of seconds to readjust framing can save hours of re-flying. Review your first context shot before shooting the full sequence.


Section 3 — Building photos (blue arrows)

Altitude: 100–150 ft AGL · Gimbal: -23° · Camera: Auto

Purpose

Framing rules

LAANC ceiling may limit altitude in controlled airspace. Under 100 ft due to restrictions — adjust framing and log it.


Section 4 — Video orbits

Resolution: 4K 30fps · Gimbal: -23° · Direction: CCW always

Execution standards

Review your orbit clip on site before packing up. Shaky orbit = re-fly.

360 panos — when requested


Section 5 — Deliverables & file naming

File naming convention

YYYY_MM_DD - Client Name - Job Site

e.g. 2025_06_14 - Hensley Construction - Fort Worth Logistics Park

Deliverable summary

Deliverable Format
Context photos RAW + JPEG
Building photos RAW + JPEG
Video orbit MP4 · 4K 30fps
360 aerial pano When requested
360 ground pano When requested

Pre-handoff checklist

Questions on site? Call your lead pilot before improvising. A quick call is faster than a re-fly.


Texas Drone Company · txDroneCo.com · For internal use only

Photogrammetry Mapping SOP

 


 

Texas Drone Company · DJI Mavic 3E · v1.0

 


 

Section 1 — Pre-flight prep

 

SD card & connectivity

 

  1. Format SD card or verify storage. Camera settings → "..." → Format Memory Card. Storage visible top-right of screen.
  2. Turn on hotspot before opening DJI app. Leave the hotspot menu open — the controller connects to internet faster this way.

 

Camera settings

 

Setting Value
Photo format JPEG
Dewarping OFF — must be disabled
Camera mode Auto

 

Confirm dewarping is OFF before every mapping mission.

 


 

Section 2 — Map creation in DJI

 

  1. Tap the Library button (bottom-left of DJI screen). Shows all saved maps sorted by distance from current location.
  2. Tap "+" to create a new map → select "Area Route."
  3. Use your finger to place boundary points around the full property. Push the boundary slightly beyond the property edges — ensures complete site capture.
  4. Tap the checkmark. The app generates the flight plan and calculates path, photo count, and estimated flight time.
  5. Select your aircraft.

 

Always push boundary slightly past the property edges. It is far better to capture slightly too much than to miss the edge and need a re-fly.

 


 

Section 3 — Flight parameters

 

Parameter Value
Altitude 300–400 ft AGL
Front overlap 80% (same flight line)
Side overlap 70% (between lines)
Speed (normal) 30–33 mph
Speed (low light) 20–25 mph (shutter < 1/500s)
Photo mode Timed interval — always

 

Speed rule

 

 

Course angle

 

 

Crosshatch pattern — when to use

 

 

Always use Timed interval photo mode — this is the Texas Drone Company standard for all mapping missions.

 


 

Section 4 — RTK setup

 

Do not launch until RTK confirms "RTK data in use" and std dev has settled.

 

  1. Confirm controller is connected to hotspot with internet. Leave hotspot menu open — it connects faster that way.
  2. Open the RTK tab in DJI. Enable "RTK Positioning" and "Maintain positioning accuracy mode" — both sliders ON.
  3. Select mount point: choose the closest RTKUSA base station to your site. Reference: rtkusa.com.
  4. Watch the standard deviation drop toward 0. Wait for it to settle before proceeding.
  5. Confirm status reads: "RTK Connected. RTK data in use."
  6. Verify satellite count is adequate. Low satellite count = poor geolocation hold. Do not launch.

 

Bookmark rtkusa.com — knowing your nearest base station ahead of time saves significant setup time on site.

 


 

Section 5 — Launch & in-flight

 

  1. Take off manually. Do not press play from the ground — fly to the start point by hand.
  2. Climb to mission altitude manually. Once at altitude and clear of all obstructions, press play to begin the automated mission.
  3. Monitor telemetry throughout: battery %, signal strength, GPS/RTK quality.
  4. Plan battery swaps before 30%. For battery swap procedures, refer to Section 5.
  5. Maintain VLOS and scan for manned aircraft. Yield right of way at all times.
  6. After landing, verify image count matches the expected count shown in the app before packing up.

 

Battery swap mid-mission: pause the mission, swap the battery, then resume from the last point.

 


 

Section 6 — Deliverables & file naming

 

File naming convention

 

YYYY_MM_DD - Client Name - Job Site

 

e.g. 2025_06_14 - Hensley Construction - Fort Worth Logistics Park

 

Deliverable summary

 

Deliverable Format
Unprocessed imagery (all mission photos) Full resolution
QGIS data check No gaps · RTK confirmed

 

Pre-handoff checklist

 

 

Questions on site? Call your lead pilot before improvising. A quick call is faster than a re-fly.

