Transforming Estate Management: High-Resolution Mapping of Blackburn & Hartsgarth with PIX4Dmatic

The Black Arrows, specialists in large-scale drone surveys, collaborated with Oxygen Conservation to create a high-resolution baseline survey of the 5,000-hectare Blackburn & Hartsgarth estate in the Scottish Borders. The estate required updated, precise maps to support habitat mapping, estate management, and stakeholder communication.

Traditional survey methods were impractical due to the estate's size, and its proximity to a military drone testing range. Using PIX4Dmatic and PIX4Dsurvey, the team efficiently processed over 10,000 images into detailed 2D maps and 3D models, achieving a GSD of 2.5 cm/pixel for 2D outputs and 4 cm/pixel for 3D models. This data was seamlessly integrated into GIS platforms like ArcGIS Pro, enabling precise planning, design, and analysis for the estate's management.