We're bringing drone technology to regional Victoria. Are you interested?
Drone Services & Digital Engineering
Construction • Agriculture • Asset Inspections
Our mission statement
Our mission at True Datum Aerial is to back the businesses that keep Regional Victoria running by making drone and digital engineering services affordable, reliable, and practical. We'll travel anywhere in Victoria to help you tackle jobs that are otherwise dangerous, expensive, or time-consuming and we will deliver results you can use to run a safer and more efficient operation.
What we commit to:
Safety first - reduce the need for risky access, working at heights, or sending people into unsafe areas.
Good value - fair pricing that doesn't hurt the bottom line, without cutting corners.
Clear outcomes - sraightforward deliverables that support decisions, reporting, and planning.
Transparrent process - you'll know what we did, how we did it, and what the results represent.
V. Voronkov
Services provided
We offer wet hire (drone + certified operator), dry hire (equipment only for certified and insured operators), and drafting/modelling support to help speed up project delivery. Please review our services below:
On-Site Drone Services
Aerial mapping capture
Stockpile and earthworks capture
Construction progress flights
Roof & façade inspections
Road/rail/drainage corridor capture
Asset/structure inspection capture
Post Processing, Modelling & Drafting Services
Orthomosaic aerial map creation
Point cloud model processing
3D surface / terrain models and contours
Stockpile and earthworks cut/fill volume calculations
As-built plans and verification
Drafting and plan production - site plans, set-out, contours, sections
Feasibility grading concepts - site levels, drainage falls, pad design
Corridor modelling support - roads, driveways, tracks, drains
Cross-sections / long-sections and quantities for planning and pricing
Data clean-up and format conversion of client captured data
Equipment Hire
Matrice 4E dry hire (3 batteries) - for certified, insured operators only. Quick handover and basic setup support included.
Emlid Reach RS2+ - multi-band RTK GNSS receiver built for survey and construction workflows.
DJI Phantom 4 Pro V2.0 (incl. Smart Controller) - A proven sub-2 kg platform with strong image quality for simple inspections, basic photogrammetry, and general photography/video.
Ready to fly?
Frequently Asked Questions
Still have a question? Book a quick call - five minutes usually settles it.
Every job is priced to suit the site and the outcome you need. Cost mainly depends on the area size, travel distance, site access, and what deliverables you want (maps, volumes, models, drafting). We’ll give you a clear fixed quote up front - no surprises.
For post-processing, modelling and drafting, we work to a pre-agreed fixed sum based on an agreed scope. If you request work outside the original agreement, we’ll let you know first and it will be charged at an hourly rate.
Please see the link below for a detailed breakdown:
Once the scope and details are confirmed, we aim to mobilise and fly as soon as weather allows and site access is available.
For standard deliverables like maps, point cloud models, and stockpile/earthworks volumes, we commit to a 24-hour turnaround from the time of flying.
For anything that involves drafting, modelling, or report writing, the delivery timeframe will be discussed and agreed upfront before we start.
Metro Melbourne: often within 48 hours.
Regional VIC: usually inside a week, subject to airspace approvals.
Dense tree canopy, reflective water surfaces, and heavy rain all reduce data quality. If the site or weather makes a drone a poor choice, we’ll say so and suggest alternatives.
In good conditions, our drone outputs are typically accurate to within a few centimetres in vertical elevation. For stockpile volumes, this is often similar to - and in many cases better than - conventional stockpile surveying, because the drone captures the entire surface quickly and consistently.
Accuracy depends on the site. Things like thick vegetation, poor visibility of the ground, reflective surfaces, or limited GPS signal can reduce accuracy. If you need extra confidence, we can include ground check points measured on site to verify the final results.
Read article:
Drones in Construction – Accurate Site Data Without the Wait
Safety is our number one priority. Depending on the job and the site, we can often complete the flight without needing to enter the work area - for example, by operating from a safe boundary or agreed launch point.
If site access is required, we’ll coordinate with you in advance and follow your site rules and induction requirements. Our operators are White Card certified, wear appropriate PPE, and operate under clear safety procedures, including emergency planning.
Compliance with safety requirements is non-negotiable at True Datum Aerial.
Yes. We operate in line with CASA’s drone rules, and we hold the required CASA operator accreditation and drone registration for commercial work (and we’ll only take on jobs we can legally deliver).
We carry $15 million public liability insurance and professional indemnity insurance. Insurance certificates (and any relevant compliance paperwork) are supplied with every proposal.
If a job falls outside the standard rules (for example, unusual locations or special conditions), we’ll tell you upfront what’s required and work with you to come up with a workable solution.
Read more in our T&Cs
Our drone mapping uses methods commonly used across the surveying industry, but we are not providing “legal surveying”. Our deliverables are intended for planning, design support, progress tracking, and general advice - not for cadastral boundary definition or legal certification.
Drone surveying is a great way to reduce risk, save time, and lower costs by capturing site conditions quickly and safely. If your project requires legal/survey-certified outputs (for example, boundary work or formal submissions), we’re happy to work alongside a licensed surveyor on a case-by-case basis, either providing the aerial capture for them to certify, or integrating their ground control/checks into the workflow.
Read more in our T&Cs
Once final payment is received, ownership of the captured imagery and agreed deliverables transfers to you, the client.
We may ask to use selected, non-sensitive imagery and project outcomes for marketing or case studies, but only with your prior approval and in line with the original contract/scope.
Read more in our T&Cs
Standard set includes GeoTIFF orthomosaics, LAZ/LAS point clouds, DXF/SHP contours, and a PDF volume report. Any additional or alternative formats (including common options like DWG) will be agreed in the original scope and included in the contract.
Read more on our Services
Yes - if you want them, we can provide the raw photos and flight logs at no extra cost. They’ll be supplied on request via a secure download link.
