Mapping question

[Uav.eye]

I have been asked to quote for a forestry site map (2D) so the customer can roughly calculate an area to be felled, the site is shy of 20h, I have never done this before at such an area, is the H520 capable of this size with decent results or should I use my S900 with X5 and drone deploy?
Any input would be appreciated before I commit to a verbal quote.
Thanks

 

[record.play.rewind]

You can plot it with your H520. 20 Hectares is not that big of a land. It might take you 2 batteries, depending on your points, and since they just want a relative AGL flight, it should be an in/out type a of job. I am not familiar with H520, but I would be curious if the H520 can complete the mission. The s900 can do this mission with ease for sure, you can fly with DD, use their services or use the app to collect your materials and make your map in Recap Pro or Agisoft Pro. I haven't used DD for a while, but I think you can import KML files.... And if so, you can plot your flight in google earth, measure the land, create points, import it to DD (if available) transpose the points to waypoints, modify as need and save as a 3D KML file and check it again in google earth for ground relativity.

 

[dsandson]

While record.play.rewind is right that the S900 can actually fly the mission, I'd caution about using the X5 on this. It apparently has focus issues when mapping. Its a great camera, just not a great option for mapping. If you had access to an X4s camera then perhaps the S900 would be easier to recommend.

I'd say you're best to plan for the H520. You might want to do a trial before hand if thats possible to put your own mind at rest regarding the X5s.

 

[NorWiscPilot]

From what I have read, the H520 can provide “decent” results. The size of the area has little to do with the result.

What the size of the area dictates is how long it will take to perform the task. If too large to keep the aircraft in sight throughout the mission, one will have to factor in either visual observers or multiple launch points, breaking up the area into manageable sections.

The images should still stitch together regardless of the takeoff points.

Good luck! Please let us know how you make out if you take on the job.

Jeff

 

[10-8]

20HA is very easy with the 520 and the e90 stitches great. This is approximately 20ha and was flown on 1 battery at 250'.

Not the detail achieved and stitch quality when zooming in on the small materials pile on the top right. No post on any images. Taken directly from the card to Agisoft for stitching. Close up is a screen capture while zooming in while still in AgiSoft PS Pro. The small piles of straight pipe is a good example of what the e90 can achieve even at 250'.

 

[record.play.rewind]

While record.play.rewind is right that the S900 can actually fly the mission, I'd caution about using the X5 on this. It apparently has focus issues when mapping. Its a great camera, just not a great option for mapping. If you had access to an X4s camera then perhaps the S900 would be easier to recommend.

I'd say you're best to plan for the H520. You might want to do a trial before hand if thats possible to put your own mind at rest regarding the X5s.

Glad that you brought this up, yes. A great camera, but not primed for mapping. But, there's a workflow around this, and I don't know if DD allows users to manually focus.

1) Create and start mission in DD.
2) Once airborne, pause and exit DD (but let it run in the background)
3) Open Go App, set exposure and Manual focus to infinity.
4) Close Go App (do not fly your mission with GoApp in the background, completely close it)
5) Go back to DD and resume mission.

It has been awhile since, I've used DD, but it was a fix back then. But......... It's not the camera's fault, DD has a bug and I do not know if DD has resolved this problem. @dsandson is correct the Zenmuse x4 and also x5 has a focus lock that's unmatched. (The x5 is meant for cinematography and a best camera for night videography and photography, but it can't map..lol)

 

[record.play.rewind]

@10-8

Man!! I really love that E90 camera! I will one day get the H520. My only concern is that I fly mostly in urban areas as well as active cement quarries (CEMEX cement mix) and I am afraid that the H520 will be an "all show, but no go" however, Yuneec has create a gem with the c23 and E90.

 

[dsandson]

10-8, that's an awesome demonstration of the E90. Can you remember what the gsd was?

I should have an H520 with E90 arriving in the post this week. Can't wait. Had a job during the week with a crane at 230ft when I normally fly there at 165ft. Could've done with a much better sensor. Details were poor with a P3P.

 

[AH-1G]

@Uav.eye
Last week I did this for a farm, they mentioned roughly 40 acers.
I was up 392 feet. took only 30 or so minutes, 2 batteries.
Stitched together
https://yuneecpilots.com/attachments/long-and-scott-2018-maze-2b-jpg.11614/

 

[NorWiscPilot]

@10-8

Man!! I really love that E90 camera! I will one day get the H520. My only concern is that I fly mostly in urban areas as well as active cement quarries (CEMEX cement mix) and I am afraid that the H520 will be an "all show, but no go" however, Yuneec has create a gem with the c23 and E90.

Rpr,

Curious why you say “all show, no go” regarding the H520?

Just looking for your particular insights.

Thanks!

Jeff

 

[10-8]

10-8, that's an awesome demonstration of the E90. Can you remember what the gsd was?

I should have an H520 with E90 arriving in the post this week. Can't wait. Had a job during the week with a crane at 230ft when I normally fly there at 165ft. Could've done with a much better sensor. Details were poor with a P3P.

Sure, here is the overview of the flight..

 

[record.play.rewind]

Rpr,

Curious why you say “all show, no go” regarding the H520?

Just looking for your particular insights.

Thanks!

