Autonomous 3D Mapping / Photogrammetry Tutorial For The DJI Mini 4 Pro

[jaystechvault]

That's awesome! I'll be launching my photogrammetry service this month as well, be curious to know how it competes? We get final RTK attachment boards back this month as well.

 

[BigAl07]

That's awesome! I'll be launching my photogrammetry service this month as well, be curious to know how it competes? We get final RTK attachment boards back this month as well.

Any chance you've got a few minutes for a phone chat? I've got some very pertinent information to pass along regarding regulations etc. I'll message you my contact info in a moment.

Allen

 

[BigAl07]

Here are the settings I used for the flight noted above:

• 250' AGL (Terrain Following to account for a huge difference in Terra Firma across the site)
• 12 fps aircraft speed
• 75deg gimbal tilt
• 50' distance between flight paths
• North/South flight orientation

It was a SINGLE pass and no Obliques were captured simply because this stage of the construction they wouldn't improve the model.

 

[slowjam]

I would appreciate some input on the apps selection as it relates to the 3D model creation on iPad. So after the photos are taken as a mission via Waypoint Map on the DJI Mini 4 Pro, what are the cloud based apps to use to produce a 3D image that can be shared with a client?

I don’t mind paying a reasonable subscription that would enable me to produce and easily share my work with escalators (for job estimates), large building inspections, etc.
Thanks!

 

[BigAl07]

I would appreciate some input on the apps selection as it relates to the 3D model creation on iPad. So after the photos are taken as a mission via Waypoint Map on the DJI Mini 4 Pro, what are the cloud based apps to use to produce a 3D image that can be shared with a client?

I don’t mind paying a reasonable subscription that would enable me to produce and easily share my work with escalators (for job estimates), large building inspections, etc.
Thanks!

Drone Deploy, MapsMadeEasy, and I use a local solution called AgriSoft MetaShape to process them myself and then upload to SketchFab (small annual fee) to make it easy to share with my clients and associates.

 

[slowjam]

Drone Deploy, MapsMadeEasy, and I use a local solution called AgriSoft MetaShape to process them myself and then upload to SketchFab (small annual fee) to make it easy to share with my clients and associates.

Thank you very much. I did a test flight. Simple orbit around a warehouse with 44 images. For some reason, Mapsmadeasy wanted the gimbal at a minimum of -50 deg. I had to go up to 220ft to get all the elements in the frame (the initial 150ft AGL setting was too low)…now I have to wait for the processing to take place in order to see the end product.

Question; I’m sure optimal gimbal angle has something to do with the mission plan (Orbit in my case). I thought somewhat lower altitude would provide a better vertical rendering.
Thoughts?
Thanks

 

[BigAl07]

Thank you very much. I did a test flight. Simple orbit around a warehouse with 44 images. For some reason, Mapsmadeasy wanted the gimbal at a minimum of -50 deg. I had to go up to 220ft to get all the elements in the frame (the initial 150ft AGL setting was too low)…now I have to wait for the processing to take place in order to see the end product.

Question; I’m sure optimal gimbal angle has something to do with the mission plan (Orbit in my case). I thought somewhat lower altitude would provide a better vertical rendering.
Thoughts?
Thanks

If you’re building a 3D model you’ll need to do multiple passes.

I am going to do:

2 opposing high alt passes with gimbal somewhere between 90deg and 75deg
1 medium alt orbit (POI) with gimbal around 75deg
1 manual low alt flight with gimbal approx 60-75deg but low resolution mouth to capture min/no sky in the frame because the app gets wanky when sky is in frame.

I don’t know how you’d process all of that into MME. I only used MME for 90deg Orthomosaics.

 

[BigAl07]

Here's my latest project:

Marriott 407 March 20th, 2024 - 3D model by BigAl07

Marriott at the 407 March 20th, 2024 bi-weekly site review All data collected and compiled by: A Shot Above of WNC, llc www.ashot-above.com This data is for MARKETING and SOCIAL MEDIA use only! No dimensions, volumes, or quantities given. No GCP and no measures verified. - Marriott 407 March...

skfb.ly

 

[jaystechvault]

Interesting, I just did a side by side comparison on the Air 3 with the two cameras (1x vs 3x) on the exact same path:

1x: https://www.aerialmodel.com/Home/Viewer?id=241&token=61be705f-0100-4b86-a442-72102fa38c86
3x: https://www.aerialmodel.com/Home/Viewer?id=242&token=7a657b7f-f3f7-4905-a68b-8cf2d1199694

 

[cnlson]

@jaystechvault i've got a nearly brand new mini pro 4 and rc2, when i connect the RC2 to my nearly new HP envy 34 running windows 11 i see nothing if i plug in usb a to c cable and adb interface if plugging in via c to c.

RC2 firmware 02.00.0500

computer
Processor 12th Gen Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-12400 2.50 GHz
Installed RAM 32.0 GB (31.7 GB usable)

 

[MS Coast]

i see nothing if i plug in usb a to c cable and adb interface if plugging in via c to c.

???

Do you have the drone powered on?

 

[cnlson]

???

Do you have the drone powered on?

i have the rc2 plugged in and turned on, whyever would i need the drone turned on to access folders on the remote?

 

[MS Coast]

i have the rc2 plugged in and turned on, whyever would i need the drone turned on to access folders on the remote?

Sorry. I meant the controller, not the drone.

 

[cnlson]

@jaystechvault have you seen my post? Autonomous 3D Mapping / Photogrammetry Tutorial For The DJI Mini 4 Pro

UPDATE: a new usb a to c cable resolved the issue. Uploaded and checked my controller and it shows exactly as i created it on the waypoints website. Kudos! Wish i could afford the pro, but it is quite a bit more that i have to devote to the amount i would use it

 

[JMatt]

This looks quite promising, as most drones need their SDK to be released so that 3rd parties can integrate for mapping missions.

The ONLY negative comment I would have on this workflow is that the mission has to be planned on a PC beforehand.
Is there any thought on having this in an Android app format so that missions can be made in real-time on site?
@jaystechvault

 

[jaystechvault]

This looks quite promising, as most drones need their SDK to be released so that 3rd parties can integrate for mapping missions.

The ONLY negative comment I would have on this workflow is that the mission has to be planned on a PC beforehand.
Is there any thought on having this in an Android app format so that missions can be made in real-time on site?
@jaystechvault

I do not have time, money, or resources right now to pursue that. Especially with our AnyDroneRTK module launching over the summer.

 

[Sandy23]

Hello all,
I have compiled an extensive tutorial about flying large scale mapping and photogrammetry missions fully autonomously specifically on the DJI Mini 4 Pro drone (without SDK). This tutorial relies heavily on the in-built waypoints feature on the Mini 4 pro. I have also attached a general tutorial video for the Mavic 3/Air 3/Mini 4P, however this post is specifically for the Mini 4 Pro and its RC's.

1. Create and save at least 1 waypoint mission on your RC
View attachment 172405
View attachment 172406

2. Generate a flight / mission plan using https://www.waypointmap.com (free tool I made)
Tools to make a flight plan:
View attachment 172415 Move tool
Move around the map

View attachment 172416Polygon selection tool
Make a selection for an area to map

View attachment 172417Individual waypoint tool
Add an individual waypoint, good for more complex flights/ controlling travel.

View attachment 172418POI (Point of interest) tool
Will generate points looking at the center of the circle at ground level.

View attachment 172420
These tools are located in the top center of the map

For the circle and polygon once you draw them you need to generate the points:
View attachment 172421 (Click on the shapes with the hand/move tool)
View attachment 172422

You can make some crazy combinations/flight plans as well as edit each point by clicking on it with the hand tool.
View attachment 172423

When you are done click on the green "download KMZ file" at the bottom of the page:

3. Install the mission plan into your drone
DJI RC or (DJI RC-N2 w/ Android):
Note: For DJI RC if you have a MAC you will need to install Android file transfer to access your RC's files: Android File Transfer

Plug your RC 2 into your computer and navigate to
View attachment 172413
Pick the newest folder with random letters.

View attachment 172414
Replace the kmz file with the downloaded one.

The downloaded and renamed kmz file should match the old one (match folder name with the extension .kmz)

DJI RC-N2 w/ Apple Device:
Download the file:
View attachment 172410

Save to files > On My iPhone > DJI Fly > wayline_mission > (There should be a folder named a random string of numbers and letters)
View attachment 172411
I usually pick the newest folder with random letters.
Great guide! I think if you do any autonomous 3D mapping or photogrammetry with a DJI Mini 4 Pro, you probably already know how much attention to detail is required. When it comes to post-processing or documentation, things can take even longer, especially if you’re juggling it with other responsibilities. I’ve found that for those juggling multiple projects, using a service like this where everyone can pay someone to write essay can really help streamline the workload. Outsourcing tasks like report writing or analysis can free up time for the more technical parts of operating a drone. This has saved me a ton of time so I can focus on refining the actual mapping process rather than getting bogged down in paperwork.
There should be a file with the ending .kmz in this folder, you want to replace it with this generated/downloaded one from WaypointMap.
View attachment 172412

The downloaded KMZ file should be renamed to match the folder name with the extension ".kmz".

