GORS 2(16) Using UAV Systems for Volume Measuring

Abstract

Many engineering works require volume calculations. These tasks may face some difficulties especially when the targets whose volumes are to be calculated have irregular and random shapes, as is the case in calculating the volumes of different piles in quarries of raw materials for the cement industry and phosphate mines, as well as dealing with partly or completely demolished buildings. One of the methods used to calculate volumes is the land surveying method using the Total Station device or other land surveying techniques. Despite the high accuracy provided by the land surveying techniques for volume calculations, they still suffer from a long time and great effort which does not achieve the required response to the requirements of fast decision-making. Therefore, the idea came to use drone technology to calculate volumes, as it achieves the required speed and accuracy with the same degree of land surveying accuracy. A new photogrammetric technique, Unmanned Aerial Vehicle UAV covers the gap between close-range and aerial photogrammetry. Many sensors are compatible with UAV systems including; little and medium video cameras, thermal cameras, Lidar sensors...etc. Both land and aerial photogrammetric missions can be performed using UAV systems with low-cost and up-to-date data. The goal of this research is to focus on the details of UAV photogrammetry, and then concentrate on the assessment of volume measuring using this technique including cut-and-fill works, cement materials volume measuring...etc. UAV mission is performed for one of the limestone piles of cement industry returned to one of the cement factories in Damascus country. The result was 96 % accuracy when compared with the volume measured using field works by the Total Station instrument.