High-resolution orthophoto and textured 3D mesh over an urban block

Photomap & 3D Model Generation

Georeferenced orthophotos, point clouds, DSM/DTM, and textured 3D meshes—ready for CAD/GIS, BIM, and digital twins.

Overview

Convex Geomatics Ltd. delivers professional UAV (drone) and manned aircraft (helicopter & fixed-wing airplane) aerial mapping across Western Canada. Using survey-grade photogrammetry workflows, we produce high-resolution orthomosaics/orthophotos, dense point clouds, DSM/DTM, and textured 3D meshes. Ground control and a documented QA/QC process ensure dependable accuracy for planning, design, construction monitoring, and asset management.

Built on advanced cameras and state-of-the-art processing, our photo maps routinely achieve up to ~1.5 cm/pixel where conditions allow—providing crisp, decision-ready visuals. We select the right platform for each site—helicopters for detailed or access-constrained areas, fixed-wing aircraft for efficient corridor/large-area coverage, and UAVs for precise, lower-altitude capture—and can blend collections for seamless, design-ready results.

Beyond orthophotos, we build engineering-ready 3D deliverables: site and building 3D models, textured meshes, and photorealistic Gaussian splats (3DGS) for smooth, real-time viewing and collaboration. Outputs are packaged for BIM/GIS ecosystems—glTF/OBJ, LAS/LAZ, tiled rasters—and slot cleanly into Civil 3D, MicroStation, ArcGIS, and modern web viewers.

Typical use cases include design coordination, progress tracking, cut/fill & volumetrics, as-built documentation, asset inventory, and context models for stakeholder engagement. Where canopy or structure limits imagery alone, we can fuse aerial photogrammetry with LiDAR and ground surveys to deliver complete, consistent terrain and structure models.

Typical GSD
1.5–3.0 cm (UAV)
Accuracy
±2–5 cm*
Coverage
Up to 5,000+ ha
Outputs
Ortho, DSM/DTM, 3D models/mesh, Gaussian splats
Control
GCPs & checkpoints

*Dependent on control quality, surface texture, and scene complexity.

Deliverables

Orthophotos

  • Georeferenced mosaics (GeoTIFF / COG optional)
  • True-ortho options for urban & vertical structures
  • Web map tiles (XYZ / WMTS) for fast viewing

Surface Models & Clouds

  • DSM/DTM rasters with contours
  • Photogrammetric point clouds (LAS/LAZ)
  • Breaklines & hydro-enforced/flattened surfaces

3D Models

  • Textured meshes (OBJ/FBX)
  • 3D Tiles / SLPK for digital twins & web GIS
  • Photoreal Gaussian splats (3DGS) & glTF

Formats

GeoTIFF / COG LAS/LAZ DWG/DXF SHP/GDB OBJ/FBX 3D Tiles / SLPK glTF / 3DGS ECW

Workflow

  1. Mission planning — airspace & permits, GSD/overlap, flight lines & safety.
  2. Platform selection — UAV, helicopter, or airplane matched to scope.
  3. Acquisition — calibrated cameras/IMU with consistent altitude & lighting.
  4. Control & georeferencing — GCPs & independent checkpoints; RTK/PPK.
  5. Photogrammetry — alignment, bundle adjustment & dense reconstruction.
  6. Surfaces & ortho — DSM/DTM, hydro-enforcement/flattening, contours, true-ortho.
  7. 3D & digital twin — textured meshes, 3D Tiles/SLPK, glTF, Gaussian splats (3DGS).
  8. Packaging & QA/QC — CAD/GIS deliverables, projections/metadata, residuals & coverage.

Technology

Sensors

  • High-resolution RGB cameras (nadir & oblique) on UAV, helicopter & airplane platforms
  • RTK/PPK GNSS with IMU for precise direct georeferencing
  • Stabilized gimbals, synchronized capture & calibrated optics
  • Survey control with ground targets & independent checkpoints

Processing & AI

  • Photogrammetric alignment, bundle adjustment & dense reconstruction
  • Automated QA on tie points, overlap, residuals & completeness
  • ML-assisted feature extraction (stockpiles, pavement/roofs, vegetation)
  • 3D publishing: textured meshes, 3D Tiles & Gaussian splats

Coordinate Support

  • All common EPSG codes & custom site grids
  • Orthometric (geoid) & ellipsoidal heights
  • Metric/imperial units with full metadata & README

Standards & QC

Quality

  • Independent checkpoints (RMSE H/V), residual tracking & bundle diagnostics
  • True-ortho validation: lean minimization, seamline review & artifact cleanup
  • Radiometry QA: color balance, exposure consistency & haze/glare mitigation

Documentation

  • Audit-ready QA/QC report with control diagrams, accuracy stats & coverage heatmaps
  • Data lineage: acquisition notes, processing versions & change log
  • CRS details: projection, vertical datum/units, tiling & layer schema definitions

Handover

  • Layered CAD/GIS packages with README & embedded metadata
  • Cloud-ready outputs: COG orthos, XYZ/WMTS tile pyramids & 3D Tiles/glTF

FAQ

Yes. We supply DWG/DXF with layers and symbology, TIN surfaces and contours for design, textured meshes (OBJ/FBX), and 3D Tiles/glTF for digital twins and web viewers. Deliverables are aligned to your projection, vertical datum, and layer standards.
We operate UAVs for sites and confined airspace and deploy helicopters or fixed-wing aircraft for long corridors and large areas. We recommend the platform (or a hybrid plan) based on scale, airspace, terrain, and schedule.
Projects are built on ground control points (GCPs) and independent checkpoints, RTK/PPK positioning, rigorous alignment and bundle adjustment, and a documented QA/QC report with residuals and coverage. Results are suitable for design, construction, and asset management.
Yes. We provide cloud-optimized GeoTIFFs (COG), tiled XYZ/WMTS orthos, and 3D Tiles that plug into common web portals and digital twin platforms for easy sharing and visualization.

Ready for crisp orthos and realistic 3D models?

We’ll scope GSD, control, and outputs to fit your design workflow.

Request a Quote