Unmanned aerial photogrammetric survey is the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to take photos for use in photogrammetry, the science of making measurements from photographs. Instruments manufactured for UAVs could be mounted on unmanned flying platforms of various sizes and types, such as octocopters. These machines are suitable for the full geodetic survey of a study site by creating a point cloud of measurements of nearly homogeneous quality and accuracy. These detailed point clouds (of various types of data) could be used in line with orthophotos etc. to obtain a complex data system representing the study site.

Similarly to manned aerial surveys, UAVs are suitable to acquire three-dimensional digital models and orthophoto mosaics for a certain area.