8,000-Acre Post-Typhoon Mapping for Disaster Recovery

Produce high resolution orthomosaic maps across several villages in Guam

Client

US Army Corps of Engineers & Pacific Federal Management

Project Type

Orthomosaic Mapping & Remote Inspection

Location

Various, Guam

Project Overview

In the wake of Typhoon Mawar, which left Guam devastated with widespread destruction, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and Pacific Federal Management (PFM) required a large-scale aerial mapping solution to support damage assessment, urban planning, and recovery efforts.

2cofly was selected to conduct an 8,000-acre mapping operation, leveraging advanced drone-based photogrammetry and RTK GPS systems to deliver high-resolution, centimeter-accurate aerial data in record time. Traditional data collection methods would have been slow, resource-intensive, and even dangerous, but drones provided a faster, safer, and more cost-effective solution.

The Challenge

Typhoon Mawar’s destruction left vast areas in urgent need of assessment, but conventional data collection methods presented major hurdles:

Time-Intensive Manual Inspections – Traditional methods required on-the-ground personnel to take photographs and document damage home by home.
Limited Access to Hazardous Areas – Many sites were blocked by debris or structurally unstable, making manual inspections dangerous.
Slow Decision-Making Due to Data Delays – Delays in collecting, processing, and analyzing data could slow down recovery efforts.

With every minute counting in disaster recovery, a fast and scalable solution was needed. 2cofly’s advanced drone mapping technology provided the answer.

Approach & Methodology

High-Resolution Drone Mapping & Data Collection

✔ Enterprise-Level Drone Deployment – 2cofly deployed a fleet of high-precision drones, equipped with large RGB sensors and RTK GPS for centimeter-level accuracy.

✔ Rapid Aerial Surveying – The drones scanned and mapped 8,000 acres in record time, capturing critical damage assessment data far faster than traditional methods.

Multi-Purpose Data for Disaster Recovery

✔ Real-Time Feedback – Drones provided live aerial visuals to aid in damage assessments and relief planning.

✔ Multi-Industry Use Case – The same dataset could be shared across multiple agencies for urban planning, infrastructure assessment, and future disaster preparedness.

Deliverables Provided

✔ Orthomosaic Maps – Georeferenced, high-resolution imagery for assessment and reconstruction planning.

✔ 3D Site Models – Providing a real-world digital twin for damage analysis.

✔ Aerial Imagery & Reports – Used for insurance claims, engineering evaluations, and rebuilding strategies.

Results & Project Impact

✔ Unmatched Speed & Efficiency

By utilizing drones, 2cofly completed data collection in a fraction of the time it would have taken using traditional surveying teams, significantly accelerating the response efforts.

✔ Enhanced Decision-Making for Recovery Teams

The high-quality aerial data allowed decision-makers to prioritize efforts, assess the most critical damage areas, and streamline disaster response operations.

✔ Cost-Effective & Scalable Solution

Traditional data collection methods would have required large on-the-ground teams, significant manpower, and weeks of work. By contrast, 2cofly’s aerial mapping drastically reduced labor costs and expedited the process.

The drone scan allowed our quality assurance personnel to obtain a detailed visual of the paths they needed to take. The quality of the footage was so great that our personnel had an initial visual of debris streams before arriving at the roadways. The speed at which 2cofly responded and supported the mission helped reduce the initial scouting effort and sped up the recovery process - Rob Salas, Pacific Federal Management President

Drones Beyond Disaster Recovery

While this project highlighted the life-saving capabilities of drones in post-disaster recovery, the impact of aerial data collection extends far beyond. Drones are revolutionizing multiple industries, including:

✔ Agriculture – Optimizing crop health with multispectral cameras and NDVI analysis.

✔ Construction & Engineering – Providing high-accuracy site surveys for large-scale developments.

✔ Infrastructure Inspection – Enabling faster, safer assessments of roads, bridges, and utilities.

As drone technology continues to evolve and expand, industries worldwide are discovering new and innovative applications for aerial data collection.

Conclusion

The successful completion of 2cofly’s 8,000-acre post-typhoon mapping project demonstrated the game-changing role of drones in disaster recovery and beyond. By leveraging cutting-edge drone technology, 2cofly provided a faster, safer, and more cost-effective alternative to traditional data collection, proving that drones are an indispensable tool for disaster response, infrastructure planning, and emergency management.

For government agencies, private organizations, and industries seeking high-precision aerial data solutions, 2cofly delivers expert drone mapping services that drive efficiency, accuracy, and informed decision-making.

2cofly (pronounced Ecofly) is Micronesia's leading drone service and education provider. Our core competency lies in remote sensing via various sensing technologies such as photogrammetry, LiDAR, thermal and more.

Few key deliverables we can output with our drones & sensors: