3d mapping with the mavic

[ScottyV]

Pix4dCapture and Drone Deploy app are both free for iOs. MapsMadeEasy also has its own app for capturing (only iOS version, about $10). Altizure is also free.

Great, thanks for the suggestions on apps. I thought earlier in the thread it said DroneDeploy was an expensive monthly fee (past a 30 trial). But I'll check out the apps you suggested.

 

[Mr. RTH]

Great, thanks for the suggestions on apps. I thought earlier in the thread it said DroneDeploy was an expensive monthly fee (past a 30 trial). But I'll check out the apps you suggested.

You can keep using a free version after that, of course, with some limitations. If I recall, regarding the area size, project resolution and only 2D modelling. But then, if DroneDeploy app work well for you, you can keep using it only to get the imagery and let the processing step with the MapsMadeEasy system, which I found very effective if you provide a good quality imagery set.

 

[Maxheadspace]

It’s free. Download it and run some tests. Nothing lost. I had fun playing with it. If results are good for your use, spring for the paid version.

 

[Ex nihil]

I have used both Drone Deploy and MapsMadeEasy and both work equally fine and are equally easy to use but for one thing, unless you turn the altitude sensors off, the stitched images mosaic is always distorted when viewed orthogonally, that is as a composite 2D image looking straight down. I have seen several forum discussions about this and spoke to MadesMadeEasy but haven't found a solution to that one so I reverted to stitching mosaics together in Photoshop, which has its own problems. Seems you have to run two missions, one to create a flat, 2D map, and another to create a 3D model. If anyone has an app that does stitch mosaic together from images containing height data please do post.

 

[Bearly Flying]

I just got my part 107 actually. $130/month seems like a lot for a starter like myself so I am wondering if the free version produces a good image.

Yes and No. You can get a good model with the free version of Drone Deploy, however it also depends on your understanding of creating the model. For example, Drone Deploy will fly the drone at over 66ft (the lowest default setting) and create a grid while taking pictures. What it will not do is fly the drone around the model at closer proximity. You will need to do that yourself at various altitudes. Also the free version limits the number of photos you can upload per model, and maybe more significantly, it does not give your model priority in the queue for processing. So it may only take your 30 minutes to fly your pattern and then take additional shots, but it may take any where from 5-12 hours to get your model back.

 

[black_magic100]

Yes and No. You can get a good model with the free version of Drone Deploy, however it also depends on your understanding of creating the model. For example, Drone Deploy will fly the drone at over 66ft (the lowest default setting) and create a grid while taking pictures. What it will not do is fly the drone around the model at closer proximity. You will need to do that yourself at various altitudes. Also the free version limits the number of photos you can upload per model, and maybe more significantly, it does not give your model priority in the queue for processing. So it may only take your 30 minutes to fly your pattern and then take additional shots, but it may take any where from 5-12 hours to get your model back.

Yea can't you just orbit around the subject and then stitch those files together and mapsmadeeasy will understand what that picture is based on the metadata.

If I use the drone deploy app FREE version where it limits to how many pics you can take is that going to interfere with my mission potentially? Like I said I just want the app itself, which is free.

It sounds like if I use drone deploy my grind can only be so big so if I wanted to cover a bigger area id have to fly several missions and THEN stitch everything together?

 

[bushie]

I use drone harmony to do the photography and then mapwindows5 to stich the photos into a photomap

 

[Robodob]

Most of my mapping is smaller sites, if that is the case for you try MapsMadeEasy, most small sites can be processed for free.

can you post a printout of the data or drawing it generates. thanks

 

[Robodob]

how accurate is the altitude data, i need this for topo surveys on construction sites.

 

[Aerial-Pixel]

I don't have the DEM's or the GeoTiff with me right now they are at the office but here's the last project I did. I didn't shoot the 3D pictures so the sides of the building on the model view don't look good. I haven't had the need to verify the altitude data but the few spot checks I've done of elevations matched fairly closely to what our surveyor took (within a couple inches, fine for what I needed it for).

 

[tictag]

Just a small point about free apps (or trialware etc), you should make sure you read the small print because many such apps allow non-commercial trials but if you're using this for real commercial purposes it's likely you'll have to fork out for the full version.

 

[Aerial-Pixel]

That's one nice thing about Maps made easy, it's a pay-as-you-go service with smaller Maps usually under about a hundred photos with the Mavic are free.

 

[Afremont]

how accurate is the altitude data, i need this for topo surveys on construction sites.

That's a simple question with an amazingly complex answer. Meters to centimeters would be the range of accuracy you can obtain. It would depend upon whether or not you have ground control points (GCP), what kind of GPS data you are using (RTK, PPK, DGPS) You'll have to do some research to determine the answer for your individual case. Here is one place to start that process:

How Accurate is My Map?

Depending upon how much you want to know,

 

[Robodob]

That's a simple question with an amazingly complex answer. Meters to centimeters would be the range of accuracy you can obtain. It would depend upon whether or not you have ground control points (GCP), what kind of GPS data you are using (RTK, PPK, DGPS) You'll have to do some research to determine the answer for your individual case. Here is one place to start that process:

How Accurate is My Map?

Depending upon how much you want to know,

rtk, would like data accurate to .1ft for cut fill quantity... thanks for the response

 

[Robodob]

Just a small point about free apps (or trialware etc), you should make sure you read the small print because many such apps allow non-commercial trials but if you're using this for real commercial purposes it's likely you'll have to fork out for the full version.

thanks will check out

 

[Afremont]

rtk, would like data accurate to .1ft for cut fill quantity... thanks for the response

You do understand what equipment you need for RTK, right?

 

[Robodob]

Yep have full survey crews

 

[Afremont]

Okay then. I'm not sure on the details of RTK, but the drone may need to be carrying something more than stock DJI GPS receiver to adjust the numbers being recorded in the exif data of the snapshots based upon the correction being transmitted from the fixed know position on the ground.

Edit:
PPK may be the way to use the standard GPS in a drone and then apply corrections after you capture the images. Apparently it's a way to still obtain survey grade results.

Edit2:
Further study indicates that I'm likely wrong about PPK in terms of using the standard GPS receiver in the drone and achieving survey grade results.

 

[ptander]

I haven't used Drone Deploy, but I've heard it's good- at least the paid version. I use Pix4D Capture for solar energy research in agriculture with Clemson University. It works great, and as someone already mentioned, is free. The softwares we use are Agisoft Photoscan Pro (image processing software), and ArcGIS Pro (spatial analysis software). Both are expensive proprietary softwares. Pix4D is also a great image processing software. But also expensive.

I fly with a Mavic Pro and an iPad mini. We build 3D models of buildings and quantify annual solar energy (kWh/m2/yr) hitting the rooftop of the buildings based on the building's coordinates, orientation, rooftop area, and slope.

 

[Orangepeel]

Anyone had any luck with DD or Maps Made Easy with the new Mavic 2 Pro?