Can GPS tracklog info be saved and exported? Do still photos have location information saved?

[fedrin]

Hi everyone,

I'm new to drones and in fact have not yet even purchased one. But thanks to some demos from friends and family, the Mavic Pro seems to be the way to go.

However I have a few questions about what this drone can do, and reading the specs details isn't helping. Part of the problem is that I don't even know if I'm using the correct terminology for drones (I do a lot of off-trail navigating with a GPS so that's where I'm coming from). So I figure the best thing is to ask the experts.

— I want to ensure that the drone is capable of saving a GPS tracklog of each flight, that the tracklog, can be exported to a computer (preferably without much hassle), and that both the time and location can be determined at any point within the tracklog. With the GPS units I've used, a tracklog can easily be saved and exported to the computer, usually in .gpx format, which also allows individual points on the tracklog to be selected and more information such as the precise time and UTM/lat-lon of that point obtained. (Is this possible and/or convenient with the Mavic Pro? Is additional software or converting required, or does this use standard (non-proprietary) formats?

— I also am interested in knowing what information is saved with each still photo, such as GPS location and the compass bearing (the direction the drone was facing when the photo was taken). Is this information saved in the meta of each photo?

Thanks for your help

 

[msinger]

I want to ensure that the drone is capable of saving a GPS tracklog of each flight, that the tracklog, can be exported to a computer (preferably without much hassle), and that both the time and location can be determined at any point within the tracklog.

A flight log is automatically created on the Mavic's internal memory card (the DAT flight log) and on the mobile device running DJI GO (the TXT flight log). The GPS location and a bunch of other data is recorded every 0.1 seconds. You can find some tools that'll convert those flight logs to a CSV file here.

 

[Keule]

what information is saved with each still photo

This is what is stored in the image:

ExifTool Version Number : 10.61
File Name : DJI_0005.JPG
Directory : .
File Size : 4.9 MB
File Modification Date/Time : 2017:04:20 18:18:30+02:00
File Access Date/Time : 2017:10:11 20:35:17+02:00
File Creation Date/Time : 2017:10:11 20:35:17+02:00
File Permissions : rw-rw-rw-
File Type : JPEG
File Type Extension : jpg
MIME Type : image/jpeg
Exif Byte Order : Little-endian (Intel, II)
Image Description : DCIM\100MEDIA\DJI_0005.JPG
Camera Model Name : FC220
Orientation : Horizontal (normal)
X Resolution : 72
Y Resolution : 72
Resolution Unit : inches
Software : v02.06.484
Modify Date : 2017:04:20 18:18:28
Y Cb Cr Positioning : Centered
Exposure Time : 1/120
F Number : 2.2
Exposure Program : Manual
ISO : 100
Exif Version : 0230
Date/Time Original : 2017:04:20 18:18:28
Create Date : 2017:04:20 18:18:28
Components Configuration : -, Cr, Cb, Y
Compressed Bits Per Pixel : 3.231074
Shutter Speed Value : 1/120
Aperture Value : 2.2
Exposure Compensation : 0
Max Aperture Value : 2.2
Subject Distance : 0 m
Metering Mode : Center-weighted average
Light Source : Unknown
Flash : No flash function
Focal Length : 4.7 mm
Warning : [minor] Possibly incorrect maker notes offsets (fix by 1415?)
Make : DJI
Speed X : +2.30
Speed Y : +0.50
Speed Z : -0.10
Pitch : -8.10
Yaw : +40.70
Roll : -2.90
Camera Pitch : -89.90
Camera Yaw : +109.10
Camera Roll : +0.00
Flashpix Version : 0010
Color Space : sRGB
Exif Image Width : 4000
Exif Image Height : 3000
Interoperability Index : R98 - DCF basic file (sRGB)
Interoperability Version : 0100
Exposure Index : undef
File Source : Digital Camera
Scene Type : Directly photographed
Custom Rendered : Normal
Exposure Mode : Manual
White Balance : Manual
Digital Zoom Ratio : undef
Focal Length In 35mm Format : 26 mm
Scene Capture Type : Standard
Gain Control : None
Contrast : Normal
Saturation : Normal
Sharpness : Hard
Device Setting Description : (Binary data 4 bytes, use -b option to extract)
Subject Distance Range : Unknown
GPS Version ID : 2.3.0.0
GPS Latitude Ref : North
GPS Longitude Ref : East
GPS Altitude Ref : Above Sea Level
XP Comment : 0.9.142
XP Keywords : N
Compression : JPEG (old-style)
Thumbnail Offset : 41984
Thumbnail Length : 9635
About : DJI Meta Data
Format : image/jpg
Absolute Altitude : +347.88
Relative Altitude : +35.00
Gimbal Roll Degree : +0.00
Gimbal Yaw Degree : +109.10
Gimbal Pitch Degree : -89.90
Flight Roll Degree : -2.90
Flight Yaw Degree : +40.70
Flight Pitch Degree : -8.10
Version : 7.0
Has Settings : False
Has Crop : False
Already Applied : False
MPF Version : 0010
Number Of Images : 2
MP Image Flags : Dependent child image
MP Image Format : JPEG
MP Image Type : Large Thumbnail (VGA equivalent)
MP Image Length : 271602
MP Image Start : 4906566
Dependent Image 1 Entry Number : 0
Dependent Image 2 Entry Number : 0
Image UID List : (Binary data 66 bytes, use -b option to extract)
Total Frames : 1
Image Width : 4000
Image Height : 3000
Encoding Process : Baseline DCT, Huffman coding
Bits Per Sample : 8
Color Components : 3
Y Cb Cr Sub Sampling : YCbCr4:2:2 (2 1)
Aperture : 2.2
GPS Altitude : 347.8 m Above Sea Level
GPS Latitude : 48 deg 18' 53.93" N
GPS Longitude : 11 deg 51' 45.51" E
GPS Position : 48 deg 18' 53.93" N, 11 deg 51' 45.51" E
Image Size : 4000x3000
Preview Image : (Binary data 271602 bytes, use -b option to extract)
Megapixels : 12.0
Scale Factor To 35 mm Equivalent: 5.5
Shutter Speed : 1/120
Thumbnail Image : (Binary data 9635 bytes, use -b option to extract)
Circle Of Confusion : 0.005 mm
Field Of View : 69.4 deg
Focal Length : 4.7 mm (35 mm equivalent: 26.0 mm)
Hyperfocal Distance : 1.86 m
Light Value : 9.2

