Setting camera mapping
Hi, I did some testing on the camera settings of my Air2 for mapping missions.
To get photos without motion blur just keep the camera in manual mode.
For the Mavic Air 2 you need to set EV to manual, shutter 1/1000 for sunny days and ISO 100.
Even 1/500 and ISO 200 on cloudy days has no problems, I tried 100m, 75m and 50m.
Speed I tested 100m, 36kmh (10m/s), the maximum that the Dronelink allows with 80%/75% over/sidelap.
I compared the photos with others taken with the Phantom 4 Pro, with mechanical shutter and 20mpx sensor. The difference isn't that much.
If you can, put your settings because I haven't found much online.
Never use the camera in automatic mode because you will have to fly very slow to avoid motion blur.
Comments
10 comments
There are lots of ways to improve the clarity. Shutter of 1/1000 should work and, on sunny days, that's going to be fine. But get a lot of cloud and things are going to change. Also, altitude has a lot to do with it and you don't say how high you were. Bring it closer to the ground and you are going to find it gets blurry at much lower speeds.
Fortunately, DL helps by slowing down to achieve overlaps. And the bigger your overlap, the slower you are going.
I edited the post, thanks.
I tried 100m, 75m and 50m, no problems.
I had problems with the camera in auto mode.
I'm looking for settings for large surfaces, 30 hectares for each flight, 22 minutes, altitude 100m, 36kmh, 85%/75%.
I do the work on suitable days, I don't fly if the conditions don't allow.
Sounds like you have found something that works for you.
Not using auto is the best but then you need to manually set everything before each flight and hope the weather doesn't change part way through the capture.
You could set it in the mission, but then you would need multiple missions for each weather type or...use setup missions.
I fly all my mapping missions with my mini2 in auto with no problem, here's one i flew the other day
https://map.openaerialmap.org/#/-2.1809792518615723,53.17108700408897,15/user/634fce5e71072f000580f871/65917defbff11f000103b10e?_k=zxok32
Max speed was about 24MPH overlap is 80% both front and side, flown at 285 feet
On Air2 I have only 2 adjustable settings in Manual camera, ISO and Shutter.
Tomorrow I have to do 2 fields of 30 hectares, the weather is beautiful.
I have a mini 2 but I don't use for photogrammetry, I have not had good results on the point cloud from georeferenced.
For testing I also took a used P4P with mechanical shutter to fly higher and make more surface. I have to do 10 fields. Each field is 30 hectares.
AIR 2 100m, 38kmh, ISO 100, 1/800.
P4P 125m, 36kmh, ISO 100, 1/800.
the result is good in both cases for creating point clouds.
(it is a screenshot to upload to the site)
I noticed that the p4p has autofocus problems when changing batteries during a mission. I believe that even the focus must be put in the manual on infinity to avoid problems.
What focus mode are you using in the map component?
Also, don't have it facing anything close when you change batteries.
Barry Houldsworth
Maybe I got confused with AF, I should have put it in MF. Too bad I lost 50% of the photos, around 300.
now I got an AIR 2S to use with Dronelink because P4P doesn't like DL very much.
Please sign in to leave a comment.