 


 

Texas Drone Company · txDroneCo.com · For internal use only

 

Stockpile Mapping SOP

 


 

Texas Drone Company · DJI Mavic 3E · v1.0

 


 

Section 1 — Pre-flight prep

 

SD card, site check & connectivity

 

  1. Format SD card or verify storage. Stockpile crosshatch = two full mapping passes — roughly 2x the images of a standard map. Plan storage accordingly.
  2. Note the approximate height of the tallest pile on site. Flight altitude is 200 ft AGL (above ground). Confirm adequate clearance above pile tops.
  3. Turn on hotspot for RTK before opening DJI app. Leave hotspot menu open.
  4. Confirm with site contact that all loaders and equipment will remain clear of the flight area for the duration of both passes.

 

Active loaders or equipment moving material during the mission — even between Pass 1 and Pass 2 — will corrupt your volume data. All piles must remain static throughout both crosshatch passes.

 

Camera settings

 

Setting Value
Photo format JPEG
Dewarping OFF — must be disabled
Camera mode Auto

 

Confirm dewarping is OFF before every mapping mission.

 


 

Section 2 — Map creation in DJI

 

  1. Library → "+" → Area Route.
  2. Draw boundary around all stockpiles. Push boundary past the base of the outermost piles. Partial pile capture = unusable volume data.
  3. Tap checkmark → select aircraft → configure parameters (see Section 3).
  4. Crosshatch setup: duplicate the completed map, change course angle by exactly 90°. This becomes Pass 2. You will fly both maps as separate missions.

 

Crosshatch is not optional for stockpile mapping. A single-direction pass will miss the sides of piles and produce inaccurate or unusable volume measurements.

 


 

Section 3 — Flight parameters

 

Parameter Value
Altitude 200 ft AGL
Front overlap 80% (same flight line)
Side overlap 70% (between lines)
Speed (normal) 30–33 mph
Speed (low light) 20–25 mph (shutter < 1/500s)
Photo mode Timed interval — always

 

Crosshatch — required

 

 

Lower altitude (200 ft vs 300–400 ft for standard mapping) means shorter battery range per pass. Count your batteries before the job — you need enough for both full crosshatch passes.

 


 

Section 4 — RTK setup

 

Do not launch until RTK confirms "RTK data in use" and std dev has settled. RTK positional accuracy is especially critical for stockpile volume calculations.

 

  1. Confirm controller is connected to hotspot with internet. Leave hotspot menu open.
  2. Open the RTK tab in DJI. Enable "RTK Positioning" and "Maintain positioning accuracy mode" — both sliders ON.
  3. Select mount point: choose the closest RTKUSA base station. Reference: rtkusa.com.
  4. Watch the standard deviation drop toward 0. Wait for it to settle.
  5. Confirm status reads: "RTK Connected. RTK data in use."
  6. Verify satellite count is adequate before launching.

 


 

Section 5 — Launch & in-flight

 

Pass 1

 

  1. Take off manually. Fly to start point by hand. Climb to 200 ft — clear of all pile heights — before pressing play.
  2. Monitor telemetry: battery %, signal strength, RTK status.
  3. Plan battery swaps before 30%. For battery swap procedures, refer to Section 5.
  4. After Pass 1 lands, do not touch any piles. Swap batteries and prepare Pass 2.

 

Pass 2 (crosshatch)

 

  1. Load the 90° rotated duplicate map.
  2. Confirm RTK is still active and status shows "RTK data in use."
  3. Take off manually, fly to start point, climb to 200 ft, press play.
  4. After Pass 2 lands, verify both image counts match expected totals before packing up.

 

Do not allow any equipment to move material between Pass 1 and Pass 2. Both passes must represent the same pile state to produce valid volumetric outputs.

 


 

Section 6 — Deliverables & file naming

 

File naming convention

 

YYYY_MM_DD - Client Name - Job Site

 

e.g. 2025_08_03 - Vulcan Materials - Lewisville Quarry

 

Deliverable summary

 

Deliverable Format
Unprocessed imagery — Pass 1 and Pass 2 Full resolution
QGIS data check No gaps · RTK confirmed

 

Pre-handoff checklist

 

 

Questions on site? Call your lead pilot before improvising. A quick call is faster than a re-fly.

