about us

Obviously each project is different, but when you consider a drone can cover hundreds of acres a day vs ~5 acres/day with a two-man ground crew, you're talking weeks worth of labor saved off the top. Our processing timeline is also not measured in weeks or months, but days. You can task your skilled resources to other priority areas - we'll take care of the collection. - You know those 4pm Friday fire drills?..."We need this additional area collected ASAP & need the data by Monday!"...those are no longer impossible. We can collect this & provide you quick- turn deliverables - We provide a FULL scan dataset of the project area, eliminating the need to send a crew back out should your project requirements change mid-design - Many firms have already found the benefits of a 3rd party collection outweigh the headache & expense of standing up & maintaining an in-house UAS program - In addition to direct time/$ savings, we also reduce risk to your personnel on-site. No more traversing rough terrain, snakebites, traffic dangers, heavy equipment movements, and other dynamics that could harm your field crews

Using an industrial grade GNSS positioning system paired with a high-precision Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU), our unmanned system can provide ~3-5cm absolute accuracy - meeting the majority of users' project accuracy requirements with much higher efficiency than ground-based surveys. Again, we're not trying to eliminate proven survey methods...just giving the experts another tool in the truck. A detailed accuracy sample against surveyed control can be viewed here.

Manned aerial surveys are very capable & effective - especially for large sites. For the smaller sites or projects requiring more flexibility, an unmanned option can provide better data at a lower cost. Factors to consider when deciding on manned vs unmanned collection: - Manned aircraft tend to have more weather related & maintenance/inspection limitations & availability - UAS platforms are not subject to fluctuating fuel costs, which are passed on to the client - UAS platforms can attain the same (often better) level of accuracy and the same deliverables - Higher data density (points-per-square meter)

Both methods certainly have their utility and benefits and have been adopted quickly across the industry; however, LiDAR can also provide a highly detailed point cloud and is well-suited for penetrating dense vegetation to provide a more accurate surface model under these conditions where imagery tends to contain data voids and distortions. LiDAR can also capture fine detail (e.g. powerlines) that imagery can miss. Imagery collections are also limited to specific sun angles, cloud/shadow-free conditions whereas LiDAR has more flexibility & can operate day or night under any cloud cover. A combined LiDAR & photogrammetry dataset is ideal and available for your project - we can deliver! A more thorough look can be found here and also here

With the explosive growth of drones and drone operators, it is critical to choose the right provider for your application. Lowered cost barriers to entry have caused numerous companies to offer "mapping" services who have no experience and are using consumer grade equipment and generic processing applications. All it takes is one bad experience to leave a poor impression with firms who rely on accurate data for their projects. 1) Cherokee Imaging is rooted in the industry & understands the end-product is actionable data - the drone is just another tool to provide this data 2) We have half a decade of experience collecting and processing LiDAR data and understand the problems that need solving by firms utilizing the data 3) We've invested in high-quality equipment and partnered with industry experts to ensure we get your team the data they need - quickly, accurately & consistently

Data deliverables will be provided in formats used by industry-standard design & GIS applications. Should you desire alternative formats...let us know. We will establish a secure File Transfer Protocol (SFTP) account on our local server for 24/7 access to your data

No. We conduct geo-referenced 2D/3D data collection of your project site and process this data using industry-standard QA/QC procedures. The data is then verified against surveyed ground control for accuracy verification by your certified personnel - or we can provide a 3rd party RPLS verification as an additional service.

ABSOLUTELY. Cherokee Imaging is a tradename operating under CherokeeSource, LLC. We carry the following certs: - Indian Small Business Economic Enterprise (ISBEE) - rebates may also be available thru the Indian Incentive Program for certain DoD projects. Click here to learn more. - Veteran-Owned Small Business (VOSB) - Historically Underutilized Business Zone (HUBZone) - Small Disadvantaged Business (SDB) - Oklahoma Dept of Transportation Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (ODOT DBE) Our capabilities statement can be downloaded below:

Cherokee Imaging is authorized by the FAA to conduct unmanned commercial flights under 14 CFR Part107 and carries unmanned aircraft insurance commensurate with specific user liability requirements. Your company will be named as an 'Additional Insured' party on our insurance policy per project. We also maintain documented operational policies/procedures, safety & emergency procedures, maintenance and logbook records and personnel training/currency records expected of a professional flight department.