Orthophoto for feasibility study
High-resolution master plan for preliminary studies, easement verification, site-layout study. Compatible with authority GIS.
SERVICE · 02 / 06
RTK drone and
aerial photogrammetry.
DJI Matrice 4E + RTK receiver. ±2 cm accuracy, 2.8 km² per flight. For orthophoto, facades, roofs, industrial brownfields and construction monitoring. DGAC-certified pilot.
Accuracy
±2 cm
RTK planimetric and altimetric
Coverage
2.8 km²
per 30-min unit flight
Resolution
2 cm/pixel
standard orthophoto GSD
The professional drone equipped with an RTK (Real-Time Kinematic) receiver is today the most efficient tool to capture a large site in 3D. Aerial photogrammetry consists of flying over the site along a calculated flight plan, taking several hundred photos with significant overlap, then reconstructing 3D via Structure-from-Motion (SfM) algorithms.
ARPEO operates a DJI Matrice 4E, a professional quadrirotor drone with 20 MP sensor and multi-frequency RTK GNSS receiver. ±2 cm geometric accuracy in planimetry and altimetry after RTK corrections. Coverage up to 2.8 km² per unit flight depending on altitude and resolution.
Our drone pilot is DGAC-certified for the open category (A1/A3) and the specific category (S1, S2, S3) — authorizations required to fly over populated areas and over third parties. ARPEO puts together AlphaTango files, manages SIA coordination in CTR zones, and prefectoral authorizations when applicable.
Mobilization in PACA within 5 working days. Regulatory processing time added by zone: 5 days outside zones, 7 to 15 days for CTR (Marignane, Salon BA 701, Aix-Caumont), 15 to 30 days for dense urban areas or near ICPE / French Navy.
— EQUIPMENT
The equipment
Professional drone, RTK receiver and processing-chain software.
Professional quadrirotor drone
DJI Matrice 4E
- 20 MP wide-angle photogrammetric sensor (24 mm equivalent)
- Integrated multi-frequency RTK receiver
- 45 min battery life
- Flight speed up to 21 m/s
- Wind resistance 12 m/s
- Triple positioning system (GNSS + visual + IMU)
Terrestrial RTK GNSS base
Emlid Reach RS3
- Multi-frequency GPS / GLONASS / Galileo / BeiDou
- LoRa radio link to the drone
- PPK ±5 mm accuracy after post-processing
- 16 h battery life
SfM photogrammetry software
Reality Capture (Capturing Reality)
- Aerotriangulation up to 100,000 images
- Multi-view dense matching
- Textured mesh generation up to 8K
- Export OBJ, FBX, PLY, USDZ, GLB, LAS
Ground Control Points
Ground GCP targets
- Red-white checkered targets 1 m × 1 m
- 30 targets in stock
- Pointed via RTK GNSS for accuracy
— PROCESS
How a drone mission unfolds
Five steps, from regulatory paperwork to photogrammetric deliverable.
- 01 · REGULATORY
AlphaTango file + coordination
Prior DGAC declaration. SIA coordination if CTR. Prefectoral authorization for populated zones. Lead time variable by zone, built into the project schedule.
Duration5 to 30 days - 02 · FLIGHT PLAN
Flight plan calculation and GCP placement
Flight plan calculated for expected accuracy (80%/60% overlap, 80 to 120 m altitude). Ground GCP targets set, RTK-measured for calibration.
Duration0.5 day - 03 · FLIGHT MISSION
Photogrammetric acquisition
Multiple flights per surface. 200 to 5,000 photos per flight by zone. Validated weather (wind < 10 m/s, no rain, homogeneous light).
Duration0.5 to 2 days - 04 · PROCESSING
SfM photogrammetry
Reality Capture. Aerotriangulation, dense matching, mesh + orthophoto generation. Lambert-93 georeferencing via GCPs.
Duration3 to 8 days - 05 · DELIVERABLE
Output production
High-resolution orthophoto (1 or 2 cm/pixel), DSM / DTM, textured 3D mesh, photogrammetric point cloud, DWG master plan.
