If anything, the biggest challenge was getting the green light from extra-wary FAA regulators. Site Scan helped convince the FAA that the mapping drones wouldn't fly into harm's way, but the approval also demanded that the drone operators stay in constant contact with air traffic control and submit to controllers' authority.

The effort should pay dividends before long. The maps and models will help with both demolishing old locations and the early designs for their replacements. Also, 3DR hopes that the lessons it learned in getting FAA clearance will help with other commercial drone outfits. It recently published some learning tools that could give other companies a helping hand, so projects like this may soon be run-of-the-mill.