Case Study: Geocapture maps coastal erosion and cliff hazards with Pix4D

Mapping clifftop hazards and coastal erosion using drones

Geocapture, a Dijon-based drone mapping company, needed a way to document accelerating coastal erosion and clifftop hazards along the Brittany coastline in northwest France. Working in a difficult, protected area with no road access, strict flight regulations, and low-tide windows, the team used drone surveys to capture baseline and close-up imagery of at-risk cliffs and a tourist walkway.

Using Pix4Dmapper, Geocapture processed imagery from a Sensefly eBee and DJI Phantom 3 Pro into orthomosaics, DSMs, and point clouds, then compared datasets over time in Cloud Compare to track erosion precisely. Pix4D’s outputs were accurate enough even without RTK or ground control points, and the resulting reports were shared with local authorities, including the DDTM and Conservatoire du Littoral, to support better coastal management decisions.

Geocapture

Geocapture

Founder and Drone Pilot