 


 

Texas Drone Company · txDroneCo.com · For internal use only

 

LIDAR Workflow SOP

Texas Drone Company · DJI M300 RTK · Mavic 3E · Emlid · v1.0 Revised 04/08/2026


Section 1 — Equipment checklist

Case / Bag Contents
Laptop bag Laptop, Charger, SD Cards, SD Card Reader
Mavic 3E case Drone, Batteries, Controller, Portable charger
M300 case Drone, Batteries, Controller, Charger, Cord
LiDAR case LiDAR Unit, Antenna, Antenna Mount, LAN Cable, LiDAR Base, Base Collector (Silver Box), Base-to-collector cable, Mavic 2 Battery, Mavic 2 battery-to-collector cable, USB-A Cable, Twist tie
Survey equipment Emlid base and rover, Three sets of survey poles, Reflective GCPs, Nails, Hammer, Marking paint / ribbon
Vehicle + PPE Ranger and keys, Hard hat, Hi-vis vest, Boots


Section 2 — Office preparation

Complete before leaving the office.

  1. Charge all batteries the day before: M300, two Mavic 2 batteries, Emlid base and rover, M3E batteries and controller, and laptop.
  2. Plan GCP placement across the mapping area. Ensure enough reflective tape targets and nails.
  3. Verify licenses are activated on your laptop: UGCS and LiGeoreference.
  4. Build the LiDAR mission in UGCS. Import the client-provided .KML boundary: linear segments as Waypoint, polygons as Lidar area.
  5. Select drone: DJI Matrice 300 RTK. Configure all mapping settings per Section 3.
  6. Export route to DJI Pilot 2 (.KMZ). Transfer via micro SD or email the file to yourself for download via Firefox on the M300 controller.
  7. Create the survey on Emlid Flow app. Confirm correct state plane datum before saving.
  8. Pack all equipment from the checklist into the Ranger.
  9. Deactivate the UGCS license when done — this allows other users to access the account.


Section 3 — UGCS mission settings

Basic mapping settings

Parameter Value Notes
FOV 38.4°  
Flight height 50–70m Wind + foliage dependent
Flight speed 5–7 m/s Wind + foliage dependent
Side overlap 50%  
Forward overlap 80%  
Corner radius 6m  
Turn type Adaptive Bank Turn  
Altitude mode Smart AGL  
Action execution Every Point  

Advanced mapping settings

Parameter Value Notes
AGL tolerance 1.5–2m Determines number of waypoints
Direction angle Parallel to wind  
Straight flight after turn 10m  
Avoid obstacles Enabled  

Export settings


Section 4 — DJI Pilot 2 route configuration

  1. Open flight route in library. Verify accuracy: dropdown arrow → edit (pencil) → Add Point on Map.
  2. Home Menu: confirm correct aircraft selected and altitude mode.
  3. Route Menu: Safe Takeoff Altitude — 150 ft minimum, or enough to clear all surrounding obstacles.
  4. Enable "Climb to Start Point."
  5. Verify speed in mph is equivalent to speed set in UGCS (m/s).

IMPORTANT: Relative Altitude must match the UGCS mission altitude exactly (e.g. 60m = 200 ft). This setting is used as a failsafe. Never set it to 0.

  1. Aircraft Yaw: Along the Route.
  2. Gimbal Control: Manual.
  3. Waypoint Type (all middle waypoints): Coordinated Turn, Skips Waypoint.
  4. Waypoint 1: Straight Route, Aircraft Stops.
  5. Final waypoint: Straight Route, Aircraft Stops.
  6. Upon Completion: Exit Route Mode.
  7. Cycle through all waypoints — verify speeds match and relative altitudes are close in value.
  8. Save the mission (disc icon).


Section 5 — On-site arrival & base station setup

Site arrival

  1. Find a central location to unload the Ranger — ideally where you will set up both bases and fly from.
  2. Set up the Emlid rover. Connect your iPad. Enable RTK corrections.
  3. Place reflective GCPs in the preplanned locations across the mapping area.

Base station setup

  1. Tie marking ribbon around two separate nails.
  2. Hammer nails approximately 5 feet apart. Shoot one as "LiDAR base" and the other as "Emlid base" in the Emlid software.
  3. Mark with spray paint: triangle = LiDAR base, square = Emlid base.
  4. Set up LiDAR base and Emlid base over their respective nail points. Turn both on.
  5. Wait for the blinking yellow satellite light on the LiDAR base collector to turn solid yellow.
  6. Hold the LiDAR base collector power button for approximately 1 second — record button turns solid blue.

⏱️ START 15-MINUTE BASE COLLECTION TIMER. The LiDAR base must collect data for a minimum of 15 minutes before flight. Use this time to set up the M300 and LiDAR unit.


