Access to high-resolution imagery remains a significant challenge for organisations operating in remote landscapes. In Western Australia’s Pilbara region land managers including pastoral operators, conservation groups, environmental consultants and indigenous ranger program manage vast areas but often rely on satellite imagery that may be outdated, cloud-affected, or insufficiently detailed for operational decision-making.

At the same time, advances in drone technology and the maturity of open-source geospatial tools now make it possible to implement fully open, end-to-end drone mapping workflows without reliance on proprietary processing platforms.

This presentation introduces a reproducible, open-source drone mapping workflow using DJI RTK drones for data capture, WebODM for photogrammetry processing, and QGIS for spatial analysis and data management. The workflow is designed specifically for remote and low-connectivity environments, with a focus on expanding access to high-resolution imagery in remote regions.

Drawing on field-tested implementations across the Pilbara, the talk will step through the complete workflow from capture to analysis, including:

• Designing drone survey missions for large and remote areas
• Capturing imagery using RTK-enabled drones to reduce reliance on ground control
• Processing datasets using WebODM to produce orthomosaics, digital surface models and point clouds
• Integrating outputs into QGIS for visualisation, analysis and monitoring workflows
• Structuring and managing large imagery datasets in low-connectivity contexts

Using this workflow, organisations can generate centimetre-level spatial datasets on demand, expanding access to high-resolution imagery in remote regions and enabling more timely and locally relevant decision-making.

The presentation will include applied examples demonstrating how these outputs are used across a range of land management contexts in the Pilbara, including environmental monitoring, fire impact assessment and infrastructure mapping.

In addition to the technical workflow, the session will highlight key implementation considerations for remote contexts, including hardware requirements, processing constraints, data storage strategies, and approaches to building workflows that are maintainable by individuals or small teams with varying levels of GIS experience.

A key contribution of this work is demonstrating how open-source tools can support a shift toward locally controlled, self-sufficient spatial data production. By reducing reliance on commercial imagery providers and proprietary processing software, organisations are able to take greater ownership of their spatial data, improve responsiveness, and build internal capability.

The talk will conclude by sharing lessons learned, common pitfalls, and recommendations for adapting this workflow in other remote or resource-constrained environments, with the aim of supporting broader adoption within the open geospatial community.