The update helps survey teams prepare sites of 100 hectares or more as one project, bringing flight areas, LiDAR configuration, IMU calibration and terrain following together.
RIGA, Latvia, October 28, 2026. SPH Engineering has just released UgCS 6.3, extending its Large Projects workflow to LiDAR surveys that require multiple flights. Operators can now prepare the full survey site in one project and organise individual flight plans within it, including takeoff and return points.
A large LiDAR survey can involve several battery changes and operating locations. Each flight needs its own preparation while remaining part of the overall survey design. UgCS 6.3 brings sensor configuration, calibration and terrain following into the project structure previously introduced for large magnetic surveys, helping teams manage the full job as they divide it into practical flight areas.
Each Large Project subarea can now have its own return point, making BVLOS operations easier and allowing teams to preplan routes where the drone takes off from one location and returns to another.
For DJI LiDAR sensors, IMU calibration manoeuvres are automatically included within each survey subarea. Operators can also configure DJI LiDAR parameters, such as return mode and scanning mode, directly from UgCS on compatible aircraft, building on the configuration tools introduced in UgCS 6.1.
UgCS supports mission planning for any LiDAR payload carried by a supported aircraft, including payloads from ROCK Robotic, YellowScan and other manufacturers. UgCS also supports the import of digital terrain models (DTMs) and digital surface models (DSMs), allowing operators to use their own terrain and surface data when preparing missions.
To improve flight safety over steep or uneven terrain, UgCS 6.3 now includes terrain following for side passes and overshoots. Previously, the main survey lines followed terrain while these sections used a trajectory designed to conserve battery. Operators can now choose terrain following for these parts of the route as well.
UgCS 6.3 is available now. Large Projects and advanced LiDAR planning tools are included with the EXPERT and ENTERPRISE licences for UgCS.
Learn more about UgCS and access downloads.
About SPH Engineering
SPH Engineering is a premier solution architect for drone-based surveying, inspection, and mapping, combining flight software, advanced sensors, and data processing and data management into unified engineering ecosystems. Our core technologies include UgCS for complex automated flights and precision LiDAR data collection, along with specialized payloads such as ground-penetrating radar, magnetometers, and echo sounders, and many more.
We empower professionals across the mining, oil & gas, academic, and construction sectors to collect reliable and scalable data in the most challenging and remote environments by extending drone technology beyond conventional operational limits.
For more information, visit www.sphengineering.com.
