What it takes to launch a surveying business

What does it take to start your own surveying company? Beyond gear and technical know-how, the path to running a successful business is built on strategy, confidence, and real-world learning.

We spoke with two professionals: Stefan Niculescu, a land surveyor based in Scotland, UK, and Jon Moraglia, a drone service provider from New Jersey, USA, who leaped to go independent. Their journeys, shaped by different geographies and client expectations, show that while the playing fields may differ, the fundamentals of success remain the same. This article is based on Stefan’s and Jon’s video interview.

Meet the professionals: Stefan Niculescu and Jon Moraglia

Stefan is a seasoned land surveyor originally from Romania. After working in multiple countries, including several years in West Africa, he settled in Scotland. In 2021, when his employer scaled back, he seized the opportunity to launch his own business.

“I had the experience. I just wasn’t moving forward. So I decided – why not? I saved up, prepared, and started in 2021. I never looked back.”

Jon, on the other hand, started in aerial photography. As the drone industry evolved, he saw an opportunity to deliver more than photos: he could offer valuable geospatial data. That insight sparked a full pivot into drone surveying.

“I wanted to do something that was more meaningful – something project managers could actually use to make decisions.”

Why is now the time to start a business?

The market opportunity for drone-based services has never been stronger. The global drone surveying market, which includes high-precision mapping, LiDAR scans, infrastructure inspection, and agricultural surveys, is projected to grow from USD 1.97 billion in 2025 to USD 11.49 billion by 2035. 

Regionally, North America (including the US) is expected to mirror this strong expansion. Fact.MR projects the US drone surveying market to reach approximately USD 2.54 billion by the end of 2033.

These trends reflect more than rising numbers: they signal a shift in business utilization. Companies and governments need faster, safer, more precise surveying than traditional methods offer. Drones meet that need with efficiency, affordability, and flexibility, making now the ideal moment to invest in your surveying business.

What it takes to start a land survey company? 

Transitioning from a field technician to a business surveyor means learning to balance technical skills with client management, marketing, and financial planning. Starting a surveying business requires more than just the right tools. It’s a progressive journey made up of foundational learning, smart budgeting, proactive outreach, and strategic pricing. Below, we break it down into four critical steps, drawing directly from the experiences of Stefan and Jon.

Learn before you launch

Before offering professional services, both Stefan and Jon spent significant time building their expertise. For Stefan, this meant formal education at university and years of field work. He admitted the theoretical side wasn’t what initially attracted him, but hands-on site experience changed everything. This shift from classroom to real-world application helped him discover his passion for land surveying.

“I didn’t like the math and theory at the beginning, but when I saw how things apply on-site, how you make things happen, I got hooked.”

Jon, by contrast, came from a creative background in aerial photography. Transitioning into surveying required intensive self-study and mentorship. He dedicated months to learning the technical side of the profession, watching videos, testing gear, and asking questions from experienced professionals in his network.

“I spent an entire summer learning everything I could about surveying. I also had a friend, an experienced surveyor, who mentored me along the way.”

Their paths were different, but their message is the same. Don’t skip the learning phase. Whether through a degree, online courses, or field mentorship, understanding the principles of measurement, accuracy, and data integrity is essential before launching your business.

Measure the return first, invest later

One of the biggest financial challenges in starting a surveying business is deciding when and how much to invest in equipment. Both Stefan and Jon underscore the value of measuring return on investment before committing to high-end gear. This approach not only keeps startup costs manageable but also helps validate your service offerings.

Stefan’s story illustrates this well. Before purchasing his Emlid Reach receiver, he was spending hundreds of pounds per month on rentals. When he realized how quickly the receiver could pay for itself, the decision to buy became a clear investment, not an expense.

“When I started, I was renting GNSS gear for £150 a week. The Emlid Reach RS2 paid for itself in about two months. Now I use it every day.”

Jon approaches gear like a business asset. If it can save time, streamline workflows, or support scalability, it earns its place in the toolkit. This mindset helped him build up tools only when they added direct value to his operations.

“I look at gear the same way I look at staff; if a tool saves me time and helps scale, it’s worth it.”

Find your first clients

With skills and basic tools in place, the next challenge is finding paying work. For most newcomers, this part requires hustle, creativity, and networking. Stefan started by tapping into existing contacts, people he had worked with during his previous employment. Later, he transitioned to digital outreach, especially on LinkedIn, to attract new leads.

“[In Scotland], it’s a small industry. At first, I got projects through people I’d worked with before. Then, I started posting on LinkedIn and getting messages from companies who had seen my work.”

Jon’s method was much more direct. He leveraged jobsite visibility, pulling into active construction zones and asking if drone services were needed. Over time, his professionalism led to referrals, reducing the need for outbound outreach. In parallel, Jon also invested in launching his website.

“If I saw a construction site, I’d stop by and ask if they use drones. That kind of face-to-face effort got me started. Later, referrals became the main source of work.”

