Republic of the Philippines &s§ Department of Environment and Natural Resources “= LAND MANAGEMENT BUREAU ===" _ LMB Building, Plaza Cervantes, Binondo, Manila 27 DEC 2017 LMB Memorandum Circular No. 2017-_003 SUBJECT : ADOPTION ON THE ALTERNATIVE USE OF UNMANNED AERIAL SYSTEMS (UAS) IN THE CONDUCT OF LAND SURVEY Pursuant to Sections 21 and 43 of DENR Administrative Order (DAO) No. 2007-29, “The Revised Regulations on Land Surveys,” providing for the use of aerial photogrammetric instruments and ortho-photo maps, DENR Memorandum Circular (DMC) No. 2010-13, “The Manual of Land Survey Procedures”, DAO No. 2010-18, entitled “Improving Managing of Land Information Through the Adoption of LAMS”, DAO No. 2016-01, entitled “Adoption of Digital Land Survey Data (DLSD) Lodgment as a Standard Format for the Submission and Exchange of Survey Data in Digital Form under the Land Administration and Management System (LAMS)", and in order to improve the delivery of public service, this Circular on the alternative use of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) in the conduct of land surveys, is hereby issued for the guidance of all concerned. Section 1. Objective and Scope. This issuance aims to adopt the use of UAS as an alternative instrument in the conduct of land surveys which will cover the methodologies of flight planning, control point signalization, acrial photography acquisition, image processing and quality control in support of land surveying and mapping. Section 2. Definition of Terms. The following terms as used in this Circular - are hereby defined and understood as follows: a. Ortho-image - also known as orthophoto, is a map-accurate aerial photograph wherein the scale, distortion and the effect of tilt are corrected or rectified. (Section 36, DAO No. 2007-29) b. Sensors - this may cither be infrared or visual camera. c. Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) - consists of the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), payload (sensors and/or GNSS/RTK receiver), communication link, and dedicated software (for mission planning, command and control, and recovery). d. Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) - otherwise known as Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) is an aircraft with no pilot on board and which either be remotely controlled at a ground control station or fly autonomously based on pre-programmed flight plans.Section 3. Adoption of Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) as one of the instruments in the conduct of land survey. UAS is hereby recognized as one of the instruments that maybe used in the conduct of land survey being a form of aerial photogrammetric instrument with ortho-photo maps as output cited by Sections 21 and 43 of DAO No 2007-29. Section 4. UAS Calibration and Registration. The Land Management Bureau (LMB) through the Geodetic Surveys Division (GSD), shall calibrate and registered UAS that will be used for land surveying pursuant to Section 22, DAO No. 2007-29. Section 5. Compliance with Regulations of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) on the operation of UAV. The UAV flights shall conform to the prevailing Regulations of CAAP in terms of the rights, restrictions and responsibilities while in operation. Section 6. Acceptance and Processing of Survey Returns. The DENR Regional Offices shall receive, examine and verify records of surveys in accordance with existing Land Administration and Management System (LAMS) Inspection, Verification and Approval of Surveys (IVAS) procedures under DAO No. 2016-01 consistent with DAO No. 2007-29 and DAO No. 2010-18. The following sub-sections provide the survey submission requirements and the IVAS processes that shall be complemented by the adoption of UAS obtained parcel information. 6.1 Preparation of Survey Returns. The following maps/documents/ files shall form part of the required survey returns that shall be submitted by the Geodetic Engineers (GE) for IVAS: 6.1.1 Survey Plan. The survey plan shall be plotted using the prescribed LMB form pursuant to Section 180, DMC No. 2010-13. The scale of the plotting shall be in accordance with Annex XXIV, DMC No. 2010- 13. 6.1.2 Lot Data Computation. The Lot Data Computation (LDC) sheet shows the coordinates of the corners of the land parcel and the corresponding technical description (bearing and distance of the boundary lines) including the land area. The LDC as a result of land survey using UAS shall be similar to the current prescribed LDC form although the corners were obtained from the ortho-image and not through side-shots from traverse stations. Given the use of UAS technology, a traverse computation or reference computation is no longer required unless the entire survey was conducted in combination with conventional survey instruments. 6.1.3 Other Documentary Requirements. Other supporting documents which shall form part of the survey returns are the following: 6.1.3.1 Ortho-image. Hard copy of the ortho-image covering the entire project shall be printed on paper the size of which shall not exceed 54 x 54 cm, 6.1.3.2 Digital copies of the ortho-image recognizable by current or future GIS platform (e.g. geotiff format) provided in a compact disc.6.1.3.3 Raw images and flight log of the UAS. The digital copy of raw data shall be provided by the concerned GE and shall be used for checking if there is a need to verify and validate the survey results in case of non-conformity with the old approved surveys. 6.1.3.4 RINEX data of the reference points and ground control points, Similar to item 6.1.3.3, these raw data can be archived and later used for further verification. 6.1.3.5 Other miscellaneous computations and data. These include but not limited to traverse and side-shots in situations that UAS survey is combined with conventional surveying land- based instrument such as Total Station or GNSS. 6.1.3.6 Field notes cover. The following information shall be included in the Field Notes cover: + Date and time of the survey; * UAS sensor model; + UAS platform model/brand; and the name of the pilot/ operator; + Focal length of the camera; * Camera resolution; « Front lap and side lap percentages; + Flying height of UAV; + Number of Images Captured; + Area covered in hectares; + Software used in processing; and + Coordinate system used The concerned GE shall sign the field notes under oath. 6.2 Inspection, Verification and Approval of Survey (IVAS). The existing processes and practices under LAMS IVAS shall be used in the verification and approval of UAS-output survey returns. Samples of the ortho-image plotted to a scale similar to the lot plan and overlay of the lot plan onto the plotted ortho-image are hereto attached as Annex A. 6.2.1 Computerized Projection. Computerized verification will use the digital copy of the lot data and the ortho-image. This will require the LAMS to use advance GIS platform and an updated projection map in digital format. Processes that may be used include the following: + Overlay of the digital lot onto the ortho-image to check for consistency; + Checking of consistency between corners on the lot plan with its raster counterpart; and + Overlay of lot and ortho-image onto the projection map to check for consistency and problems such as overlap and gap between parcels.6.2.2 Verification of Computations. Outputs of UAS-based ortho-images are obtained from computer processing thereby producing coordinates that are ground accurate as compared to conventional surveying that provides coordinates from side-shots using land- based conventional surveying instruments. From the coordinates of the reference point and the corners of the property, the technical description (e.g. bearings and distances) and the land area are also computed. In the event that the drone data that will be derived from the drone survey will not conform with the old approved surveys, the surveyors should prepare the survey returns in conformity with the old approved surveys and in accordance with DAO No. 2007-29. However, the data resulting from the drone survey should also be submitted for future reference. Section 7. Standards, Specifications, Processes and Procedures. The standards, specifications, processes and procedures in operating a drone shall be issued through a Technical Bulletin. Section 8. Effectivity. This Circular shall take effect fifteen (15) days after the date of publication thereof in a newspaper of general circulation and upon acknowledgment of receipt of a copy thereof by the Office of the National Administrative Register (ONAR). ATTY. EMI TALABIS, CESE Acting Director Ye vctiinn PUBLICATION: The Philippine Star Jenuary 8, 2018 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: U.P. LAW CENTER January 10, 2018. Annex A Figure 2. Overlay of the lot plan onto the plotted ortho-image