01
Forensic Mapping & Site Documentation
Preserve changing site conditions as measurable visual and spatial records for later professional review.
- Orthomosaics
- 3D models
- Point clouds
- Annotated imagery
- Supporting files
Technical field documentation
Forensic Mapping & Reality Capture
Technical field documentation for investigations, construction, and industrial work.
SterFlies creates structured, reviewable 2D and 3D records of physical sites so conditions can still be examined after the site changes. Aerial, terrestrial, thermal, and photogrammetric methods are selected for the record. Qualified professionals interpret the documentation.
Services
Documentation selected for the work
Four records, not four pieces of hardware. The capture method follows the site, the objective, and the deliverables that later review actually needs.
02
Mapping & Photogrammetry
Create measurable 2D and 3D site records for construction, industrial, existing-condition, and technical workflows.
- Orthomosaics
- Point clouds
- Surface and elevation outputs
- Volumetric outputs
- Progress records
03
Thermal
Capture apparent temperature patterns with corresponding visual and location context where temperature is relevant to the work.
- Thermal imagery
- RGB context frames
- Location context
- PV, envelope, and asset records
04
Reality Capture
Document interiors and ground-level conditions that aerial mapping alone cannot preserve, including room relationships, access, and walkable context.
- Interior walkthroughs
- Annotated locations
- Room and access context
- Combined interior and exterior records
Projects
Selected Field Documentation
Existing-conditions, mapping, thermal, and construction records. Each example is a real project, shown as a documentation case rather than a photography portfolio.
Existing Conditions / Reality Capture
IAQ & Mold Existing Conditions Documentation
- What was documented
- Demonstration project illustrating an interior and exterior documentation workflow for later professional review.
- Documentation objective
- Preserve interior layout, room relationships, exterior context, and location context as a reviewable spatial record.
- Capture method
- Matterport / terrestrial capture, exterior photogrammetry, and high-resolution imagery.
- Deliverables
- Interior walkthrough, exterior 3D model, annotated views, and supporting imagery.
View projectMapping & Photogrammetry
65-Acre Site Mapping & Progress Documentation
Create a repeatable spatial record of site conditions and construction progress.
Deliverables. Orthomosaic, shareable web map, and site imagery.
View projectThermal Documentation
Solar PV Thermal Documentation
Document apparent temperature patterns across the array and preserve corresponding RGB and location context.
Deliverables. Thermal imagery, RGB imagery, annotated snapshots, mapped context, and a review report.
View project3D Progress Documentation
Custom Home 3D Progress Documentation
Preserve a repeatable 3D record of construction progress for remote review.
Deliverables. Browser-based 3D model and supporting progress imagery.
Articles
Technical articles
Field notes on forensic mapping, photogrammetry, reality capture, thermal documentation, and the records used in professional review.
Forensic Documentation
How Drone Mapping Can Support Forensic Site Investigations
What a mapped aerial record can preserve for later review, and where ground-based capture is still required.
September 22, 2026 · 9 min read
Read article
Forensic DocumentationDocumenting Excavation and Trenching Incidents Before the Site ChangesWhy trench geometry, access, equipment, spoil, protective systems, and surrounding site context should be documented while the physical scene still exists.September 25, 2026 · 14 min read
Reality CaptureRemote Site Review After Conditions Change: Preserving Spatial Context with Interactive Reality CaptureHow interactive spatial documentation helps later reviewers understand rooms, equipment, structures, access, terrain, and other site relationships after original conditions have changed.September 24, 2026 · 18 min read
Reality CapturePoint Clouds for Site Documentation: What They Are, What You Can Measure, and Their LimitationsA point cloud samples visible surfaces. It is not a picture, a mesh, or a survey.September 23, 2026 · 9 min read
Mapping & PhotogrammetryRTK, Ground Control, and Checkpoints: What They Actually Mean for Drone Mapping AccuracyRTK, control, and checkpoints answer different questions. None of them is a universal accuracy.September 23, 2026 · 10 min read
Reality CaptureCombining Exterior Photogrammetry with Interior Reality CaptureAn aerial model and an interior walkthrough preserve different parts of the same site.September 23, 2026 · 7 min read- Forensic DocumentationForensic Mapping for Incident InvestigationsPreserving layout, access, and surrounding conditions after an incident scene begins to change.September 21, 2026 · 9 min read
Forensic DocumentationWhy Expert Witnesses Need More Than Photographs to Analyze a SiteHow missing context increases ambiguity for expert review after site conditions have changed.March 5, 2026 · 8 min read- Forensic DocumentationChain of Custody for Digital Site DocumentationFile naming, dates, and organized storage are not the same as a legal chain of custody.March 3, 2026 · 8 min read
Workflow
A documentation workflow
The engagement is scoped to the record required. Capture methods follow site conditions, the objective, required deliverables, access, scale, and the type of record needed.
