First 3d rendering (mapping) using the Typhoon H

[Picardo]

I've been wanting to do a flight over the Castle of Kastelholm for quite a few years now, and now I finally got around to doing it. I'm not completely satisfied with the results because I used such low res pictures (only full HD). The reason for that is because I was dumb and didn't switch over to the camera control mode and flew in video mode all the time ... oh well, the results are pretty ok anyway.

Enjoy!

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[Rayray]

Ha! Thanks, that's pretty cool.
If you do it again, besides your settings, perhaps go a bit slower. The details ran away just as I enjoyed them, lol.

 

[Picardo]

Ha! Thanks, that's pretty cool.
If you do it again, besides your settings, perhaps go a bit slower. The details ran away just as I enjoyed them, lol.

I might do that I'll try and map the fortress area of Bomarsund some time the coming weeks. That area is quite a lot bigger I'll probably just do an Orto flyover there at 100 meters or something. So that'll be quite a bit slower when I play the render.

 

[RiverRunner]

Very nice. What software did you use?

 

[mwfoshee]

Yes, what software?

 

[Markinter]

I asked what software and he said he'd have to kill m........

 

[Picardo]

I used Pix4D free version.
Pix4Dmapper Discovery - Pix4D

 

[Ethan]

I used Pix4D free version.
Pix4Dmapper Discovery - Pix4D

I would love to see a step by step or even a basic tutorial how to do what you did. From what I can see on the Pix4d website, they dont quite say that the typhoon H is compatable with their software yet.

 

[Picardo]

I would love to see a step by step or even a basic tutorial how to do what you did. From what I can see on the Pix4d website, they dont quite say that the typhoon H is compatable with their software yet.

There ain't much to it, but I can try and make something tonight when I get to the hotel. Should only take like an hour or something.

 

[Ethan]

That would be excellent thanks!

 

[Picardo]

That would be excellent thanks!

my computer decided to upgrade with the anniversary update after i got to the hotel, so it'll have to wait till this evening instead.

 

[Paladin]

Cool stuff. There are a few tools that can take photos/video and turn them into 3D scans. Really cool how well it can stitch together and work with such limited information.

 

[Picardo]

Cool stuff. There are a few tools that can take photos/video and turn them into 3D scans. Really cool how well it can stitch together and work with such limited information.

indeed. agisoft photoscan, Pix4d and Microsoft Photosynth may be the biggest ones.

 

[pczekalski]

Is free version of Pix4D working with Yuneec? I'm surprised. They state it is working only with DJI ... Thanks for the footage. I'm preparing similar project soon. Best regards to you.

 

[Paladin]

Is free version of Pix4D working with Yuneec? I'm surprised. They state it is working only with DJI ... Thanks for the footage. I'm preparing similar project soon. Best regards to you.

I have not used that software myself but in most video software you usually just import the video into it. The software has no way to know what camera recorded the footage.

Now if it somehow connects directly to the drone etc.. or reads meta data off of the video that is a different story. The meta data can be edited anyway so no gain there blocking other drones types.

 

[chuck237]

I've been wanting to do a flight over the Castle of Kastelholm for quite a few years now, and now I finally got around to doing it. I'm not completely satisfied with the results because I used such low res pictures (only full HD). The reason for that is because I was dumb and didn't switch over to the camera control mode and flew in video mode all the time ... oh well, the results are pretty ok anyway.

Enjoy!

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Hello there,

Those results are absolutely useless; I am sorry to inform.

My purpose with this post is not to explain any theory but just to point out some valuable considerations.

There are trained professionals out there who do precision surveys using UAVs, along with survey grade equipment, rtk-gps and a lots of (costly) software. All this equipment, used together, will, after much work in the field (ground control points, total station surveying. etc.), processing, post processing and final verification, become useable mapping material.

The last thing this business needs is a bunch of hobbyists flying around private property, cultural heritage sites, etc. pretending to be "mapping", unaware of the theoretical and technical aspects of the thing they try to do.

People without further knowledge might actually mistake results such as these as something good and usable, potentially hurting professional surveying businesses.

