Drone surveying for aggregate stockpiles

I found several good candidates in/around Southeast Michigan, and a couple stand out specifically for aggregate stockpile volumetrics.

Best matches

1. DroneView Technologies — Bloomfield Township

   • Probably my first call for your application.
   • They specifically document an aggregates-site project involving recurring monthly drone surveys, ground control, stockpile delineation, volume measurement, and inventory reporting.
   • They can incorporate material densities to turn volume measurements into tonnage reporting, which is particularly useful for aggregate producers.
   • Their business listing identifies them as a Southeast Michigan geospatial/aerial mapping firm.www.buildingcapture.com

2. Drone Brothers — Troy

   • Strong option if you want a construction/earthwork-focused drone company.
   • Their Detroit-area pilot is specifically trained in stockpile volumetrics, earthwork, and cut/fill analysis using DroneDeploy workflows.thedronebrothers.com
   • They have a broader nationwide pilot network, so they can potentially support multiple aggregate locations.

3. ROWE Professional Services Company — Farmington Hills

   • Worth considering if you want drone volumetrics combined with conventional land surveying/engineering.
   • They advertise UAS mapping, surface modeling and volumetrics, along with broader surveying and engineering capabilities.

4. Clear Sky Aerials — Michigan

   • More mapping/data oriented than a typical drone photography company.
   • They support photogrammetry and engineering/construction mapping, with pilots in the Ann Arbor/Detroit area.

5. The Elevated View — Southfield

   • Southeast Michigan drone provider focused on engineering/construction applications.
   • Their capabilities include site surveying, earthwork volumes and cut/fill analysis.

One particularly relevant alternative

Building Capture explicitly markets aggregate stockpile volume surveys for quarries, asphalt plants, recycling yards, topsoil and mulch suppliers. They offer recurring monthly/quarterly surveys, volumetric reports, and optional drone LiDAR, and are based in Southwest Michigan.www.buildingcapture.com

Building Capture — Aggregate Stockpile Surveys

My recommendation

For an aggregate producer wanting recurring inventory measurements, I'd contact DroneView Technologies first, followed by Drone Brothers. DroneView's documented aggregate project is especially close to what you're describing because it goes beyond simply creating a 3D model—it addresses stockpile inventory, volume, material density and tonnage reporting.

When requesting quotes, I'd ask each company for:

• Per-stockpile volume in yd³
• Optional tonnage calculation by material density
• Survey accuracy / expected percentage error
• Whether they establish ground control points (GCPs)
• Repeatable monthly/quarterly flights
• Change-over-time reporting
• PDF + CSV/Excel deliverables
• Whether results can support financial inventory reconciliation or regulatory reporting
• Pricing for your approximate acreage and number of stockpiles

If you tell me roughly where the aggregate yard is (city) and its size/number of piles, I can narrow this to the 3 best companies and pull their contact information and approximate pricing structure.