Ambassador Spotlight ‘Gisela Ripoll’

Introducing Brand Ambassador Gisela Ripoll from North island, New Zealand!

How did you get into surveying? When I was young, I loved my maps and geography books, but I never imagined that one day I’d be using drones, laser scanners, and geospatial technology to help deliver engineering and infrastructure projects in New Zealand and overseas.
Got into surveying because I loved maps and math!

What are your plans as a Brand Ambassador? We normally go to expo careers, we support students with internships and engage regularly with schools. No a plan yet, but i am very interested in brining knowledge to kids!

Tell us a bit more about what you do: I lead geospatial programmes for engineering and infrastructure projects across New Zealand combining UAV operations, LiDAR scanning, and GIS to give project teams the spatial clarity they need to make decisions with confidence.

Over 19 years in the survey and spatial industry, I have built and led technical teams, driven CAA regulatory compliance, and delivered complex projects in demanding environments, from Patagonian mining infrastructure to New Zealand roading programmes.

At Cheal, I led the four year process to achieve CAA Part 102 certification, one of the most rigorous operator standards in New Zealand’s drone industry, and now serve as Chief RPAS Pilot alongside leading the Geospatial Team. I am also currently Chair of UAVNZ, the national commercial drone industry association.