4. Select the mission plan
For this you just select the most recent waypoint mission you flew earlier. It should import all of your generated waypointmap points into the fly app. Then you just hit go.
View attachment 172407
View attachment 172408
View attachment 172409
Make sure to click next then go.

5. Fly the mission
If you are using the free version of WaypointMap you just need to enable the timed shots feature on your drone. So it will automatically take pictures as you fly through the mission. Make sure you click this as you start your mission.
View attachment 172403

6. Generate the point cloud
I personally prefer WebODM because it's free to install (if you know Linux)
WebODM Site: WebODM Drone Software - OpenDroneMap™
Great tutorial video for installing:

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General Tutorial video for Mavic 3 family/Air 3/Mini 4 Pro:

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Thanks!

 

[Hauptmann]

Hello all,
I have compiled an extensive tutorial about flying large scale mapping and photogrammetry missions fully autonomously specifically on the DJI Mini 4 Pro drone (without SDK). This tutorial relies heavily on the in-built waypoints feature on the Mini 4 pro. I have also attached a general tutorial video for the Mavic 3/Air 3/Mini 4P, however this post is specifically for the Mini 4 Pro and its RC's.

1. Create and save at least 1 waypoint mission on your RC
View attachment 172405
View attachment 172406

2. Generate a flight / mission plan using https://www.waypointmap.com (free tool I made)
Tools to make a flight plan:
View attachment 172415 Move tool
Move around the map

View attachment 172416Polygon selection tool
Make a selection for an area to map

View attachment 172417Individual waypoint tool
Add an individual waypoint, good for more complex flights/ controlling travel.

View attachment 172418POI (Point of interest) tool
Will generate points looking at the center of the circle at ground level.

View attachment 172420
These tools are located in the top center of the map

For the circle and polygon once you draw them you need to generate the points:
View attachment 172421 (Click on the shapes with the hand/move tool)
View attachment 172422

You can make some crazy combinations/flight plans as well as edit each point by clicking on it with the hand tool.
View attachment 172423

When you are done click on the green "download KMZ file" at the bottom of the page:

3. Install the mission plan into your drone
DJI RC or (DJI RC-N2 w/ Android):
Note: For DJI RC if you have a MAC you will need to install Android file transfer to access your RC's files: Android File Transfer

Plug your RC 2 into your computer and navigate to
View attachment 172413
Pick the newest folder with random letters.

View attachment 172414
Replace the kmz file with the downloaded one.

The downloaded and renamed kmz file should match the old one (match folder name with the extension .kmz)

DJI RC-N2 w/ Apple Device:
Download the file:
View attachment 172410

Save to files > On My iPhone > DJI Fly > wayline_mission > (There should be a folder named a random string of numbers and letters)
View attachment 172411
I usually pick the newest folder with random letters.

There should be a file with the ending .kmz in this folder, you want to replace it with this generated/downloaded one from WaypointMap.
View attachment 172412

The downloaded KMZ file should be renamed to match the folder name with the extension ".kmz".

4. Select the mission plan
For this you just select the most recent waypoint mission you flew earlier. It should import all of your generated waypointmap points into the fly app. Then you just hit go.
View attachment 172407
View attachment 172408
View attachment 172409
Make sure to click next then go.

5. Fly the mission
If you are using the free version of WaypointMap you just need to enable the timed shots feature on your drone. So it will automatically take pictures as you fly through the mission. Make sure you click this as you start your mission.
View attachment 172403

6. Generate the point cloud
I personally prefer WebODM because it's free to install (if you know Linux)
WebODM Site: WebODM Drone Software - OpenDroneMap™
Great tutorial video for installing:

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

General Tutorial video for Mavic 3 family/Air 3/Mini 4 Pro:

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

I think this may be a great tool for Search and Rescue!

 

[BigAl07]

I do not have time, money, or resources right now to pursue that. Especially with our AnyDroneRTK module launching over the summer.

Hello Jay!! I hope you're well.

Any update on the RTK unit? I never heard back from you.

I have some other "mapping" questions I'd like to run by you when you have a moment. I need to map a LARGE area and need some guidance.

Allen

 

[Droning on and on...]

Hello Jay!! I hope you're well.

Any update on the RTK unit? I never heard back from you.

I have some other "mapping" questions I'd like to run by you when you have a moment. I need to map a LARGE area and need some guidance.

Peaked my curiosity, Allen. How large is LARGE??