Drone services - Flights, processing and analysis

Drones are an excellent tool for capturing high-resolution, site-specific data, fast.

Whether you're after simple images or complex geospatial products like orthomosaics, elevation models, or vegetation indices, TerraLab has the skills and tools to deliver.

Drone Flight Services

Leverage our experienced, CASA-accredited pilots to fly your site using:

  • High-resolution RGB or multispectral sensors

  • Ground control points (GCPs) for survey-grade accuracy

  • Flexible workflows for fast turnarounds or high-precision capture

Image Processing

Already have a drone? Avoid costly cloud subscriptions and let us handle the processing. We’ll turn your raw imagery into:

  • Orthomosaics

  • Digital Elevation Models (DEMs)

  • Digital Surface Models (DSMs)

  • 3D models and terrain products

Spatial Analysis

Need to go further? TerraLab can derive meaningful outputs from your drone data, including:

  • Elevation contours

  • Tree/feature classification

  • Canopy density and vegetation indices (e.g. NDVI)

  • Object detection and compliance reporting

Contact TerraLab about our drone mapping services.

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Monitoring Mine Site Rehabilitation

Objective:

To assess landscape function over time using NDVI metrics derived from drone imagery.

Approach:

TerraLab designed a drone monitoring methodology and coordinated regular image capture using RGB and near-infrared (NIR) sensors. Flights were performed by a third-party contractor following our protocols. TerraLab processed the imagery into NDVI rasters and applied zonal statistics to monitor vegetation performance.

Result:

A predictive relationship between NDVI and landscape function was established, enabling rapid assessments using drone surveys. This replaced costly and infrequent ground-based monitoring with a scalable, repeatable solution that improved temporal resolution and decision-making.

Tree Density Monitoring for Carbon Offsets

Objective:

To identify areas within a planting project that failed to meet minimum tree density thresholds.

Approach:

TerraLab processed drone imagery into surface models and vegetation layers, then ran a tree-detection workflow to map canopy positions. Areas with fewer than 500 plants per hectare were automatically identified and flagged.

Result:
The client received an objective, repeatable map highlighting non-compliant areas. The spatial products allowed for confident decision-making with no disputes over planting density, supporting both reporting and remediation efforts.

Turn your drone imagery into actionable insights - get in touch with TerraLab today.


What We Offer:

Whether you need full-service drone mapping or just expert post-processing, TerraLab can support your project with fast, reliable, and scientifically sound results.

Drone Flights & Data Capture

  • Professional drone flying by CASA-accredited pilots

  • Use of our high-resolution RGB or multispectral drones, or rental of specialised equipment

  • RTK-enabled ground control points (GCPs) for high-accuracy mapping

  • Flexible workflows to balance speed, cost, and precision

Image Processing & Data Products

We convert your drone imagery into high-quality spatial products, including:

  • Orthomosaics

  • Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) and Digital Surface Models (DSMs)

  • 3D point clouds

  • Multispectral imagery (e.g. NIR)

Spectral & Environmental Analysis

From raw imagery to insight, we deliver processed outputs tailored to your needs:

  • Vegetation indices: NDVI, SAVI, VARI, NDMI, NDWI, NDSI, EVI, and more

  • Fire and burn mapping: Burn Area Index (BAI), Normalised Burn Ratio (NBR)

  • Urban analysis: Normalised Difference Built-up Index (NDBI)

  • Mineral detection: Iron oxide, ferrous mineral, and clay mineral mapping

Let us turn your aerial data into clear, objective, and repeatable decision-making tools.