Survey & Inspection |
Junior Aerial utilises the latest in UAS technology to unify unrivalled accuracy and comprehensive data gathering.
This reduces the need for riskier, time-consuming manual inspections.
While you're manually mapping the site, your competitors could already be surveying their next project with drones, delivering results faster and competing for their next contract.
Thermal Imaging |
Thermal Imaging with Junior Aerial unlocks the ability to accelerate quality control, protect your bottom line, and deliver data-driven evidence reports that build client trust. Radiometric cameras on board Junior Aerial aircraft accurately differentiate temperatures between objects in an environment. Invisible thermal energy hits the onboard sensor as a stream of photons, triggering an atomic-level reaction that shifts electrical resistance to calculate exact temperatures instantly. This level of accuracy boasts ultimate site intelligence, transforming standard heat maps into evidence led, accurate diagnostics. By embedding temperature data into every single pixel, we eliminates guesswork across entire operations. Surveyors gain evidence of insulation gaps and hidden moisture. Building site managers can instantly monitor critical safety metrics like concrete curing temperatures and electrical hot spots. Technical leads benefit from complete post-processing flexibility, allowing engineers to analyse and extract new spot temperatures on a computer long after leaving the field.
Photogrammetry |
The term "Photogrammetry" derives from the Greek words for: "Light" (Photo) "That which is drawn" (Gramma) "To Measure" (Metron) Photogrammetry therefore means in the literal sense "to take measurements from photographs". It is the art and science of obtaining reliable information about tangible objects and the environment through the process of recording, measuring, and interpreting images. These images are then stitched together using advanced software to create a 3-dimensional, measurable model. Using this alongside Real-Time Kinematic (RTK) positioning, we can produce georeferenced 3D models that can be measured and placed accurately within their surrounding environment up to within 20mm of accuracy. Depending on the requirements of the project, this can provide a detailed and measurable digital representation of a site, structure or asset. Beyond construction Photogrammetry isn't limited to construction and traditional surveying. An example of uses outside of construction: A detailed 3D representation of an environment can also provide valuable applications for estate security and investigative work. CCTV cameras can be spatially mapped within a 3D model, with camera locations, identifiers and approximate fields of view recorded at relevant points. Over time, this can create a visual reference of the site's CCTV infrastructure and help establish which cameras may have covered a particular location. This can be particularly valuable when investigating incidents across large or complex sites. Rather than beginning each enquiry by manually establishing the location and potential coverage of individual cameras. Our understanding of this application is informed by previous investigative experience within the Police. Identifying the right camera and obtaining the relevant footage can be a significant part of an investigation, and footage recorded before or after an incident can sometimes provide important context, continuity and corroboration. Monitoring change over time Photogrammetry can also be used to create a repeatable digital record of buildings, structures and terrain. By surveying the same environment at different points in time, models can be compared to identify changes in the site. This can be particularly useful for construction monitoring, difficult-to-access areas, earthworks and environments where conventional access may be challenging or hazardous. Rather than requiring personnel to repeatedly enter difficult areas simply to document their condition, aerial photogrammetry can provide a detailed record while keeping much of the data collection process away from the immediate hazard.
Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) |
LiDAR is the process of firing high precision lasers at an object and measuring precisely how long it takes for them to return to the aircraft sensor. With this technology, Junior Aerial are able to produce a remarkably clear, measurable 3D models of objects and environments. LiDAR sounds quite similar to photogrammetry in making a 3D model, so where do they differ, and why would we use this? LiDAR is useful in situations where there is thick vegetation or terrain under soft cover, something that photogrammetry can't penetrate. LiDAR excels in mapping terrain for highways, railways, or uncovering hidden structures beneath thick overgrowth, eliminating the need for manual brush clearing of a site. LiDAR strips this away, revealing the true topography beneath. Due to the fact that LiDAR produces its own light source (infra-red lasers), it can work in low level to pitch black working environments ensuring that the subject of the survey can remain operational 24/7. This is useful when photogrammetry relies on adequate lighting to produce a clear picture. Photogrammetry also relies on matching landmarks around the subject that are then used as reference points for stitching photos together. This is particularly challenging on terrain that has no landmarks, thus the software has no way of referencing where it should stitch photos together.
Orthomosaics |
"Ortho" — A term used to describe something "straight" or "correct". "Mosaic" — The process of making a big picture out of smaller pieces. The two terms together create an orthomosaic survey. Here, we take hundreds to thousands of smaller, two-dimensional, high-resolution pictures to create an extremely detailed, measurable 2D map of a subject. You might look at 3D photogrammetry models and ask: why don't we just use a 3D model alongside a simple, 90-degree top-down photo of the subject? The answer lies in efficiency and compatibility. Orthomosaics are significantly smaller file sizes than 3D photogrammetry models. They can be directly imported into software like AutoCAD, ArcGIS, or QGIS. Combined with RTK positioning, this allows you to trace directly over the 2D orthomosaic to create site plans, verify asset locations, and measure boundaries down to the centimetre. Orthomosaics are particularly valuable for property and construction site managers, who can view an entire 100-acre site on a single screen with total clarity, rather than wasting time navigating a clunky 3D environment or clicking through 500 individual drone photos. Furthermore, orthomosaic maps can be viewed on almost any standard computer with an internet connection, as opposed to heavy 3D models that require specialized hardware or dedicated software licenses like DJI Terra, DroneDeploy, or Pix4D.
Environmental Monitoring |
Environmental mapping requires accurate, repeatable data. At Junior Aerial, we deliver exactly that. UAS platforms have become essential tools for modern wildlife management and conservation biology. By capturing high-resolution infrared imagery for census processing, they detect wildlife signatures obscured by dense canopy or seasonal cold. Furthermore, unmanned systems significantly mitigate survey disturbance, offering a non-invasive methodology that replaces the high costs and ecological disruption of traditional ground teams and manned aviation. Pictured left is an ongoing survey we launched in April 2026 at Escot Estate, of whom are working alongside Devon Wildlife Trust. Through this task, we were able to map a local lake to study the environmental impacts of a resident beaver colony. Our aerial surveys provide a bird's-eye view of how these animals naturally mitigate floods and boost biodiversity. Traditional ground surveys are time-consuming and can disturb habitats. Junior Aerial’s drone mapping services offer a faster, safer, and more detailed way to track ecosystem changes, manage land assets, and back your conservation goals with hard visual evidence. Using drones to survey activity like this are crucial in understanding and tracking how incredible animals like Beavers impact our environment and continuing conservation efforts. Environmental Monitoring also invaluable in tracking natural disasters and damages that may have been caused from them. Environmental mapping isn't always a walk in the park! While completing our April 2026 survey at Escot Estate, our pilot accidentally stumbled into a wasp nest and took a few stings for the team. Despite the unexpected aerial dogfight, we kept our focus, safely landed the aircraft, and secured the vital ecosystem data the Devon Wildlife Trust needed. It turns out that tracking nature's engineers sometimes means dealing with nature's more defensive residents—but a few wasp stings won't stop Junior Aerial from delivering top-tier data.