New and improved drone mapping software

Drone-based aerial photogrammetry. E.Cledat / TOPO / EPFL - For his thesis, an EPFL PhD student has enhanced the accuracy and reliability of drone mapping - a technique that is gaining traction across many sectors of society. Making drone mapping more accurate is one of the goals of the Geodetic Engineering Laboratory (Topo), which is run by Bertrand Merminod within EPFL's School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering (ENAC). Drones are not only toys for big and little kids - they also serve many practical purposes. They can be used to monitor dams and railroads in order to prevent accidents, or to create 3D digital copies of historical monuments in case they are accidentally or deliberately destroyed. They can also capture images from one season to the next in order to measure soil erosion. "It's very important to be as accurate as possible," says Emmanuel Cledat, who has just completed his PhD thesis at the Topo lab.