Before works start, put the raw capture files, the processed outputs and a short manifest into one archive, then timestamp it. Drone photos, point clouds, orthomosaics and 3D scans are large and easy to re-export, so a later version can differ from what you captured. A TimeBind shows that the exact archive existed no later than the recorded time and still matches its fingerprint. It doesn’t show that the survey is accurate or who owns the site. The file stays on your device and your browser makes the fingerprint.
Table of Contents
Why survey data needs a dated record
Survey and scan data is often used to settle questions that come up months later: the condition of a neighbouring wall before excavation, how much material was moved, whether a boundary feature existed, or how much was built at a claim date. The files can change by accident (re-processing with a new software version) or on purpose (cropping or re-exporting). A dated record of the original capture helps everyone work from the same starting point.
What to keep from a drone or scan job
- Raw captures. The original photos or scan files straight from the device, with EXIF or scanner metadata intact.
- Flight or scan logs. Date, time, location, operator, equipment, and settings.
- Control data. Ground control point lists, RTK or PPK logs, and coordinate system details.
- Processed outputs. Orthomosaic, point cloud (such as LAS or LAZ), mesh, elevation model and any volume or contour files.
- Software and version. Note the processing software, its version and the settings.
- A manifest. A short text file listing every file, its size and your notes.
- The report. The surveyor’s or consultant’s signed report, if there is one.
A routine that works for big files
- Copy, don’t move. Copy the capture to a safe folder. Copying can change file dates (see what happens to file dates when you copy, zip or download), which is why you’re recording a fingerprint.
- Write the manifest with the job name, date, operator, equipment and the list of files.
- Zip the capture folder into one archive. Don’t change it after this.
- Timestamp the archive and the manifest. One TimeBind holds up to 10 files, so a zip plus a manifest and report fits easily. See how to timestamp a file.
- Save the Proof of Time Certificate with the job folder.
- Repeat at milestones, such as after demolition, at excavation depth and at practical completion.
For single photos from the survey, see prove a RAW photo existed before a date and how to verify when a photo was taken.
Where it helps on a project
- Pre-works condition records for neighbouring buildings and the site itself. Property inspection teams may also want property inspection records.
- Progress and volume disputes, where a payment claim depends on how much was done. See how document timestamping resolved a construction dispute.
- Design coordination. A scan can be the base for a CAD or BIM model.
- Practice records. Firms can see timestamping for design and engineering firms and construction timestamping.
What a timestamp doesn’t do
It doesn’t show that the survey is correct, that the equipment was calibrated or who flew the drone. Those need your normal quality records. It shows when the exact files existed, and that they haven’t changed since.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Can I timestamp a whole point cloud?
Yes. Add the file itself, or zip a folder of files and timestamp the zip. A TimeBind can hold up to 10 files.
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Should I timestamp raw files or processed files?
Both if you can. The raw capture shows what the sensor recorded. The processed outputs show what you delivered or relied on.
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Does a timestamp prove the survey is accurate?
No. It shows that the files existed no later than the recorded time and still match their fingerprint. Accuracy depends on the capture and processing.
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How often should I record site changes?
At milestones where later disputes are likely: before works, after demolition, at excavation, and at completion.
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What does a TimeBind cost?
Your first Pooled TimeBind is free, with no credit card required. After that, Pooled TimeBinds start from US$5, and an ASAP TimeBind is US$15. See plans and pricing
Record the site as it was
Free to start. The files stay on your device and your browser makes the fingerprint.
Last fact-checked: 10 November 2026.
Date the survey before the excavator arrives
Zip the capture folder, add a short manifest, and put both in one TimeBind. Your browser makes the fingerprint and the files stay on your device.
Make your first TimeBind free → See plans and pricing
Your first Pooled TimeBind is free, with no credit card required. After that, TimeBinds start from US$5, and an ASAP TimeBind is US$15. Your browser makes the fingerprint and the file stays on your device. A TimeBind shows a file existed no later than the recorded time. It doesn’t show who made it.
