Volumes and inventory

Stockpile volumes and inventory
by drone

Drone volume measurement reconstructs stockpiles in three dimensions from aerial photographs, then calculates their volume against a reference surface. It applies to quarries, recycling platforms, aggregate yards, earthworks sites and agricultural storage.

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Why use a drone

A quantified inventory without shutting the yard down

Measuring stock from the ground means walking each pile with GNSS or a total station, moving among plant and machinery, with results that depend heavily on how many points are taken. On irregular piles the gap between two manual methods can be significant.

The drone captures several hundred photographs in one flight and produces a dense model of the yard. Volume is calculated over the whole surface of the pile, not from a handful of points, and repeating the same mission over time gives a direct comparison between two dates.

Whole yard surveyed in one flight, with no long shutdown
Volumes computed over the entire pile surface
No one walking between the machines
Repeatable campaigns for date-to-date comparison

Deliverables

Our volume measurement services

We agree the reference surface, the frequency of campaigns and the format of deliverables before the first visit.

Aerial data capture

Flight plan covering the whole yard, with overlap suited to volume calculation and ground control points where the required accuracy calls for them.

3D modelling by photogrammetry

Reconstruction of the point cloud and the digital surface model of the yard and of each pile.

Volume and quantity calculation

Volume of each stockpile against the chosen reference surface, pile by pile, with quantified results.

Periodic monitoring and comparison

Campaigns repeated at regular intervals and compared between two dates, to track material coming in and going out.

Orthophotography and yard plan

A rectified, scaled view of the site, useful for organising storage areas and sharing information internally.

Use cases

When clients call us in

Year-end inventory on a quarry or a material yard
Monthly monitoring of aggregate or recycled material stocks
Verification of volumes extracted or moved on an earthworks site
Settling a disagreement between two parties over a delivered quantity
Reorganising the storage areas of a site

Frequently asked questions

What accuracy can be expected on a volume?

It depends on flight height, overlap and the use of ground control points. We set those parameters with you according to the accuracy you need.

Does site activity have to stop?

No. The flight lasts as long as it takes to cover the yard; we simply agree a slot when the piles being measured are not being worked by machines.

What reference is the volume calculated against?

A reference surface defined with you: the yard floor surveyed when empty, a design surface, or the model from a previous campaign.

How often should campaigns be run?

It depends on how fast your stock turns over. Monthly or quarterly is common, with an additional campaign at the end of the financial year.

Can covered stock be measured?

A pile inside a building cannot be surveyed by an outdoor flight. We say so during scoping rather than deliver an incomplete figure.

Our method

How a mission unfolds

Four steps, from the first conversation to the delivery of your data.

01
Scoping
We define together the perimeter, the accuracy required and the format of the deliverables.
02
Flight preparation
Feasibility study, analysis of site constraints and regulatory procedures.
03
On-site acquisition
Our remote pilots operate on site, without interrupting your activity.
04
Processing and delivery
Data processing, quality control and delivery of annotated results.

Nationwide coverage

We operate everywhere in France

Dronexperts operates across the whole of France. Our professional drone pilots travel to wherever your site is, anywhere in the country, and across Europe for the specific missions our industrial clients require.

Our 5 registered training centres — Paris West (Beynes, 78), Strasbourg (Schiltigheim, 67), Toulouse (Labarthe-sur-Lèze, 31), Marseille/Toulon (Le Castellet, 83) and Bordeaux (Mérignac, 33) — act as anchor points so we can reach every region quickly. They are starting bases, not a limit: we operate throughout France, with the same procedures, the same insurance cover and the same standards from one end of the country to the other.

Paris West — Beynes (78)

Our anchor point in Île-de-France: Paris, the inner and outer suburbs and the wider Paris basin.

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Strasbourg — Schiltigheim (67)

Our Grand Est base: Strasbourg, Colmar, Mulhouse, Metz, Nancy, Reims and the German and Swiss border areas.

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Toulouse — Labarthe-sur-Lèze (31)

Our Occitanie base: Toulouse, Montpellier, Albi, Tarbes, Perpignan and the whole South-West.

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Marseille / Toulon — Le Castellet (83)

Our Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur base: Marseille, Toulon, Aix-en-Provence, Nice and the Mediterranean coast.

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Bordeaux — Mérignac (33)

Head office and historical base of Dronexperts, in Nouvelle-Aquitaine: Bordeaux, La Rochelle, Limoges, Pau, Bayonne.

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Is your site far from all five centres? That is not a problem: our bases are starting points, not a service perimeter. We organise travel for the team and the equipment anywhere in France, and across Europe for specific missions, on quotation.

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