Aerial Orthophoto Mapping for Construction and Campus Documentation

An aerial orthomosaic is a high-resolution, geometrically corrected aerial image of a site, stitched from many individual photos captured during an aerial flight. Every point in the image is at uniform scale, which means the resulting image is a flat, top-down, map-like view that can be used as a base for measurements, signage, planning, and graphic overlays. For commercial projects, the most common uses are as-built documentation, site planning base maps, wayfinding directories, marketing collateral, and stakeholder reports.

Starting at $750 for sites up to 5 acres. Larger sites, multi-day flights, and projects with GCP (ground control point) requirements are quoted based on acreage and accuracy requirements. Single orthomosaics for planning or wayfinding use are at the lower end. Multi-flight programs that produce quarterly orthomosaics for as-built tracking are quoted on a per-deliverable basis.

1-3 cm ground sampling distance (GSD) with ground control points (GCPs) provides high relative accuracy. Without GCPs, expect 3-5x GSD. For absolute accuracy requirements, we coordinate with your surveyor or a local PLS. We always recommend GCPs on construction sites and on any project where the orthomosaic will be used for measurement-based decisions.

High-resolution orthomosaic in GeoTIFF (for GIS and CAD), compressed TIFF or PNG (for archival and graphic design), and JPG (for marketing and web use). World files (.tfw, .pgw) are included where appropriate. For multi-section deliverables like campus wayfinding directories, the master orthomosaic plus section crops are delivered in the formats appropriate to the end use.

No. An orthomosaic is documentation and planning grade, not survey grade. The deliverable is suitable for as-built verification, planning, wayfinding, marketing, and stakeholder communication. It is not suitable for property boundaries, design-grade elevations, or any work that requires a licensed surveyor. For survey-grade work, a licensed surveyor with survey-grade equipment is required. The orthomosaic is the right tool for documentation and planning. Survey work is a different service.

A satellite image is captured from space at lower resolution and used for broad regional context. An orthomosaic is captured from a low-altitude aerial platform at high resolution and processed for site-specific use. The difference is meaningful: a satellite image of a 50-acre site might be 30-60 cm per pixel, while an orthomosaic is 1-3 cm per pixel. The orthomosaic shows individual cars, lane markings, roof details, and small landscaping features. The satellite image shows the site as a footprint in a regional context.

Commercial construction projects use orthomosaics for as-built documentation, stockpile volumetrics, and quarterly site tracking. Private school and university campuses use orthomosaics for wayfinding directories, admissions materials, and facilities planning. Real estate and development firms use orthomosaics for marketing collateral and pre-development site context. Industrial and aggregate operations use orthomosaics for volumetric stockpile calculations and site planning.