Duration2 to 5 days
— USES
Uses by sector
Six sectors where the professional drone has become a standard.
Monthly construction monitoring
Recurring flights for progress tracking, cubature calculations, earthworks control. Period-to-period comparative delivery.
Panel inventory and thermal inspection
Solar farm mapping, automatic counting, hot-spot detection (with optional thermal sensor).
Historic monument roofs
Inspection without aerial lift, ortho-roofs for ABF/DRAC, pre-restoration state archiving.
SEVESO sites and flares inspection
Visual inspection of racks, flares, operational ICPE sites. Secure the high-altitude inspections.
Claim report
Storm, flood, fire claim. Orthophoto + mesh for expertise and damage quantification.
— DELIVERABLES
Delivery formats
Chosen at quote based on your end use.
| Format | Usage | Size |
|---|---|---|
| Orthophoto TIFF / JPEG Georeferenced rasterized image, 1-5 cm/pixel | Georeferenced rasterized image, 1-5 cm/pixel | 200 MB to 10 GB |
| DSM / DTM TIFF Digital Surface / Terrain Model for volume calculations | Digital Surface / Terrain Model for volume calculations | 50 MB to 2 GB |
| OBJ / FBX mesh Textured 3D mesh for visualization and BIM | Textured 3D mesh for visualization and BIM | 500 MB to 20 GB |
| LAS / E57 point cloud Compatible with Cyclone, ReCap, CloudCompare | Compatible with Cyclone, ReCap, CloudCompare | 1 to 50 GB |
| DWG master plan 2D CAD plan for project integration | 2D CAD plan for project integration | 1 to 20 MB |
| PDF report Mission report with HD photos and summary | Mission report with HD photos and summary | 20 to 200 MB |
— STANDARDS
Drone regulation
DGAC regulatory framework respected on every mission.
Open category (A1 / A2 / A3)
Flight outside populated areas, drone < 25 kg. No prior authorization, AlphaTango declaration.
Specific category (S1 to S3)
Flight in populated areas, over third parties, out of sight. Prefectoral authorization + scenario file.
SIA / CTR coordination
Marignane, Aix-Caumont, BA 701 Salon, Toulon-Hyères. 7 to 15 days lead time.
€2M professional liability insurance
Mandatory coverage above the drone's value. Held by ARPEO.
— PRICING
How much does a drone flight cost
Flat-rate pricing by surface and regulatory complexity.
— RELATED
Where we operate
The RTK drone is operated across the PACA region; declarations handled by ARPEO.
— FAQ
Drone — frequently asked questions.
Do I need authorization to fly a drone in France?
Yes, for any professional flight. AlphaTango declaration mandatory (DGAC). For populated areas or over third parties: prefectoral authorization + S1/S2/S3 scenario. For CTR zones (near an aerodrome): SIA coordination. ARPEO puts together all the necessary files within the package.
What geometric accuracy with an RTK drone?
±2 cm in planimetry and altimetry after calibration via ground GCP targets. Equivalent to a topographic total station, on surfaces 100× larger in 10× less time.
What weather conditions for a flight?
Wind < 10 m/s (Beaufort 5), no precipitation, visibility above 5 km, homogeneous light (no alternating cumulus that creates moving shadows). In PACA, ~250 flyable days per year.
How much surface in a day?
Variable by altitude and resolution: 50 hectares at 2 cm/pixel = 1 day. 300 hectares at 5 cm/pixel = 1 day. Complex sites with constraints: 10 to 20 hectares/day.
Can the drone do thermal inspection?
Yes, with an optional thermal sensor (DJI Zenmuse H30T or equivalent). Uses: hot-spot detection on solar farms, thermal bridges on buildings, heat leaks on industrial roofs. ±2 °C thermal accuracy, 640×512 px resolution.
Can you fly at night?
Yes with authorization. The DJI Matrice 4E has homologated position lights. Night flight requires an S2 or S3 scenario + specific declaration. 15 to 30 days processing time.
Start a drone project? Quote in 48 h.
Mobilization within 5 working days. Contractual delivery in 15 days.