Mapping for Expansion: Nigeria Flying Labs Supports Safety Training Services with Aerial Mapping Solutions

Context  

In a fast-evolving business landscape, real estate expansion requires precision, especially when it comes to space management and service delivery. Prime Atlantic Safety Services, a global leader in safety training and consultancy, is dedicated to building capacity in the Nigerian oil and gas industry by equipping Nigerians with the skills necessary to deliver world-class services. As part of their growth strategy, Prime Atlantic sought to expand their training and consultancy complex to better accommodate their increasing demand. Expanding their facilities was not only about adding more space, but also optimizing the existing layout to ensure efficient delivery of their training programs.

However, for an expansion of this scale to be effective, a detailed and accurate understanding of their current complex was crucial. This is where advanced technology, specifically aerial mapping, played a key role. To achieve the precision required for planning, Prime Atlantic Safety Services enlisted AgroXchange, a key partner of Nigeria Flying Labs, to conduct a comprehensive aerial mapping project. The goal was to generate high-quality, actionable data that would support their spatial planning and improve operational workflows.

Solution

To kickstart the mapping project, AgroXchange was brought on board by Nigeria Flying Labs to provide a cutting-edge solution for Prime Atlantic's complex. Given the size of the site and the precision needed, the team decided to utilize aerial drone technology as the most efficient way to capture detailed imagery of the property. Drones are well-known for their accuracy and versatility in data collection, particularly in environments like large industrial complexes.

The mapping process began by collecting the geographic boundary coordinates of the Prime Atlantic complex. Using Google Earth, these coordinates were compiled into a KML (Keyhole Markup Language) file, which is a format used to represent geographic data. This KML file provided a clear boundary map of the complex, setting the foundation for further mapping and analysis. The next step was to load these coordinates into Pix4Dcapture, a flight planning software that allows for the creation of automated flight paths for drone missions. The software was used to program the drone to follow a precise grid pattern, ensuring that the entire area was covered systematically for consistent image capture.

Details

The actual aerial data collection was carried out using the DJI Phantom 4 Pro v1, a high-precision drone widely recognized for its ability to capture high-resolution imagery. The flight path generated in Pix4Dcapture ensured that the drone followed a structured pattern over the Prime Atlantic complex, capturing 405 aerial images in total. Each image was geotagged, which would later be essential for accurately stitching the images together.

Once the images were collected, they were processed using Pix4Dmapper, a professional photogrammetry software that transforms drone images into highly detailed geospatial outputs. The images were stitched together to create two important outputs: a DSM (Digital Surface Model) and an orthomosaic. A DSM is a 3D representation of the surface area, including all natural and man-made features like buildings, trees, and infrastructure. It provides a detailed topographic view of the area, which is invaluable for planning construction and expansions as it shows how the terrain and structures interact.

The second major output was an orthomosaic—a type of orthophoto, which is a geometrically corrected aerial image. Unlike regular aerial photographs, orthophotos are corrected for lens distortions, camera tilt, and terrain elevation differences, ensuring that the scale of the image is uniform. This allows for accurate distance measurements, and in this project, the orthomosaic provided a highly detailed and precise map of Prime Atlantic’s complex. By overlaying the KML boundary of the complex on the orthomosaic, the team could clearly define the various sections of the property and provide actionable insights for their expansion.

Impact

The impact of this aerial mapping project on Prime Atlantic Safety Services was profound. By generating a DSM and a high-resolution orthomosaic, the project provided Prime Atlantic with an unparalleled level of detail about their complex. This allowed the company's decision-makers to visualize the entire layout of their property and identify areas that could be optimized for expansion and better service delivery. The data captured by the drone was not just a series of images—it was actionable information that could be used to make informed decisions about space allocation, building structures, and future growth strategies.

Moreover, the precision of the data means that Prime Atlantic can now plan their expansion with a full understanding of the site's topography and current infrastructure. This will allow them to avoid potential issues such as uneven terrain, natural obstacles, or inefficient use of space. The orthomosaic has also made it easier to divide the complex into functional zones, each optimized for specific services, training areas, or infrastructure. In doing so, Prime Atlantic is positioned to expand its capacity without compromising its efficiency, ensuring that it can continue to deliver world-class safety training to Nigeria's oil and gas industry.

Challenges

While the project was a success, it was not without its challenges. One of the primary hurdles was the need for precise flight planning to ensure that the drone collected accurate data without missing any areas of the complex or encountering obstacles such as buildings or trees. Careful attention was required during the preparation of the flight plan to ensure that the drone’s path covered the entire area and avoided areas that could interfere with data capture, such as high-rise structures.

In addition, processing 405 high-resolution images posed its own set of challenges. The software had to accurately stitch the images together to form a seamless orthomosaic. Even slight misalignments during the image processing phase could lead to distortions in the final product, making it difficult to achieve accurate measurements. However, thanks to the capabilities of Pix4Dmapper, the images were successfully processed and the outputs met the required level of accuracy.

Another challenge was dealing with weather conditions. As with any drone mapping project, weather plays a critical role in the quality of the images captured. Strong winds or sudden changes in weather can disrupt the drone’s flight path or affect image clarity. Fortunately, the team was able to schedule the flight during optimal weather conditions, ensuring clear, stable images.

Acknowledgements

This project would not have been possible without the close collaboration between AgroXchange, Nigeria Flying Labs, and Prime Atlantic Safety Services. By leveraging advanced drone technology and mapping software, the team was able to provide Prime Atlantic with the data needed to confidently plan their expansion. Special thanks go to the entire project team for their dedication and to Prime Atlantic for their vision and commitment to excellence. We are excited to see how the data collected will contribute to Prime Atlantic’s continued growth and success in delivering world-class safety training to Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.