UAV LiDAR survey flight over an Alberta corridor

Drone & Manned LiDAR Surveys in Alberta

High-density drone and manned aircraft LiDAR surveying from Calgary — delivering accurate point clouds, DTM/DSM, contours, and engineering-grade deliverables across Alberta, BC, and Saskatchewan.

Overview

Oil & Gas Pipelines Powerlines Forestry Mining Transportation Municipal
45+
Years Combined Experience
200+ km
Corridors Surveyed
cm-level
Survey-Grade Accuracy
3–7 days
Mobilization Window

Convex Geomatics Ltd. provides survey-grade airborne LiDAR surveys that plug straight into design and construction. From our base in Calgary, Alberta, we map corridors, urban sites, and rugged terrain across Alberta, BC, and Saskatchewan using UAV (drone) and manned aircraft.

Choose the right platform. Helicopters excel where access is hard and detail matters — low, controlled flights follow powerlines, pipelines, steep slopes, and tight rights-of-way with uniform point density. Fixed-wing airplanes are ideal for long corridors and regional coverage, keeping schedules tight and unit costs predictable. We can also deploy UAV LiDAR for smaller sites and high-detail areas, or combine platforms for the best outcome. For surveys at street-level on roads or interiors, see our mobile LiDAR mapping service. For deeper context on choosing between LiDAR and photogrammetry, see our LiDAR vs Photogrammetry in Alberta comparison.

Defensible accuracy. Each project follows a disciplined workflow — GNSS/IMU PPK/PPP, boresight calibration, strip adjustment, and ground control with independent checks — delivering consistent centimetre-level performance for highways, transmission corridors, mine sites, and municipal projects. What separates a good LiDAR provider from a bad one? See our breakdown: Not All LiDAR Services Are Equal.

Design-ready deliverables. Receive clean, documented outputs to your standards: classified point clouds, hydro-aware terrain models and contours, breaklines, and optional orthophotos. Deliverables are available in DWG/DXF, SHP/GDB, GeoTIFF, and LAS/LAZ with clear datum/projection notes for Civil 3D, MicroStation, and ArcGIS.

Safety and compliance. Our certified UAV pilots and planners handle NAV CANADA coordination, permits, and NOTAMs where required. Expect clear schedules, proactive updates, and transparent QA/QC from mobilization to final delivery.

Tell us what you need — target accuracy, level of detail, corridor length, airspace/site constraints, and timeline. We'll design the most efficient LiDAR mapping plan for Calgary and Alberta and deliver clear, design-ready results.

Horizontal Accuracy
±1–5 cm
Vertical Accuracy
±1–6 cm
Point Density
50–5000 pts/m²
Typical Altitude
50–600 m AGL

LiDAR vs Other Survey Methods

Choosing the right capture method for an Alberta project depends on terrain, accuracy needs, and timeline. Here is how airborne LiDAR compares to the alternatives we offer.

Capability Airborne LiDAR Photogrammetry Mobile LiDAR Total Station / GNSS
Bare-earth under vegetation Excellent Limited N/A Manual only
Coverage rate (km/day) Very high High High (corridors) Low
Vertical accuracy ±1–6 cm ±3–10 cm ±2–3 cm ±5–15 mm
Texture / orthophoto Optional Native Optional No
Cloudy / low-light conditions Works Limited Works Works
Best fit for Corridors, dense canopy, terrain Open sites, visual context Roads, urban, interiors Spot accuracy, layout

For a deeper dive, read our blog on LiDAR vs Photogrammetry in Alberta and LiDAR for Forestry & Dense Vegetation.

See real LiDAR deliverables

Open our Sample Data Portal — preview orthophotos, point clouds & 3D tiles in your browser.

Why Choose Convex Geomatics for LiDAR Surveys in Alberta

  • Calgary-based team with extensive local knowledge of Alberta terrain and regulations
  • Flexible platforms: drone LiDAR for detail and manned aircraft for large corridors
  • Seamless integration with topographic, bathymetric, and data processing services
  • Engineering-grade deliverables tailored for consultants, municipalities, and energy clients
  • Proven workflows with full QA/QC, PPK/PPP positioning, and clear datum documentation
Pipeline corridor LiDAR scan visualized as a 3D point cloud
Featured Project

Pipeline Corridor Mapping — 200 km

High-resolution UAV and manned LiDAR scanning of a 200 km pipeline corridor in Alberta — classified point clouds, bare-earth DTM, and as-built deliverables for engineering verification.

View all projects

LiDAR Surveys for Alberta's Key Industries

Oil & Gas / Pipelines

Powerlines & Transmission

  • Helicopter & UAV LiDAR for dense point clouds under live lines
  • Span & sag profiling, danger tree identification
  • Vegetation management and compliance reporting

Forestry & Vegetation

Mining & Aggregates

Municipal & Infrastructure

Deliverables

Core Outputs

  • Classified point cloud (LAS/LAZ)
  • Digital Terrain/Surface Models (DTM/DSM)
  • Contours
  • Orthophotos (optional)

Engineering Products

  • Breaklines & hydro-flattened surfaces
  • Ground clearing & change detection
  • Cross-sections & profiles
  • Vectorized transmission lines — spans & profiles

Workflow

  1. Project planning & airspace coordination
  2. GNSS/PPK control & checkpoints
  3. Acquisition & QA in field
  4. Trajectory, boresight & strip adjustment
  5. Classification & QA/QC
  6. Deliverables & review

Technology

Sensors

  • UAV LiDAR
  • Airborne LiDAR
  • Full frame camera

Positioning

  • GNSS/IMU, PPK/PPP
  • Local control & check shots

Frequently Asked Questions

Typical survey-grade accuracy is ±1–5 cm horizontal and ±1–6 cm vertical, depending on terrain, altitude, and ground control quality. We deliver a QC report with every project showing accuracy benchmarks against independent control points.
We can often mobilize within 3–7 days, subject to permitting, weather, and airspace restrictions. UAV-only projects mobilize faster than manned aircraft, which require Transport Canada coordination on certain corridors.
Yes — DWG/DXF deliverables are available, including breaklines, contours, hydro-flattened surfaces, and bare-earth DTMs ready for Civil 3D, MicroStation, and ArcGIS workflows.
Yes — we frequently combine both platforms on large Alberta projects. UAV LiDAR delivers ultra-high density on complex areas while manned aircraft covers long corridors efficiently. We deliver one merged, classified point cloud.

Ready to discuss your drone or manned LiDAR survey project in Alberta?

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