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Clear Scenes Faster
Collect extensive spatial information in less time, helping investigators reopen roads, reduce scene exposure and minimize disruption.
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Preserve Perishable Evidence
Create a measurable digital record before weather, traffic, cleanup or other activity changes the physical scene.
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Revisit and Analyze
Return to the captured environment after clearance to measure distances, evaluate spatial relationships and develop investigative products.
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Communicate the Evidence
Turn complex scenes into maps, models, diagrams and visual products that help command staff, investigators, prosecutors and other stakeholders understand what occurred.
Drone Platforms Built Around the Mapping Mission
Drones allow public-safety teams to document intersections, large crime scenes, disaster areas, corridors and difficult terrain without placing personnel throughout the entire scene. The right aircraft can carry high-resolution cameras, LiDAR payloads, positioning systems and other sensors matched to the required coverage, endurance and data quality.
MAXSUR helps agencies evaluate aircraft based on more than flight specifications. We consider payload compatibility, RTK or PPK positioning, regulatory requirements, field setup, environmental conditions, data workflow, sustainment and the people who will operate the system.
- NDAA-compliant and public-sector-ready aircraft options
- High-resolution photogrammetry payloads
- Airborne LiDAR integrations
- RTK and PPK positioning workflows
- Long-endurance and heavy-lift configurations
- Ground stations, communications and field support
Turn Photographs into Measurable Maps and 3D Models
Photogrammetry uses overlapping photographs to reconstruct the shape, position and appearance of a scene. Depending on the capture method and processing workflow, agencies can create orthomosaic maps, point clouds, elevation models, textured 3D reconstructions and other measurable outputs.
PIX4D supports workflows ranging from rapid offline incident mapping to advanced desktop processing, terrestrial capture and secure online collaboration. Agencies can select local, cloud or hybrid processing based on connectivity, evidence-handling policies and operational requirements.
- Rapid offline 2D incident mapping
- Detailed desktop photogrammetry processing
- Aerial and terrestrial imagery fusion
- Ground-control and scale-constraint workflows
- Processing quality reports and documented outputs
- Cloud collaboration and stakeholder access when appropriate
Capture Complex Geometry with Airborne, Mobile and Handheld LiDAR
LiDAR measures distance directly using laser pulses, making it especially valuable for terrain, structural geometry, corridors, vegetation, indoor environments and scenes where image-only reconstruction may face limitations.
MAXSUR offers modular LiDAR solutions that can support drone-mounted, vehicle-mounted and handheld workflows. Photogrammetry and LiDAR are not competing endpoints: each captures different strengths, and the most capable programs use them individually or together according to the scene.
- Airborne, mobile and handheld configurations
- High-density point-cloud generation
- Indoor and GPS-denied SLAM workflows
- Tactical-grade inertial positioning options
- Multi-platform payload integration
- Photogrammetry and LiDAR data fusion
Give Every Dataset a Reliable Point of Reference
Mapping targets may be among the simplest components in a mapping system, but they perform a critical role. Proper reference points can help align scan positions, connect aerial and terrestrial datasets, reduce drift, support repeat documentation and strengthen the technical record behind a model.
MAXSUR offers Rothbucher targets and reference-control solutions for LiDAR, SLAM, laser scanners, photogrammetry, total stations, GNSS workflows and recurring site documentation.
- Laser-scanner targets
- AprilTags for compatible mobile scanning workflows
- Photogrammetry and aerial control points
- Magnetic, fixed and reusable reference systems
- Multi-instrument registration
- Repeat-scene and long-term monitoring
Extend Situational Awareness Beyond the Drone’s Flight Area
Not every mission begins with an aircraft already overhead, and some areas are too large for immediate drone collection. Satellite imagery can provide broad-area context, historical comparisons, disaster assessment, route analysis, change detection and geographic intelligence before field teams arrive.
MAXSUR can support one-time projects, recurring subscriptions, historical-image research and mission-specific analysis across areas ranging from individual sites to regions.
- Historical imagery and forensic look-backs
- Disaster and damage assessment
- Broad-area change detection
- RGB, NIR and multispectral options
- Stereo and tri-stereo elevation products
- Recurring or project-based monitoring
Many Mapping Capabilities. Many Public-Safety Missions.
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Crime-Scene Documentation
Preserve outdoor and indoor scenes, evidence locations and spatial relationships for later measurement, review and presentation.
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Collision Reconstruction
Document intersections, road geometry, vehicle locations, debris fields and surrounding conditions while helping clear roadways sooner.
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Critical-Incident Investigation
Create an objective spatial record for shootings, use-of-force investigations and other highly scrutinized events.
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Emergency and Disaster Response
Produce incident maps, damage assessments and access intelligence for floods, fires, storms and other rapidly changing emergencies.
