Flight Programming with Google Earth .kmz file

[DanWeston]

Hi to all,

I've been asked to survey a proposed pipeline route in the UK. I have a .kmz file of the route and need to do 250m either side of it for its 28km length.

Does anyone know a way I can import the route into Data Pilot Planner software instead of guessing waypoints?

TIA!

 

[dsandson]

That's quite a project! The only apps available for the H520 are Datapilot, Pix4D Capture, UAVToolbox and UgCS. I believe UgCS should be able to import kmv's. It runs on a laptop though so be aware. Plus it might require the pro rather than free licence, which might make it pricey.

 

[arruntus]

DataPilot supports KML so you can easily open the KMZ with Google Earth and save it as KML. Then it is a matter of importing it into DataPilot or in the desktop version to design the flight plans.

 

[DanWeston]

Thanks fellas. Arruntus - I'll give that a go... cheers.

 

[Tuna]

You might need to find (or write) some software to cut it up into chunks for import if it's only available as one piece. Let me know how you get on.

 

[DanWeston]

You might need to find (or write) some software to cut it up into chunks for import if it's only available as one piece. Let me know how you get on.

That sounds far too technical for me. Will keep you all posted though

 

[arruntus]

It's hard work, being so long you're going to have to work hard in the office before you do the flights. If then you plan to make a unique photogrammetric project, which would be the logical thing to do, the different flights should be on top of each other with common GCP's in order to connect them correctly.

I'm jealous, I'd like to have the opportunity to do it and experience all the challenges that lie ahead

 

[DanWeston]

Ah, I see what Tuna means now... I thought we were talking about the line in the .kmz

Ok, understood. I think the easiest way would be to split the survey and model into sections (there may well be lots of them) and take it from there. For now, I'm just trying to get this pipe route into data pilot.

 

[Wingman]

Haydn has told me once that I can create an orbit path as a circle in Google Earth then save it as a google earth file, open it in DP and it can used as a flight path in DP. So it looks like we can use Google Earth tools to create any complicated flight path

 

[DanWeston]

DataPilot supports KML so you can easily open the KMZ with Google Earth and save it as KML. Then it is a matter of importing it into DataPilot or in the desktop version to design the flight plans.

I've given this a go and have gotten as far as being able to import the kml file. I found that I had to 'plan a survey' and hit the button in the middle of the grid where I'm given an option to change it to a circle or a polygon and 'load kml'. I loaded it but all that happened was that the survey shifted a bit and the zoom view adjusted.

I want to be able to see the pipe route. Is this possible? I'll keep tinkering but any advice or pointers gratefully received.