GIS and Drone Mapping: online course for South Africa
Learn to capture, analyse and present location data with QGIS, satellite imagery and drone mapping. It is aimed at South African graduates in geography, geomatics, environmental science and town planning, and at people in mining, municipalities and consulting who work with spatial data.
Course fee R2,470 · or start with R247 · pay with Card · EFT
Payments in South Africa open soon. The first lesson is free to try now.
Who this course is for in South Africa
It is written for graduates, university and TVET college students, and young professionals. No previous experience is needed.
- Graduates and students in geography, geomatics, environmental science or town and regional planning
- Municipal and consulting staff working on planning, infrastructure or environmental assessments
- Mining and exploration teams who collect site data and want to analyse it in GIS
Where these skills are used in South Africa
The course's industry pathways most relevant here: Mining · Infrastructure · Environment.
- Mining
- Mapping mine footprints, rehabilitation progress and environmental monitoring with drone and satellite imagery.
- Infrastructure and municipalities
- Planning roads, housing and services, and keeping municipal spatial data current.
- Environment
- Environmental impact assessments, land-cover change and water-resource mapping.
See what South African employers are advertising right now on our latest jobs board for South Africa, updated daily.
South African laws and regulators to know
The lessons are the same in every country and use Nigerian regulation as their worked examples. They teach the principles, not South Africa’s law in detail, so read these alongside the course:
- SACAA Part 101 of the Civil Aviation Regulations
- South Africa's rules for remotely piloted aircraft: commercial drone work needs a remote pilot licence and an operator certificate from the South African Civil Aviation Authority.
- Geomatics Profession Act 19 of 2013
- Registration of geomatics practitioners with the South African Geomatics Council; formal surveys are done by registered practitioners.
What you’ll learn
| Day | Topic |
|---|---|
| Day 1 | GIS fundamentals, raster and vector data, getting started in QGIS |
| Day 2 | Coordinate systems, projections, UTM and map design |
| Day 3 | Spatial data sources, quality and storage |
| Day 4 | Remote sensing, spectral indices and change detection |
| Day 5 | Drone types, regulation and flight planning |
| Day 6 | Photogrammetry, orthomosaics, point clouds and 3D products |
| Day 7 | Spatial analysis and thematic mapping |
| Day 8 | Planning and delivering a GIS project |
| Day 9 | Industry applications and your sector capstone |
Every lesson is illustrated and has a matching video. Each day ends with a short quiz and an assignment, and the course finishes with a capstone project you can show employers. It is self-paced with lifetime access, and you can try the first lesson free before paying.
Your certificate, and what it isn’t
The course teaches drone flight planning and mapping. It does not give you a SACAA remote pilot licence, and it does not register you with the South African Geomatics Council. Your Paleon certificate of completion shows the GIS and drone-mapping work you have done.
When you finish, including the capstone, we help you write a CV that presents your project as real work, and provide a reference confirming what you completed. We teach skills; we don’t promise jobs.
Who runs the course
Paleon Training Limited is an online training company registered in Nigeria (Warri, Delta State), with operations in the United Kingdom. There is no Paleon office in South Africa: the course is taught entirely online, and you can reach us by WhatsApp on +44 7508 823495 or at hello@paleontraining.com.
Frequently asked questions
Which software does it use?
QGIS, which is free, plus free satellite imagery sources.
Do I need my own drone?
No. Sample drone data is used for the mapping exercises.
Does it cover SACAA drone rules?
The regulation lesson uses Nigeria's rules as the worked example. Commercial drone work in South Africa needs a SACAA remote pilot licence; check Part 101 and the SACAA's requirements.
How much is it?
R2,470, or start with a R247 deposit. Pay by card or EFT.
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