Updated November 21, 2019
Wintertime in the northern hemisphere always means less construction and paving activity, however, keeping an ongoing stockpile inventory is still crucial.
Our clients often ask whether it is too cold, snowy, etc. to measure a stockpile with our iPhone app or a drone. Read on for all the answers to your winter-related stockpile measurement and management questions.
Can I Measure In the Snow?
Yes! You certainly can measure stockpile inventory in the snow. However, here are a few factors to consider before measuring.
Complete Snow Cover – Just because you can measure a snow-covered stockpile using an iPhone or drone, this doesn’t mean you should. Regardless of what service or software you use, stockpile measurements with cameras will assume the topmost material is the top of the pile surface. If there is only an inch or two of snow, the impact on the pile volume will be minimal. Several inches or more of snow cover will add significant volume to the pile measurement and it is advised to wait for the snow to melt prior to measuring.