Both approaches highlight that credibility and relationships are everything, especially in a niche like surveying. The more you show up, both online and offline, the more opportunities you’ll find.

Pricing your services

Setting prices as a new business owner is one of the most delicate tasks. It’s about finding the sweet spot between covering your costs, demonstrating value, and staying competitive. Jon recommends starting with a value-based model, showing clients how much time and money they save with drone-based surveys versus traditional methods.

“If a ground team takes days and I can do it in hours with a drone, I show that savings to clients. That’s how I justify my rate.”

Stefan, on the other hand, takes a more cost-based approach, calculating a minimum day rate that includes both business and personal expenses. For larger or more complex jobs, he adjusts pricing based on value delivered and client expectations.

“I know my minimum. I won’t go below it. But for complex jobs, like laser scanning or drone surveys, I price based on the value I bring to the project.”

Their strategies may differ, but the principle is the same. Your pricing should reflect your expertise, the complexity of the job, and the results you provide, not just the hours spent.

How to develop your surveying business?

Getting your business off the ground is only the beginning. The real challenge comes next—developing sustainable growth, delivering consistent results, and building a reputation that brings in repeat work. For Stefan and Jon, success didn’t come from flashy gear or big marketing budgets. It came from refining how they work, showing their value clearly, and investing in the right tools at the right time.

Here’s their advice on how to grow your surveying business, based on what’s worked for them in the field.

Create consistent, repeatable workflows

As projects multiply, so does the risk of mistakes—unless you have a solid workflow. Jon and Stefan both highlight the importance of structure in their everyday operations. From field data collection to report delivery, having predictable systems in place helps you deliver faster, avoid rework, and train others if needed.

Jon designed his entire process so that anyone on his team can take over if needed. That way, he can scale without losing quality or control.

“Having a systematic process makes it super easy for anyone else on the team to pick up where you left off. That’s important when you want to scale.” 

Stefan uses templates to streamline setup and ensure all projects follow the same process. It saves time and gives clients a familiar, professional experience.

“I have a folder with templates. Every project is structured the same way, so I don’t waste time setting things up. It also helps the client because they know what to expect.”

Whether it’s file naming conventions, pre-field checklists, or standardized deliverables, a structured workflow lets you focus on the job, not the admin.

Build your personal brand

In surveying, trust is everything. Clients need to know you are reliable, skilled, and professional, often before they ever meet you. That’s why both Stefan and Jon treat personal branding as an essential part of business development.

Stefan uses LinkedIn and YouTube to share project highlights, educational tips, and even behind-the-scenes content to connect with potential clients.

“LinkedIn has been huge for me. I share updates, explain what I’m working on, and people reach out. It builds trust before we even talk,” says Stefan.

Jon also leverages YouTube and social media, and emphasizes that a clean, informative website helped convert interest into contracts.

“Having a clean website, some case studies, maybe a blog, it gives people confidence you’re serious. Plus, it helps them understand what you actually do.”

Branding doesn’t have to mean paid ads or flashy videos. Just showing your work, sharing your process, and making it easy for people to find you online can lead to your next project.

Choose a gear that grows with you

When you’re first starting out, every tool purchase feels like a big decision. As your business grows, the focus shifts to finding equipment that not only performs well but also fits seamlessly into your workflow. For Jon and Stefan, Emlid gear delivers just that balance: accuracy, reliability, and long-term value.

“The Emlid Reach RS2 is just reliable. I use it every day, and it hasn’t let me down. It works the way I need it to, and it was a smart investment early on,” says Stefan.

“It saves time, it’s accurate, and it fits perfectly into our field-to-finish workflow. I don’t need 20 features I’ll never use. I need something that gets the job done and fits into our system,” explains Jon.

Advice for new surveyors

To wrap it up, Stefan and Jon offer this advice to anyone just starting out in surveying:

“Don’t wait for everything to be perfect. Start with what you know, do your best, and improve every job. Experience builds faster than planning,” explains Stefan.

“Learn the process. Understand what the data means and how it’s used. Gear won’t save you if the data’s wrong,” says Jon.

Emlid Reach receivers provide centimeter-level accuracy, with easy integration for drone surveying or CAD-based workflows. For professionals starting out or scaling up, Reach is an affordable investment that returns real value fast. Explore Reach receivers for surveying and drone mapping.

Was starting your surveying business worth it? 

All the learning, planning, client meetings, gear setup, and long days in the field pay off: surveying shapes the world in real, tangible ways. Every structure, every road, and every site begins with the data that the surveyors provide. It’s a profession where your work has a visible, lasting impact.

Stefan and Jon don’t look back because they see the results of their effort on the ground and in the community. Their projects aren’t just numbers or files. They’re buildings, bridges, and pipelines that people rely on every day.

“I still get excited to see something built that I helped lay out,” says Stefan.

Watch the full conversation to learn how Stefan and Jon turned their skills into thriving businesses, with actionable advice, real numbers, and tech tips.