By Design - Summer 2016

11 / 24

11
basic model, the type that has become
popular as a kids’ toy in recent years.
“I was advised before going out and
buying an expensive one to go and
buy one for under $100 to learn how
to fly it. If you can fly a little one, you’ll
find the bigger ones a lot easier.”
The surge in popularity of drones has
seen all kinds of possibilities emerge,
and increasing demand on airspace.
In the United States, there are safety
guidelines for drone use for hobby
and recreational purposes, including
flying below 400 feet, keeping the
aircraft within visual line of sight at all
times and not to fly near people.
But if the drone is being flown
for commercial use, you must have
authorization from the Federal
Aviation Authority. This can be
achieved through a Section 333
Exemption for operations in low-risk,
controlled environments, or a Special
Airworthiness Certificate.
Countless applications
Once authorization has been
granted and the art of piloting a
drone mastered, there are countless
applications, limited only by the
operators’ imagination. Like George,
Benkusky has found that the immediate
benefit relates to getting that aerial
perspective of a course that would have
previously only been available with
expensive helicopter footage.
“If a club is considering removing trees,
you can show them exactly the effect that
shade has on the green,” says Benkusky.
“Or with another project we used drone
photography to show the full extent of
bunkering around a green, and consider
how we could remove sand without
affecting the design integrity of the hole.”
“I can look at drainage,” says
George, “I can look at shade patterns,
conditions where the turf is suffering
for one reason or another, by getting
that bird’s eye view.” (To view drone
videos of Vestavia CC taken by Chad
Cosby of Chandler Landscapes,
Inc., visit:
)
One of the most obvious early
applications has been to improve
visualizations of design proposals.
Visualization using photos or artwork
is a common technique employed by
golf course architects to help get their
design ideas across to clients. “If you
start explaining ideas with just a plan,
clients don’t necessarily get the idea
of, for example, how deep a bunker is
in relation to a green,” says Benkusky.
“I think video takes it a step further
where you can show the entire golf
Jim Cervone, ASGCA, considers
the drone ‘a wonderful addition
to the toolbox’ and has used it to
produce topographic maps with
one-inch contour precision (inset)