Mapping and Photogrammetry

Steven Caron

Hello!

I found your software a few days ago on Mavic Pilots forum and am so glad I did. It is hard to find software that is working on the Smart Controller.

I use my drone primarily to capture 3D Models and like the Map Component and its options. But I am using a Mavic 2 Pro and it has a rolling shutter, the Map Component doesn't seem to have an option to stop the drone at each photo interval. I need my photos to contain the minimal amount of errors (shearing from rolling shutter) and as sharp as I can get it. Is there any way to stop the drone at each interval?

I am looking forward to a Facade Component, at this time it seems there is just the example mission plan, is there an ETA for a Facade Component? Can I help beta test this feature?

Thanks!

 

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Comments

13 comments

  • Comment author
    Jim McAndrew Dronelink Staff

    The map component doesn't have the option to do triggered captures right now, but it is definitely something we are considering, especially for the facade case. As for a facade component type, we are still looking for feedback on the best way to do facade scans across all the various use cases. If you make some successful attempts with the existing component types, please share the mission plans so we can incorporate it into the component type.

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  • Comment author
    Steven Caron

    Thanks for the reply Jim.

    At this time I am just designing a plan based on the Freedom Tower example. I made a copy and I am learning bit by bit (I really need to watch those videos first!) I am doing this in my spare time while processing other data. I haven't yet been able to make it out to the site again and run DL missions.

    I sent the mission to the support email alias and included some notes.

     

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  • Comment author
    Jim McAndrew Dronelink Staff

    We have Facade ready to test on our dev server, complete with triggered capture. Let me know if you want to take a look.

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  • Comment author
    Steven Caron

    Hey Jim, That's great news but I am probably not going to have time to test in the field for at least another month. I am on the machine processing data for at least the rest of January. If its still in testing phase I will reach back out!

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  • Comment author
    Yuri Fialko

    Dear Jim, does "triggered capture" mean stopping for taking an image, while flying a mapping mission? If so, I would be interested in beta-testing Facade.

     

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  • Comment author
    Jim McAndrew Dronelink Staff

    Triggered means it will send a camera start capture command as the drone reaches the point that the capture is supposed to occur at (not using intervalometer). This only applies to Facade (not Map) Components, and the drone does not come to a stop.

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  • Comment author
    Yuri Fialko

    Got it, thanks. Is "stop and go" feature somewhere in the pipeline? It may improve both accuracy and efficiency (flying fast between capture points vs flying slow at a constant speed).

    Thanks for a great product!

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  • Comment author
    Jim McAndrew Dronelink Staff

    Open to adding it to the roadmap, but my question is, are you not able to produce the accuracy that you want with the existing options?

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  • Comment author
    Yuri Fialko

    Yes, for cameras that have a rolling shutter (which is the case for all Mavic 2 drones, as mentioned by Steven Caron above), the image quality depends on the speed at which the camera is moving. Some details and examples can be found here:

    https://www.2020hindsight.com/News/Default.aspx?id=138&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI29X6m4SB5wIVQyCtBh2-agP3EAAYASAAEgLlkvD_BwE

    The higher the speed, the higher the distortion. This means that the accuracy of a final product (orthomosaic, digital elevation model) is degraded. Given a constant speed, the only solution is to fly slowly, which increases the mission time. "Stop and go" would therefore improve both accuracy and efficiency. This feature is available in DJI Ground Station Pro - which however exists only for iOS, and cannot be used on a Smart Controller (which runs Android). An interesting case when DJI's software is not supported on their own hardware. Hopefully DL can fill a niche!

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  • Comment author
    Photongetic Hues (Captain Photon)
    • Edited

    Second Stop n Go
    For Orthomosaic and 3D model images it is absolutely necessary that your drone stops moving capture photo then continues the facade or map path to the next intersect stop capture, repeat until your entire facade or map grid + intersects are done.

    Also, these types of images require an overlap of 60-90% which means your pics MUST overlap and contain location data, not GPS data per se but elevation and location of the drone in the sky get shoved into the final image which software then reads to compute the dataset. Moving while you capture is not a good idea for accurate mapping it will increase the risk of getting bad image data that corrupts your final output later wasting your time and clients time.

     

     

    On the final subject of Stop n Go
    I suggest taking a look at how Pix4D Capture flys the mission its free give it a test that is the functionality we need for accurate ariel stitching that can be used for accurate measurements 

     

    I do however believe something like Hivemapper solution will actually take the video feed input instead and make these maps from video, not photo which may actually be far easier provided they willingly let you download your own data after they process it this is something yet to look into most I know about it so far is you help them compile accurate maps of regions which others contribute and you get paid per region you map etc.

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  • Comment author
    Jim McAndrew Dronelink Staff

    We implemented the stopping version of triggered capture via convert to inspection (discussed here).

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  • Comment author
    Nicolas Toro

    Hola buenos días, quisiera saber cuál suscripción ofrecen permite programar grillas de vuelo para mapping, gracias

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  • Comment author
    Jim McAndrew Dronelink Staff

    https://support.dronelink.com/hc/en-us/community/posts/4417589512083/comments/4417631995283

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