Drone Mapping
Any flight for commercial reasons requires a license. Not having this license could result in fines. Evercam will not be held responsible.
Autonomous Flights 🧑✈️
We recommend doing an autonomous flight rather than a manual capture.
Autonomous flight delivers accuracy, efficiency and consistecy, making it the preferred method for drone mapping missions.
While manual flight may suffice for rapid inspections, it has its challenges in delivering high-quality, reliable data for professional-grade mapping.
Comparison of Autonomous vs. Manual Flights | ||
|---|---|---|
Category | Autonomous Flight | Manual Flight |
Consistency & Accuracy | Follows a set flight path with precise overlap and altitude for uniform image capture | Prone to variations (i.e., can cause gaps, distortions, or poor stitching) |
Efficiency | Optimized routes save battery and time; easy to repeat missions | Less efficient; more battery wasted and hard to replicate |
Safety | Maintains safe altitudes and avoids obstacles automatically | Higher risk of pilot error, especially in complex or long missions |
Scalability | Easy to scale across sites; missions can be reused by different operators | Scaling is tough (i.e., depends on pilot skill and consistency) |
Data Quality | High-quality outputs thanks to optimized overlap, angles, and GSD | Coverage inconsistencies can lead to poor models and re-flights |
Processing Time | Clean datasets mean faster, smoother post-processing | Irregular images require more manual fixes and longer processing |
Ease of Use | Once planned, even less experienced operators can execute reliably | Demands skilled pilots to achieve similar precision and consistency |
What height gives the best results? 🥏
This depends on the site and height of the tallest structure on the site.
If it is a building site with no cranes, it is better to use 50m to 60m.
If there is a crane at 50-60m, then go 20m above it (around 80m to 90m).
Note: All photos need to be taken at the same height.
Is there an angle required? 📐
To improve the accuracy and quality of the model, we recommend using a 65° angle.
How many photos should be taken? 🖼️
This depends on the site's area, if it's:
Less than 30,000 m² ⇒ 100 to 250 photos.
Between 30,000 m² and 60.000 m² ⇒ 250 to 400 photos.
Between 60,000 m² and 100.000 m² ⇒ 400 to 600 photos.
More than 100,000 m² ⇒ +600 photos.
Note: All photos should be taken in one mapping (multiple mappings give bad results).
What about Flight Planning? 🗺️
We usually recommend an evenly spread-out flight path to get details in an equal pattern (like the image below).
A single flight at a fixed height is highly recommended.
Different heights will cause processing issues, and the flight might have to be redone.
It is okay to have a higher density of images around important structures on site, as long as the height is close to the altitude of the remaining bits of the flight.
What can I use for Flight Planning? 🗺️
As we currently do not have a flight planning feature, we recommend using Drone Harmony or any other software capable of flight planning if you do not have another software that can perform this function.
There are free options available online.