 

[53-63-6f-74-74]

With most, if not all, of the available flight log converters you will ultimately end up with a three-dimensional KML (for viewing in Google Earth) file as your track-log. There is no complicated procedure and it takes only seconds to upload and convert either a Litchi or DJI log using something such as DJI Flight Log Viewer

 

[wanderer]

You can use Dashcam Viewer to watch you drone video while simultaneously watching your drone's position update on a Google Map.

 

[fedrin]

A flight log is automatically created on the Mavic's internal memory card (the DAT flight log) and on the mobile device running DJI GO (the TXT flight log). The GPS location and a bunch of other data is recorded every 0.1 seconds. You can find some tools that'll convert those flight logs to a CSV file here.

Thanks for that info. Sounds like it's entirely possible, though not necessarily the most convenient.

Lots of great resources on that page. Thanks!

 

[fedrin]

You can use Dashcam Viewer to watch you drone video while simultaneously watching your drone's position update on a Google Map.

That looks quite cool!

 

[fedrin]

This is what is stored in the image:

That's a lot of data to be stored for each image. That's great.

GPS location of the drone is clearly there. I'm guessing that the Camera Yaw would be the best way to determine the actual direction the camera is facing...

 

[fedrin]

With most, if not all, of the available flight log converters you will ultimately end up with a three-dimensional KML (for viewing in Google Earth) file as your track-log. There is no complicated procedure and it takes only seconds to upload and convert either a Litchi or DJI log using something such as DJI Flight Log Viewer

Good stuff, and I could always convert from KML using GPS Babel if I wanted it in a different format. More steps, but at least I can get to where I want to go that way...

 

[Keule]

actual direction the camera is facing...

Yep, in my sample above you see the aircraft/camera was pointing in the direction 109.10° (More or less east-ish)