Anyone seriously interested in this stuff please read up on it first and consider what you are getting into. Surveying and mapping are notoriously hard stuff to "just get into" there is a lot of theory you have to be familiar with in order to produce and verify the accuracy of the data you deliver or publish.

As for archeological surveying; that is yet another aspect. Beyond technical and historical accuracy of the data you collect you also have to be extremely careful around historical sites.

I hope this doesn’t discourage anyone out there, but I just had to post it; there are far too many "hobbyist surveyors" popping up nowadays, who seriously risk damaging the whole business.

All the best.

chuck237

 

[Ethan]

After playing around with my TH and pix4d for a day, yes you can use pix4d with the TH. The pix4d app only works with dji, the app programs a flight path to get the best images and flight pattern into the Drone and then automatically goes and does it. The typhoon H does not have that app yet, hopefully pix4d makes it available into the future. You can take photos by yourself with the typhoon H and then upload them into the pix4d computer software. I've had lock about half the time getting a decent 3D rendering but the other half of the time it fails for reasons I don't know.

 

[mwfoshee]

After playing around with my TH and pix4d for a day, yes you can use pix4d with the TH. The pix4d app only works with dji, the app programs a flight path to get the best images and flight pattern into the Drone and then automatically goes and does it. The typhoon H does not have that app yet, hopefully pix4d makes it available into the future. You can take photos by yourself with the typhoon H and then upload them into the pix4d computer software. I've had lock about half the time getting a decent 3D rendering but the other half of the time it fails for reasons I don't know.

I have used two different web apps (search this forum, one is by Eric the other is called flight center I believe) to pre- program flight paths using the waypoints and curved cable cam. An actual app for the ST16 is not possible yet until yuneec opens the "SDK" (I think that's what it's called)

You still have to manually "snap" the photos

I agree with @chuck247 on the complexity of the process to achieve truly accurate results, yet I am not ready to concede on his point about the need for expensive software. I have achieved satisfactory and usable (dense point clouds and tin surfaces) results with open source software like VisualSFM and Meshlab, however the learning curve is quite steep. I have yet to figure out how to incorporate my ground control points, but I'm not ready to concede and start buying software yet.

 

[Michael Brown]

I've been wanting to do a flight over the Castle of Kastelholm for quite a few years now, and now I finally got around to doing it. I'm not completely satisfied with the results because I used such low res pictures (only full HD). The reason for that is because I was dumb and didn't switch over to the camera control mode and flew in video mode all the time ... oh well, the results are pretty ok anyway.

Enjoy!

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Very cool!

 

[THoff]

Hello there,

Those results are absolutely useless; I am sorry to inform.

My purpose with this post is not to explain any theory but just to point out some valuable considerations.

There are trained professionals out there who do precision surveys using UAVs, along with survey grade equipment, rtk-gps and a lots of (costly) software. All this equipment, used together, will, after much work in the field (ground control points, total station surveying. etc.), processing, post processing and final verification, become useable mapping material.

The last thing this business needs is a bunch of hobbyists flying around private property, cultural heritage sites, etc. pretending to be "mapping", unaware of the theoretical and technical aspects of the thing they try to do.

People without further knowledge might actually mistake results such as these as something good and usable, potentially hurting professional surveying businesses.

Anyone seriously interested in this stuff please read up on it first and consider what you are getting into. Surveying and mapping are notoriously hard stuff to "just get into" there is a lot of theory you have to be familiar with in order to produce and verify the accuracy of the data you deliver or publish.

As for archeological surveying; that is yet another aspect. Beyond technical and historical accuracy of the data you collect you also have to be extremely careful around historical sites.

I hope this doesn’t discourage anyone out there, but I just had to post it; there are far too many "hobbyist surveyors" popping up nowadays, who seriously risk damaging the whole business.

All the best.

chuck237

That's the most condescending posts I have read on this forum.

You don't know what the original poster's needs and goals are -- what's acceptable to him for his use may be entirely different from your own standards. Also consider the possibility that your own work may not measure up to the standards of others.