The Waitaki District Council has already completed a drone survey at Orere Point, south of Kakanui, and yesterday used a drone to capture images of another 8.6km of Waitaki coastline.
If weather permits, today it will also survey the Oamaru township coast from the breakwater to Redcastle Rd.
Council roading manager Michael Voss said the footage would give a ''totally new perspective'' of the coastline for the council.
It was ''just too dangerous'' for some coastal areas to be examined in any other way.
''It's going to be great - I am quite excited, actually ... it'll be good to get a good idea as to the areas we need to focus on.''
The drone survey work, completed by Fulton Hogan, would cost about $3000.
The council hoped to complete drone surveys of the coastline every six to 12 months, or after major storm events, using yesterday's survey as a benchmark to compare footage.
Fulton Hogan Dunedin laboratory manager Sean Connaughton said a GoPro camera on the drone would capture a panoramic view of the coastline areas and closer, more detailed images of the cliff face.
Drone footage, which was safer to get and allowed inspection of difficult to reach areas, was in demand, particularly in the roading and construction industries, he said.
The council has been monitoring the Kakanui coastline for several years, as erosion is threatening the road between Oamaru and Kakanui and further south to Waianakarua.
Part of Kakanui's Beach Rd was reduced to one lane last year, after part of the cliff collapsed, taking with it a chunk of the road and sewage and water pipes.
After a second slip just north of the first, the council placed cones and then orange netting along the edge to keep traffic away from the shoulder where the cliff face has slipped into the sea.
It also acts as a visible warning should more of the shelf break away.
The council has allocated $50,000 per year for preventive maintenance work.
The Beach Rd coastline eroded on average about 2m each year.
Mr Voss said negotiations with a landowner about moving a section of Beach Rd inland were nearing conclusion.
How much time that would buy the council, he could not say.
Once the drone footage had been collated, it was likely to be posted online for public viewing.
