New UAV Surveying Reality Series – Down To Earth

IT’S TIME TO STEP OUT OF THE OFFICE AND INTO THE FIELD

“Down to Earth” is a new reality series revealing the challenges and hazards that surveying crews face while determining points on the surface of the Earth and measuring the distances between them.

Presented by Microdrones, the series will also showcase the powerful data deliverables their integrated systems can create like 3D pointclouds, orthomosaics, or methane inspection concern maps.

The series will premiere in our first Wednesday Webinar of 2020, on February 19. Viewers can register to watch at either 9am ET or 6pm ET at the following link: CLICK HERE or copy and paste this link into your browser: https://bit.ly/38KQI2w

REGISTER BY CLICKING BELOW:

The first 3 episodes, titled “The Ozarks” will take viewers on an edge-of-your-seat journey alongside Crafton Tull as the engineering and surveying attempt to map a path for a road through Arkansas’s treacherous Ozark Mountain Region.

The series will capture the adventures, obstacles and all-too-real danger professional surveyors face while marking boundaries, measuring distances and working to deliver actionable insights about the natural landscape.

In the first episode, you’ll meet the Crafton Tull team and learn about their mission – delivering key data on 150 acres of the cliff-filled region of Big Creek where they are tasked with surveying the site so that their engineers can design a road through the heart of the mountainous terrain.

In short – it’s a tall challenge for both Crafton Tull and Microdrones.

“The challenge on this project is the terrain, from surveying the top to the bottom of the mountain,” said Crafton Tull Vice President of Energy Services, Nick Tucker.

Throughout the series, you’ll see how Crafton Tull attacked this challenging terrain head-on with the Microdrones mdLIDAR1000, leveraging the drone to navigate an elevation change of more than 500 feet.

Data collected from the Ozarks Mission

 

“Without a drone and with a regular survey crew out here, you’re looking at probably two to three weeks of field work to get this surveyed,” Davis said. “It’s dangerous, too, because there are some sheer bluffs on here that would be really challenging to get data on.”

Providing support and technical assistance was Microdrones Southern U.S. Sales Manager Matt Rosenbalm, who was confident the mdLIDAR1000 could overcome the daunting challenges of the Ozarks.

“I always like to see what kinds of projects they’re using our systems to do,” Rosenbalm said. “This one is obviously putting everything to the test, and it’s kind of neat to see how we tackle this.”

In episodes 2 and 3  you’ll see how the Crafton Tull team adapts to new challenges and problems, collects and analyzes critical data, and find out if the team’s mission to translate the region’s intimidating terrain into actionable insights was a success.

“We frame Down to Earth within the genre of a reality series, because part of the show is watching surveyors work out in the field, set up their equipment, and deal with all the different elements and challenges they face,” said Microdrones Marketing Director Bret Burghdurf. “Plus, it’s more engaging and fun to watch. But at the end of the day, whatever happens in the field, they’re still responsible for getting their job done.  This series demonstrates how Microdrones can make that process more efficient with powerful end deliverables from our systems. If you want to see real surveyors overcoming difficult field challenges and collecting really good data, then watch Down to Earth.”

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!

Image

Latest

career
What to Do When Your Career Feels Stuck: Invest in Yourself, Stay Intentional, and Build the Right Network
April 29, 2026

Work doesn’t feel the way it used to. Between new tech, changing expectations, and the constant pressure to keep up, a lot of people—even those who look successful on paper—are quietly wondering what’s next. In fact, recent workforce studies suggest a large share of employees feel disengaged or uncertain about their next move, despite…

Read More
Rural School
How Rural Schools Are Redefining School Safety Through Relationships and Proactive Systems
April 28, 2026

On Principles of Change, a podcast by Raptor Technologies, host Dr. Amy Grosso sits down with Dr. Miguel Salazar, principal of Sundown Middle School in Sundown, Texas, to explore how one rural district is redefining school safety through culture, systems, and human connection. Together, they unpack how proactive frameworks, community values, and intentional relationship-building can…

Read More
StudentSafe
Understanding Raptor StudentSafe
April 28, 2026

In this episode of School Safety Today, host Dr. Amy Grosso speaks with Chris Noell, Chief Product Officer at Raptor Technologies, and Will Durgin, Director of Student Well-Being, about the vision behind StudentSafe and how it helps schools move from reactive responses to proactive student support. Together, they emphasize that safer schools depend on giving staff…

Read More
school safety
Going Slow to Go Fast in School Safety Leadership
April 28, 2026

In this episode of the Principles of Change podcast, presented by Raptor Technologies, host Dr. Amy Grosso talks with Tim Dykes, Assistant Principal for Culture and Climate at York Community High School in Elmhurst, Illinois. The conversation highlights how strong relationships, student voice, and steady long-term leadership can help schools build environments where people feel…

Read More