Drone Survey Specification Template

A drafting aid for engineering consultancies writing drone survey scope into Irish tender documents

Drone Services Ireland | Version 1.0 | April 2026

How to use this template: Fill in the project-specific fields in square brackets, delete the guidance notes in italics, and paste the edited template into your tender document as the drone survey scope of works. To save as a branded PDF, use your browser’s Print function and select “Save as PDF” as the destination.

Section 1. Project identification

Project title: [insert project title]
Project reference: [insert internal reference]
Employer / Client: [insert name]
Lead engineering consultancy: [insert name]
Site location: [insert address, townland and Eircode]
Site area: [insert hectares]
Required survey date: [insert date or window]
Deliverable deadline: [insert date]

Section 2. Scope of works

The Supplier shall undertake a drone survey of the site identified in Section 1 and deliver topographic and visual data products suitable for [design / planning / construction monitoring / as-built record / volumetric measurement] purposes, in accordance with the technical requirements set out in Section 3 and the deliverables schedule set out in Section 4.

Section 3. Technical requirements

3.1 Positioning and accuracy

Horizontal accuracy: [insert requirement, DSI recommended 15 to 25 mm for engineering-grade work]
Vertical accuracy: [insert requirement, DSI recommended 20 to 35 mm for engineering-grade work]
Positioning method: RTK with CORSnet corrections, with parallel PPK logging as a mandatory backup
Coordinate reference system: Irish Transverse Mercator (ITM)
Vertical datum: Malin Head (IGM2002 geoid model)
Ground control: minimum [4 to 8] photo-identifiable targets per hectare, coordinated with a survey-grade RTK rover
Independent check points: minimum [10 per cent] of total control, held back from processing and reported in the residuals table

3.2 Flight and capture parameters

Flight altitude: [insert, typical 60 to 90 m for survey-grade photogrammetry]
Image overlap: minimum 80 per cent front, 70 per cent side
Ground sample distance (GSD): [insert maximum]
Camera: calibrated sensor with published lens distortion model
Sensor type: [RGB photogrammetry / LiDAR / both]
Flight conditions: wind speed below operator limits, no active precipitation, sun angle suitable for shadow-free capture where feasible

3.3 Regulatory requirements

Operator authorisation: EASA Specific Category or higher, current and documented
Insurance: public liability minimum €[6,500,000] per claim with drone operations explicitly named
Flight logs: captured in a recognised audit platform such as Airdata and available on request
Data protection: any imagery that captures identifiable persons must be handled in accordance with GDPR and the operator’s data protection policy, which shall be provided on request
Airspace coordination: operator is responsible for all airspace permissions including IAA notification where applicable and liaison with any nearby aerodrome

Section 4. Deliverables

Deliverable	Format	Required
Orthomosaic	GeoTIFF, PDF	Yes / No
Digital Terrain Model (DTM)	GeoTIFF, ASCII XYZ, LandXML	Yes / No
Digital Surface Model (DSM)	GeoTIFF	Yes / No
Classified point cloud	LAS or LAZ	Yes / No
Contour plan	DWG, DXF at [insert interval]	Yes / No
Cross sections	DWG, DXF at [insert spacing]	Yes / No
Volume calculations	PDF report with base plane methodology	Yes / No
Survey report	PDF, with methodology statement	Yes
Residuals report	PDF table with check point errors	Yes
Flight log audit trail	PDF export from flight log platform	Yes

Section 5. Quality assurance and sign-off

The Supplier shall attach a residuals report against independent check points to every survey deliverable.
The Supplier shall make the raw imagery and flight log available on request for audit purposes for a minimum of [12] months after delivery.
The Supplier shall re-fly the site at no additional cost where the delivered accuracy is shown to fall outside the tolerances specified in Section 3.1.
The Supplier shall provide a named point of contact for any technical queries raised by the Employer or the lead consultancy during the design period.

Section 6. Programme and mobilisation

Notice to mobilise: [insert number] working days
On-site flight window: [insert duration]
Processing and delivery: [insert number] working days after final flight
Total programme from appointment to delivery: [insert total]

Section 7. Pricing schedule

The Supplier shall provide a fixed lump sum price against the scope of works and deliverables described above. Any exclusions shall be stated explicitly. The price shall include all mobilisation, equipment, insurance, processing, reporting and one round of minor revisions to the deliverables. Any additional flights or scope changes shall be quoted at a clearly stated day rate agreed in advance.

About this template. This drone survey specification template was prepared by Drone Services Ireland (DSI), an EASA Specific Category authorised operator delivering drone survey, inspection and mapping services to Irish engineering consultancies, local authorities, OPW, TII framework suppliers and private commercial clients since 2016. The template captures the clauses we most frequently find missing when we tender against generic “drone survey” scope, and is free to use as a drafting aid in your own tender documents.

To discuss a live project, request a fixed price, or have DSI review a draft specification before it goes to tender, get in touch.

Drone Services Ireland. Author: Fergal McCarthy, Chief Remote Pilot and co-founder. EASA Specific Category authorised operator. Secretary, Drone Professionals Ireland.