Resolution is not accuracy.
Image detail and point density describe how much can be seen or reconstructed. Positional accuracy describes agreement with accepted reference values under a stated method.
How the numbers are reported →Accuracy you can
defend.
We do not publish one blanket accuracy figure. Site conditions, sensor, flight design, control, checkpoints, product, and intended use determine what is appropriate and what can be proven.
Know what the files can and cannot prove.
A professional handoff keeps visual detail, positional evidence, survey responsibility, and known limits separate. The full methods stay available when the decision needs more scrutiny.
Compare the three modes →The intended use sets the evidence burden.
Produced-to, independently tested, and PLS-coordinated work are scoped and reported as distinct commitments. A sharp image does not choose the right mode on its own.
Verify an existing dataset →Recoverable gaps are found in the field.
On-site processing checks coverage and capture completeness before demobilization, while the crew can still address a missing or weak area.
See field processing →The project record remains usable after delivery.
Versions, agreed deliverables, and in-scope support stay connected in the client portal. Raw source imagery follows a separate, stated retention schedule.
Read Lifetime Data Support →The standard
What "follows ASPRS standards" actually means.
ASPRS: the American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing, publishes the positional-accuracy standards the mapping industry works to. The 2024 framework separates how a dataset is produced from how its accuracy is tested, and state law and project requirements separately govern professional survey responsibility.
We keep those two separate on purpose. A map can be produced to the standard's workflow without an independent accuracy test, or it can be tested against surveyed checkpoints and reported with a measured RMSE. They are different commitments, and your project decides which one you need, which is also why we never quote a blanket accuracy number we haven't tested for your site.
Method, measured evidence, and professional authority are separate.
Every quote names which one applies to your deliverable.
Methodology-conformant
Produced to ASPRS
Acquired and processed using the ASPRS workflow agreed for the project. Ground control may or may not be part of the scope. Resolution is stated, but no independent tested accuracy is implied.
- Evidence
- Capture and processing method, GSD, control approach, methodology record
- Use
- Mapping, design context, condition records, and recurring measurement where an independent test is not required
- Does not claim
- A measured project RMSE without independent checkpoints
Independent evidence
Tested to ASPRS
Surveyed ground control and independent checkpoints are used to compute and document project RMSE against the agreed class. The report states the checkpoint count and any limitation.
- Evidence
- Independent checkpoints, residuals, measured RMSE, stated class
- Use
- Decisions where a numeric accuracy statement must hold up to independent review
- Does not claim
- A PLS stamp or recordable survey authority by itself
Licensed responsibility
Routed to a licensed surveyor
Stamped and recordable deliverables are not an Outlook UAS product, and we do not sell them as a tier of our own. Where a project needs one, the work is routed to a licensed Professional Land Surveyor who holds responsible charge. Where you already work with a surveyor, we supply the capture and processing to them directly.
- Evidence
- The surveyor's own method, records, professional review, and stamp where required
- Use
- Legal, recordable, permitting, or contractual products that require a licensed surveyor
- Role boundary
- Outlook UAS supplies capture and processing. The licensed surveyor governs everything that carries professional responsibility, and the stamp and the record stay with them.
THE DIFFERENCE, WORKFLOW-WISE
ASPRS 2024 classes accuracy by tested RMSE: the class for your project is set in scoping and proven at the checkpoints. That is why we publish the workflow, not a blanket number.
The deliverable does not choose its own accuracy mode.
The same product type can support different decisions. The intended use determines whether methodology alone is appropriate, independent testing is needed, or a licensed professional must be involved.
| Deliverable | Typical starting mode | When testing is added | Professional boundary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Orthomosaic, DSM, 3D mesh | Produced to ASPRS with GSD and method stated | When positional evidence is required for the intended decision | Not a recordable survey product unless coordinated and accepted through a PLS |
| Terrain model and contours | Produced to ASPRS for mapping and design context | When civil review, contract, or downstream use requires documented checkpoint evidence | Recordable or stamped work is coordinated through a PLS |
| Volumetrics and change | Compared against an accepted baseline with method disclosed | Differenced against a surveyed reference where the quantity must withstand independent review. | Legal quantity or survey certification requirements are resolved with the responsible professional |
| Legal or recordable plats | Not an unlicensed aerial-only deliverable | Testing supports the professional workflow but does not replace licensure | Where offered, a licensed PLS holds responsible charge and stamps where required |
Words we avoid: undefined "grade" labels and other shortcuts that blur the evidence. A client should be able to see the method, evidence, class, and responsible professional rather than infer them from a label.
Four terms tell you what the result actually supports.
A dependable accuracy statement is specific to one dataset, tested area, version, checkpoint plan, and reporting method.
Ground sample distance is resolution, not proof of accuracy.
GSD describes the ground area represented by an image pixel. It matters for feature visibility and product design, but a small GSD alone does not prove positional accuracy.
Ground control and checkpoints have different jobs.
Ground control may influence the model. Independent checkpoints are withheld from adjustment so they can test the result. Using the same point for both purposes weakens the independence of the claim.
RMSE is measured for the tested dataset.
Root Mean Square Error summarizes checkpoint residuals under the stated method. The report should identify the tested class, coordinate reference system, data version, area, and checkpoint count.
The checkpoint count belongs beside the claim.
A full accuracy statement rests on 30 independent checkpoints. A lower count can still inform a decision, but the reduced count must be disclosed and interpreted accordingly.
Choose the mode before
the aircraft launches.
Tell us what the result will support, who will review it, and whether a professional stamp or independent accuracy statement is required. We will name the method and role boundary in the quote.