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Search, Tactical and Event Planning
Map terrain, structures, ingress routes, staging areas and operational zones before or during public-safety missions.
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GIS and Shared Government Services
Support countywide mapping, infrastructure documentation, land management and cooperative geospatial services across multiple departments.
Turn Technology into a Repeatable Agency Capability
MAXSUR training extends beyond basic aircraft operation. We help agencies develop the capture, positioning, processing and quality-review skills needed to produce useful mapping outputs under realistic field conditions.
Programs can be tailored for new UAS teams, experienced pilots, investigators, reconstruction specialists, GIS personnel or multi-agency shared-service programs. Our goal is knowledge transfer: helping your organization become increasingly capable and self-sustaining.
- Photogrammetry and LiDAR data collection
- RTK, PPK, GCP and reference-target workflows
- Processing and quality review
- Evidence-handling considerations
- Mission planning and field checklists
- SOP and program-development support
- Train-the-trainer and continuing proficiency
- AirOps Level I, II and III pathways
Research, Integration and Mission-Specific Development
Some mapping requirements cannot be solved by selecting a single item from a catalog. MAXSUR supports applied research, payload integration, prototyping, field testing and workflow development for agencies and partners pursuing specialized geospatial capabilities.
Our approach connects mission context with engineering discipline. We define the required outcome, evaluate technical options, integrate the system, test performance and develop a practical pathway from prototype to field use.
- Custom drone and payload integration
- Multisensor capture systems
- Data-processing and delivery workflows
- Field experimentation and performance testing
- Specialized mounting and deployment methods
- Documentation, training and transition support
Learn the Tech, Secure Funding & Ease Procurement
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Law Enforcement Technology Articles
Explore articles on drones, forensic mapping, LiDAR, emergency response, funding strategy, investigations and emerging public-safety technology.
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Public Safety Grant Resource Center
Search more than 2,000 public and private funding pathways organized across all 50 states and U.S. territories.
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Procurement Details
Review MAXSUR’s government registrations, SDVOSB status, BuyBoard cooperative contract and available public-sector acquisition pathways.
Accuracy depends on the aircraft, camera or sensor, flight height, image overlap, positioning method, scene conditions, control points, processing settings and quality-review procedures. MAXSUR can help design a workflow around the required level of accuracy and documentation. Done correctly, relative accuracy can be within millimeters and centimeter absolute accuracy.
Do we need both photogrammetry and LiDAR?
Do we need both photogrammetry and LiDAR?
Not necessarily for every mission. Photogrammetry creates measurable models from overlapping imagery and also preserves visual texture and color. LiDAR measures geometry directly and can perform well across terrain, structures, vegetation and complex environments. Many agencies begin with one method and combine them when the mission benefits from both.
Can MAXSUR help us select the complete system?
Can MAXSUR help us select the complete system?
Yes. MAXSUR can help evaluate aircraft, cameras, LiDAR payloads, positioning systems, mapping targets, processing software, computers, training and sustainment requirements as one coordinated capability.
Can sensitive evidence be processed without uploading it to the cloud?
Can sensitive evidence be processed without uploading it to the cloud?
Yes. Desktop software options can support local processing on agency-controlled computers. Cloud and hybrid workflows are also available when online collaboration or hosted processing is appropriate.
How accurate are drone maps and 3D models?
How accurate are drone maps and 3D models?
Accuracy depends on the aircraft, camera or sensor, flight height, image overlap, positioning method, scene conditions, control points, processing settings and quality-review procedures. MAXSUR can help design a workflow around the required level of accuracy and documentation. Done correctly, models can be within millimeters of relative accuracy and centimeters of absolute accuracy.
Can this capability support courtroom or investigative work?
Can this capability support courtroom or investigative work?
Mapping products can support investigation, reconstruction and presentation, but evidentiary acceptance depends on the jurisdiction, collection method, validation, documentation and testimony. Agencies should establish documented procedures and work with their legal and forensic stakeholders. The MAXSUR team can help develop these procedures and self-sustaining programs.
Do you provide training for both pilots and investigators?
Do you provide training for both pilots and investigators?
Yes. Training can address aircraft operation, scene capture, LiDAR and photogrammetry workflows, positioning, processing, quality review, deliverable creation and broader program development.
Can several departments share one mapping program?
Can several departments share one mapping program?
Yes. Countywide and regional programs can support law enforcement, fire, emergency management, public works, GIS and neighboring jurisdictions. MAXSUR can help define equipment, governance, training and service-delivery models for a shared capability.
Can grants or cooperative purchasing be used?
Can grants or cooperative purchasing be used?
Potentially. Eligibility depends on the funding source and purchasing organization. MAXSUR maintains a public-safety grant resource center and offers procurement support, including BuyBoard Contract 798-26 for eligible buyers.