UAS LiDAR Surveyor & Land Analyst

Job Overview

We are seeking a highly skilled and detail-oriented UAS LiDAR Surveyor & Land Analyst to join our geospatial team. In this role, you will be responsible for the end-to-end workflow of aerial data acquisition and analysis—from planning and executing autonomous drone flights using advanced LiDAR sensors to processing dense point clouds and generating high-accuracy topographic deliverables.

Your insights will directly influence project design, environmental planning, and engineering decisions.

Key Responsibilities

1. Flight Planning & Data Acquisition

• Mission Planning: Plan and execute safe, efficient, and compliant commercial UAS (drone) flights utilizing LiDAR and photogrammetry sensors.

• Ground Control: Establish and tie in Ground Control Points (GCPs) and Real-Time Kinematic (RTK/PPK) base stations to ensure centimeter-level geospatial accuracy.

• Field Operations: Serve as Remote Pilot in Command (PIC), managing field logistics, equipment calibration, and pre-flight safety briefings.

2. LiDAR Processing & Data Analysis

• Point Cloud Processing: Trajectory correction, strip adjustment, and boresight calibration of raw LiDAR data.

• Classification: Georeference, filter, and classify point clouds into distinct layers (e.g., bare earth, high/low vegetation, buildings, infrastructure).

• Deliverable Generation: Create high-quality geospatial assets including Digital Elevation Models (DEM), Digital Terrain Models (DTM), topographic contours, 3D meshes, and volumetric calculations.

3. Compliance & Safety

• Regulatory Adherence: Ensure all operations strictly comply with local aviation authorities (e.g., FAA Part 107 in the US, EASA rules in Europe) and airspace restrictions.

• Risk Mitigation: Maintain meticulous flight logs, equipment maintenance records, and safety protocols.

Qualifications & Skills

Technical Requirements

• Drone Licensing: Valid commercial drone pilot license (e.g., FAA Part 107 or regional equivalent).

• Software Proficiency: Hands-on experience with:

  • Flight Planning: DJI Terra, QGroundControl, or UgCS.

  • LiDAR Processing: Terrasolid, LP360, DJI Terra, or Rock Cloud.

  • GIS & CAD: ArcGIS Pro, QGIS, Autodesk Civil 3D, or Global Mapper.

• Sensor Knowledge: Familiarity with high-end UAV LiDAR payloads (e.g., DJI Zenmuse L1/L2, Riegl, YellowScan, or Velodyne sensors).

Experience & Education

• Education: Bachelor’s degree or Associate’s degree in Geomatics, Surveying, GIS, Civil Engineering, Forestry, or a related field (preferred but equivalent field experience valued).

• Experience: 2+ years of professional experience operating commercial drones specifically equipped with LiDAR payloads.

• Surveying Fundamentals: Strong understanding of geodesy, coordinate systems, datums, and traditional land surveying principles.

Physical & Logistics Requirements

• Ability to travel frequently to remote field sites.

• Ability to lift up to 50 lbs of equipment and walk/hike over rugged, uneven terrain in various weather conditions.

• Valid driver’s license with a clean driving record.