The costs
| Option | Cost | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Drone survey | Commonly NZ$1,000+ per flight and processing | A surface model of the whole site, days later |
| Surveyor with GPS | A quoted site visit | Volumes from sampled points |
| Stockpile app | NZ$9.99 a month after a 3-day free trial | Unlimited scans, reports and 3D models, on site |
How to work out which pays off
Count how often you need a number. One drone survey a month at NZ$1,000 is NZ$12,000 a year. A year of Stockpile is about NZ$120, and you can scan every week, or every pile you load out.
The phone does not replace a surveyor where contracts depend on the figure, but it can replace guesswork between surveys.
What drives a drone survey’s price
Travel, site size, the number of piles, ground control and processing time. Ask what is included: some quotes cover the flight only, with processing charged separately.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a drone stockpile survey cost in New Zealand?
Commonly NZ$1,000 or more for a flight and processing.
Is there a cheaper way to measure stockpiles?
A phone app such as Stockpile measures the real surface for NZ$9.99 a month after a 3-day free trial.
Do I still need a surveyor?
For volumes that money or contracts depend on, yes.
Measure every week for less than one flight.
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