ListenThe Use of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) in Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) with Jeremiah Wong
Enhanced Scanning owner Forrest Sim interviews Jeremiah Wong, an expert in using UAS technology for mapping, photogrammetry, LiDAR, and land surveying.
Executive Summary
- Core Theme: Defining the identity of professional drone operations within the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) space, emphasizing specialized data collection over casual photography, and predicting the future of RealityCapture
- Defining the Drone Service Provider (DSP): Forrest compares calling someone a “drone service provider” to calling a framer a “hammer service provider.” Jeremiah counters that a true DSP treats drone operation as an entire career rather than a side hustle. He notes that the industry has experienced a transition similar to when digital SLRs hit the market—separating casual hobbyists from dedicated commercial professionals.
- The Transition from Pictures to Industrial Data: While the market bifurcates into “pretty pictures” (weddings, marketing videography) and “industrial data collection” (orthomosaics, thermal, LiDAR, multispectral), Jeremiah views these less as separate divisions and more as stages of a progression. Commercial photogrammetry still requires a foundational knowledge of photography to ensure the baseline images are crisp and usable.
- The Power of Specialization: Jeremiah warns against the failure pattern of buying an array of disparate sensors (e.g., DJI P1 for photogrammetry, L1 for LiDAR, and H20 for thermal/inspections) and trying to market to everyone from public safety to civil engineering. Solopreneurs who spread themselves too thin struggle. Conversely, those who focus strictly on a single vertical, such as aerial surveying and mapping, achieve the highest rates of success.
- Demystifying the Mentor: Jeremiah holds an associate’s degree in fine arts and built his surveying knowledge entirely on the job. He shares that your mentors are often simply the experienced professionals you work alongside daily. He states that the absolute biggest barrier to mentorship is an individual’s refusal to admit they need help or to proactively ask questions.
- Drones in AEC—Accountability and Efficiency: Drones have fundamentally changed the risk landscape of construction projects by acting as a snapshot in time. By mapping a site prior to construction, engineering firms can leverage point clouds to successfully dispute backcharges and hold third parties accountable for changes. Furthermore, drones have not eliminated field surveyor jobs; they have simply made them safer and more efficient—such as pulling topographic points from a massive mall blacktop parking lot via a one-hour flight instead of a full day of walking.
- The Future: Affordable LiDAR and Digital Twins: Jeremiah highlights that LiDAR data is becoming accurate and affordable enough to automatically extract complex curb-and-gutter line work, which was historically a painful manual process for field crews. He notes that the industry is rapidly moving toward true RealityCapture and “digital twins”—the seamless blending of terrestrial data, mobile LiDAR, and aerial datasets into a single, master live copy of an asset.
- Buying Advice and Pilot Competency: For newcomers entering the industry, Jeremiah recommends starting within the DJI ecosystem (such as a Mavic 3 Enterprise for photogrammetry and 3D modeling) due to widespread application support. He emphasizes that while mapping flights are heavily automated, manual line-of-sight piloting skills are critical for emergency procedures, such as when a drone loses GPS tracking. He recommends that beginners practice stick coordination on computer simulators or cheap, indoor “Tiny Whoop” drones.
About Enhanced Scanning
Enhanced Scanning helps customers determine what is located beneath the surface before construction, excavation, or other work begins. Serving the construction, engineering, and scientific communities, as well as private property owners, the company focuses on providing accurate subsurface information while promoting safer locating practices. That commitment is supported by the use of advanced technology and ongoing technician training. Forrest Sim, owner of Enhanced Scanning, is also a respected industry leader who regularly speaks at conferences and other events throughout the country on subjects including utility locating, concrete scanning, and other subsurface locating technologies.
To investigate subsurface conditions, Enhanced Scanning uses a broad range of non-destructive tools. Its equipment includes ground penetrating radar (GPR), electromagnetic (EM) and electromagnetic induction (EMI) locators, magnetometers, push cameras, pulse wave generators, and more. Because different technologies can provide different types of information, having access to a variety of tools allows technicians to approach each project according to its specific requirements. The goal is to gather as much useful information as possible without unnecessarily disturbing the site.
This technology can be used to locate underground utility lines, identify post-tensioned cables within concrete slabs, and detect changes in soil structure. The information provided by Enhanced Scanning can be particularly valuable before activities such as excavation, drilling, or concrete cutting, when an unknown subsurface hazard could create a serious safety issue. By identifying potential hazards in advance, customers can make informed decisions about how to proceed and reduce the likelihood of unexpected problems during the project.
