When a property is sold, a key part of the transaction is making sure that the land being conveyed is properly and accurately described in the deed. This is typically done by a licensed surveyor, who confirms the parcel’s boundaries and prepares the survey. When a parcel is divided, the surveyor must verify the original parcel’s boundaries and then establish the boundaries of the new parcels being created, giving rise to the term “subdivision.” While advancements such as GPS have improved the accuracy of land surveying tools over the years, the surveyor’s fieldwork itself has traditionally been performed manually — until now.
Effective February 23, 2026, the American Land Title Association and the National Society of Professional Surveyors (ALTA/NSPS) updated the Minimum Standard Detail Requirements for ALTA/NSPS Land Title Surveys. These standards, which are used by title companies when removing survey exceptions from title insurance policies, now formally recognize the use of drones and other modern technologies as standard practice. While surveys in urban areas don’t often involve significant costs, surveys of remote locations, parcels with difficult terrain to traverse, or large tracts of land can be complex and expensive. Drone technology is likely to make the greatest impact in these situations.
Further, unlike many prior improvements in the tools of the trade, this change is expected to produce significant cost savings in many real estate transactions because surveyors can now complete their work more quickly and with reduced risk, without sacrificing the protections provided by title insurance.
That said, the fact that drone-assisted surveys are now insurable does not mean they are appropriate for every transaction and there may be additional considerations depending on the property and the nature of the deal. For this reason, it remains important to consult experienced legal counsel early in the process.