Section 6 — M300 & LiDAR unit setup

  1. Attach legs and arms to M300. Ensure all arm and leg sleeves are in the locked position.
  2. Attach LiDAR unit to M300. Ensure the connection port is threaded and seated correctly.
  3. Connect antenna mount to M300. Screw antenna onto the mount.
  4. Thread antenna cables through the inside of the payload housing. Use the twist-tie to secure cables — they must not be able to reach the props.
  5. Connect the right cable to the right hole on the LiDAR unit, left cable to the left hole.
  6. Insert batteries and lock in place. Power on the drone. Wait for full boot. Place over landing pad.
  7. Power on the LiDAR unit. Wait for IMU light to turn solid blue.

If IMU light turns solid red — power the LiDAR unit off and back on. Do not proceed until IMU light is solid blue.

  1. Hold the LiDAR power button for approximately 1 second to start recording — the record light will turn on after you release the button.

⏱️ START 3-MINUTE STABILIZATION TIMER. Let the drone and LiDAR unit sit completely undisturbed. This timer should end after the 15-minute base collection timer. Do not touch or move the drone or LiDAR unit during this period.


Section 7 — Flying the mission

Pre-launch checks

Takeoff

  1. Take off. Fly two figure-8 patterns over the site before beginning the mission.
  2. Upload mission in DJI Pilot 2 and begin mapping.

Battery swap procedure

  1. Fly two figure-8 patterns before returning to land.
  2. Land. Do not touch the drone or LiDAR unit.
  3. Let sit untouched for 3 minutes.
  4. Perform hot battery swap.
  5. Let sit untouched for 3 more minutes.
  6. Take off, fly two figure-8 patterns, then resume mission.

⏱️ 3 minutes before swap + 3 minutes after. Both rest periods are required. Skipping either will corrupt the IMU trajectory data.

Mission completion

  1. Fly two figure-8 patterns before final landing.
  2. Land. Let drone sit completely untouched for 3 minutes.
  3. Hold LiDAR power button for approximately 1 second to stop recording.

⚠️ Figure-8 patterns are required before every takeoff and before every landing — including battery swaps. Never skip them.


Section 8 — Orthomosaic (Mavic 3E)

The Mavic 3E orthomosaic flight can be flown while M300 LiDAR data is being collected, or after mission completion.


Section 9 — Data retrieval

LiDAR data must be retrieved while the drone and LiDAR unit are still powered on.

  1. Connect LiDAR unit to laptop using the LAN cable.
  2. In File Explorer, type: \\192.168.1.88 to access the LiDAR data.
  3. Open the Tfcard folder.
  4. Copy the LiDAR data from the folder named with today's date. Make a backup copy. You will have two folders: LiDAR and LiDAR Copy.
  5. End the record on the silver LiDAR base collector box.
  6. Connect the LiDAR base collector to your laptop via USB-A to A cable.
  7. Retrieve the base log via connected device "D."
  8. Copy the base log into the folder named "base" inside both the LiDAR and LiDAR Copy folders.
  9. Download photogrammetry photos from the Mavic 3E to the desktop.


Section 10 — Field data processing (LiGeoreference)

⚠️ Confirm you have enough storage on your laptop before starting. Insufficient storage will prevent the trajectory file from loading.

LiGeoreference license key

USUKTXNB5HCE4LEXSU

Activate in Ligeo License Manager before opening LiGeoreference.

Processing steps

  1. Open LiGeoreference. Select "Browse" to choose your project.
  2. Open the LiDAR folder copied to the desktop. Do NOT open or use the LiDAR Copy folder.
  3. Open the "live" file. Flight lines may look incorrect initially — this is normal and will be corrected in the next step.
  4. Open Settings (top left). Enter base coordinates from the Emlid software: Northing, Easting, and ellipsoidal height.
  5. Height conversion: Height (ft) ÷ 3.28084 = Height (m). Antenna height: 2.05m. Select OK.
  6. Check "Pos Process" and "Georeference." Press Start.
  7. Wait — even when processing appears finished. Complete when a visible point cloud appears beneath the flight trajectory.
  8. Use the profile tool to check ground surface density under high tree and foliage areas.

If data looks good

If data looks wrong


Section 11 — Deliverables & file naming

File naming convention

YYYY_MM_DD - Client Name - Job Site

e.g. 2025_09_18 - Trinity Land Survey - Lake Dallas

Deliverable summary

Deliverable Notes
Unprocessed imagery (Mavic 3E) Photogrammetry photos
LiDAR data files From LiDAR unit
Base log From base collector
LiGeoreference point cloud Processed on site

Pre-handoff checklist

Questions on site? Call your lead pilot before improvising.


Texas Drone Company · txDroneCo.com · For internal use only