TOPOGRAPHIC SURVEY COMBINING RTK AND UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLE FOR THE SAN SILVESTRE - EL PUEBLITO ROAD PROJECT.

Abstract

The study presents the topographic survey of the San Silvestre–El Pueblito road section through the application of advanced technologies such as RTK and unmanned aerial vehicles (drones). The integration of these tools made it possible to obtain highly accurate altimetric and planimetric measurements, optimizing the process compared to conventional methods. The work was carried out in two main stages: in the field, geodetic bases and control points were established using RTK technology, complemented by photogrammetric flights to capture high-resolution images of the terrain; in the office, the collected data were processed with specialized software (Trimble Business Center and Agisoft Metashape), generating high-quality topographic products such as elevation profiles, contour lines, and georeferenced orthophotos. The results show that the integration of terrestrial and aerial technologies not only increases survey accuracy but also significantly reduces execution time and costs. In conclusion, the combination of RTK and drones provides an efficient and viable alternative for road projects, particularly in complex or hard-to-access areas, and represents a step forward in the modernization of topographic processes in civil engineering.