01
Define the documentation objective
Understand what conditions need to be preserved, measured, or reviewed.
02
Plan the capture
Select aerial, terrestrial, thermal, or combined methods for the site and the record.
03
Document the site
Capture field conditions systematically and safely.
04
Process and organize
Create the agreed spatial, visual, and supporting deliverables.
05
Deliver for review
Provide organized documentation for project teams and qualified professionals.
Deliverables
What the record can include
Deliverables are selected according to the project objective and agreed scope. Not every project includes every product.
Spatial
Orthomosaics
Scaled aerial maps of site layout, access, and change over time.
3D models
Navigable site geometry for remote review after conditions change.
Point clouds
Spatial datasets that support measurement context and further review.
Measurements
Distances, areas, and volumes when the capture is scoped for them.
Visual
Site imagery
High-resolution stills of conditions, access, and staging.
Annotated imagery
Marked views tied to a specific location in the record.
Walkthroughs
Interior tours that preserve room layout and access.
Thermal
Thermal imagery
Apparent temperature patterns for inspection documentation.
RGB context
Corresponding visual frames so a pattern can be found on the asset.
Location context
Where on the site or array the frame belongs.
Supporting
Reports
Written supporting material when it is part of the agreed scope.
Exports
Agreed file formats for the teams who will review the record.
Supporting files
Organized imagery and data delivered with the spatial products.
Use
Who the documentation supports
SterFlies produces spatial and visual records. Qualified experts, investigators, engineers, attorneys, and other professionals interpret those records.
Investigations and professional review
Capture the physical context consultants, attorneys, expert witnesses, and claims professionals may need to review later.
- Forensic consultants
- Attorneys
- Expert witnesses
- Insurers and claims professionals
Health, safety, and industrial environments
Preserve layout, access, and existing conditions for industrial hygiene, EHS, and facility review. SterFlies does not perform the assessment itself.
- Industrial hygienists
- EHS and safety teams
- Facility operators
Construction and the built environment
Keep a repeatable record of progress, exposed work, and site layout as conditions change.
- Contractors
- Construction teams
- Engineers
- Owners and project stakeholders
Where the same records are used
- Incident investigations
Preserve layout, access, and surrounding conditions while they can still be recorded.
- Construction
Keep a repeatable record of progress, exposed work, and site layout as conditions change.
- Industrial facilities
Document yards, equipment surroundings, and operational context for later technical review.
- Industrial hygiene / IAQ
Preserve interior layout and exterior context for sampling and existing-conditions review.
- Expert and litigation support
Provide spatial context that isolated photographs often cannot reconstruct after a site changes.
- Property and existing conditions
Record current conditions before repairs, demolition, or construction alter the site.
- Solar PV / thermal
Pair apparent temperature patterns with RGB and location context for qualified PV review.
Qualifications
Field credentials
These credentials support field access and flight operations. They are not industrial-hygiene, engineering, or surveying licenses.
FAA Part 107
Commercial aerial operations are conducted under an FAA Part 107 remote pilot certificate.
OSHA 10
Field work on construction and industrial sites is supported by OSHA 10 construction safety training.
Insured operations
SterFlies maintains insurance appropriate to its field operations. Proof can be provided for an engagement upon request.
Need a site documented?
Tell SterFlies what needs to be captured, measured, preserved, or reviewed, and the appropriate documentation approach can be determined.