Volumetric Surveys
For landfill and quarry operators, understanding the movement and remaining capacity of material is central to safe and compliant site management. Volumetric surveys turn surface changes into measurable and verifiable data that reveal how airspace, waste or extraction areas are evolving over time. The results guide practical decisions on planning, rehabilitation and daily operations.
Landair Surveys applies proven ground, drone and aerial techniques to capture accurate, repeatable data that stand up to audit and analysis. Each survey aligns with previous datasets, building a consistent record that helps you see trends clearly and report with confidence.
Related services
Why volumetric surveys matter
Knowing exactly how much space has been filled (or how much remains) underpins every operational and compliance decision on a landfill or quarry site. Volumetric surveys are essential for:
- Tracking airspace and material volumes: Quantify consumed and remaining capacity.
- Supporting environmental and licence reporting: Supply verifiable data to regulators.
- Guiding operational planning: Optimise haul routes, lift sequencing and cell development.
- Improving financial forecasting: Base royalties, charges or future works on measurable quantities.
- Reducing safety risks: Limit manual measurements in unstable or restricted areas.
How we capture volumetric data
Landair uses a mix of ground-based GPS, 3D laser scanning and RPA (drone) method, selecting the most efficient and accurate approach for each site. Whichever technique is used, our survey data is processed into accurate digital surface models for volume analysis.
Ground surveys
GNSS receivers and total stations capture the tops, toes and grades of stockpiles or waste cells to millimetre accuracy. Ground methods are viable in all weather and are ideal for small or complex areas.
RPA surveys
Drone flights rapidly map large or hazardous zones with centimetre-level precision. They’re ideal for regular airspace monitoring and stockpile assessments where access is limited.
Aerial photogrammetry
For very large quarries or regional landfill networks, crewed aerial capture delivers wide-area coverage in a single sortie.
Who needs volumetric surveys?
Landfill managers and operators
Monitor waste placement, track available airspace and demonstrate compliance with licence conditions.
Quarry and extractive operators
Measure pit extraction, overburden removal and stockpile inventories for production control and royalty reporting.
Engineers and consultants
Validate design surfaces, manage cut/fill balances and integrate models into project planning.
What do you get from a volumetric survey?
Landair delivers practical outputs that integrate directly with your workflows:
Monitoring change over time
A single volumetric survey captures one moment in time. The real value comes from repeating surveys on a regular cycle, so each dataset aligns with the last and change in material becomes measurable. For active sites, we match the survey cadence to how quickly material moves. Recent examples include:
- Monthly ground surveys and half-yearly whole-site flyovers at Sunshine Landfill in Kealba, Victoria, supporting compliance and site expansion planning
- Regular monthly drone flyovers at Lucas Heights Landfill to monitor waste movement and airspace consumption
- A unified spatial data archive across the Cosgrove landfill sites, aligning hundreds of historical files on a single coordinate system so long-term trends stay comparable
Because every survey ties back to a consistent reference grid, you can forecast remaining capacity and plan cell development, rehabilitation and reporting with confidence.
Cut/fill and stockpile volume reports
Tabulated quantities with date-stamped change analysis.
Life-of-landfill models
Surface-to-surface comparisons showing consumption and remaining airspace.
3D surface and terrain models
Georeferenced DTMs and DSMs for visualisation and planning.
As-built survey plans
Certified records for cell construction or rehabilitation sign-off.
Data files
Supplied in PDF, DWG, CSV or Propeller-compatible formats.
Why choose Landair?
When precision volumes influence major operational and environmental decisions, you need a surveying partner who treats every cubic metre as critical data.
With decades of landfill and quarry experience, Landair understands the operational realities behind every dataset. We:
Landfills
Cosgrove Landfills
Landair Surveys has played a key role in managing and aligning historical data for Cosgrove’s three landfill sites, creating a comprehensive spatial data file to serve as a single point of reference.
Sunshine Landfill
Landair Surveys has provided ongoing support for Sunshine Landfill operations through monthly ground surveys and half-yearly whole-site flyovers.
Lucas Heights Landfill
Landair Surveys provides regular drone flyovers at Lucas Heights Landfill to monitor waste movement and airspace consumption.
FAQs
We use a mix of ground-based GPS, 3D laser scanning and drone (RPA) methods, choosing the most efficient and accurate approach for each site. Crewed aerial photogrammetry covers very large quarries or regional landfill networks.
It depends on how quickly material moves. Active sites are often surveyed on a monthly ground cycle with half-yearly whole-site flyovers, so each dataset aligns with the last and change can be tracked over time.
Yes. We measure pit extraction, overburden removal and stockpile inventories for production and royalty reporting. Where a quarry or pit holds water, we combine the volumetric survey with a bathymetric survey to capture the surface below the waterline.