Jeff

Hi Jeff,

I wanted to get the H520, but I do not want to jump in the waters head first. Lets talk about the st16s controller, as a one unit one area of concern is overheating and the other is "lost link" some of us flies in urban cities, the majority of the developments are in major big city areas, and the H520 no recorded flights that it has accomplished a mission survey or mapping mission in an urban setting (there's one in Youtube, where the flyer demonstrated by mapping a small parking lot) The majority of surveyors will be mapping/surveying more areas than of that of a parking lot, and with my current experience with the TH Plus, it has been a love n' hate relationship, I will get an occasional video-lag, well lost-link and regain signals, and this is critial when collecting materials, because in the perfect world, we would like to have successul missions each time (my confidence in flying the H Plus is in limbo at times)

By Yuneec orienting all the components in one unit, and Yuneec thinks that it will have a glitch free mission flight controller, I think (in my opinion) they are mistaken. Next is the orientation of the camera shutter button, they did not thought this through, because this is critical, not just for cinematographers, but for us surveyors are well. Yuneec is using the Mavlink config. (I think) if so, no surprise there it has been published that H520 and TH Plus has adopted Pixhawk (Ardu) into their system, and this feature, from what I believe 3DR took advantage of (but, cannot be accessed to us users in creating our own config in the open share drone map) But lets circle around, flying in certain distance or locations, and it has been documented that the Yuneec ST16s is not yet bullet proof or has a fighting chance in this retrospect to flying certain distance. Again "Lost Link"

I have done my due diligence, and right now the H520 is not a GO for me, and I do not want to have a buyers remorse. But one thing is clear, the Yuneec hex drone is stable. I can fly a grid without problems, I am not a weekend warrior, when it comes operating drones in construction sites, this is what I do from Monday - Friday, with lots of weekend overtime, flying in multiple areas. Yuneec has yet to prove a lot of us flyers, far more than just creating pretty advertisement videos, and the so-called commercial pilots mapping their own back yards, and mapping rural areas are mere ambulance chasers. Here in California, we do not see H520s working, my TH Plus is, but only in 2 sites outside the NFZ zone.

But, I have confidence that Yuneec will one day make their drones a better tool for us to use confidently, but presently, the construction/commercial drone community doesn't believe it is there yet, and this has at times come up in every mapping/survey webinar. And the community wants an affordable, proconsumer "HEX" because some of us are tired of DJI's "Quad" drones.

Due diligence and research, before buying, will yield that the H520 is not ready for prime time.

 

[record.play.rewind]

FYI.... I might resort to this, with my H+ because Yuneec is slow to patch things up.

Moving the GPS and COMPASS MODULE.

 

[Uav.eye]

thanks for all the replies guys.
we checked the area and with the exception of losing around 15 meter inclination around the last portion it should be straight forward.
line of sight is possible with the help of my observer and two way radios further along the plot.

Agree about the X5 it does struggle with focus so i can see that being an issue.
The 520 should be perfect for this job, and one of the reasons i bought it.
thanks again.

 

[record.play.rewind]

thanks for all the replies guys.
we checked the area and with the exception of losing around 15 meter inclination around the last portion it should be straight forward.
line of sight is possible with the help of my observer and two way radios further along the plot.

Agree about the X5 it does struggle with focus so i can see that being an issue.
The 520 should be perfect for this job, and one of the reasons i bought it.
thanks again.

Report back, I would love to hear of how it goes.

 

[Uav.eye]

So we planned and arrived at the site yesterday, but the weather took a turn and heavy mist set in before we could complete the mission. We will revisit next week and try again.
We did however do a trial run at an alternative site a few days before, covering 15 hectare using 100 mtr height, 70% overlaps etc. we took 120 pictures and stitched them using both Dronedeploy and PIX4D mapper, the quality from PIX4D was very good, better than Dronedeploy.
The 520 was excellent, completed the task with ease, on two batteries and final quality was very good.
At this moment in time I am very happy with what the 520 turned out for this type of work, and it sounds there is plenty of new stuff to come from Yuneec uk after conversations i have had this week with them.

 

[10-8]

So we planned and arrived at the site yesterday, but the weather took a turn and heavy mist set in before we could complete the mission. We will revisit next week and try again.
We did however do a trial run at an alternative site a few days before, covering 15 hectare using 100 mtr height, 70% overlaps etc. we took 120 pictures and stitched them using both Dronedeploy and PIX4D mapper, the quality from PIX4D was very good, better than Dronedeploy.
The 520 was excellent, completed the task with ease, on two batteries and final quality was very good.
At this moment in time I am very happy with what the 520 turned out for this type of work, and it sounds there is plenty of new stuff to come from Yuneec uk after conversations i have had this week with them.

Good to hear. The 520 does a great job. Only question is why 2 batteries? 15ha at 100m should be easy on 1 battery, even with crosshatch pattern.

 

[dsandson]

Glad things have went well. What did Yuneec UK suggest was incoming? (sorry just fishing for information!)

I've only had the H520 out once, but I was flying manual orbits around a tower structure. I was seriously impressed by the control of the bird using the ST16s. I bought the carbon fiber type 'desk' extension attached to a harness and this was definitely a good buy!

 

[Uav.eye]

Good to hear. The 520 does a great job. Only question is why 2 batteries? 15ha at 100m should be easy on 1 battery, even with crosshatch pattern.

Why indeed? To be fair it only used around 15-20% of the second battery (mostly on take off im guessing), i can only put it down to windy conditions, it was blowing around a lot at 100mtr. The survey did estimate 2 batteries at the start, but feel in reality on a calm day it would have been 1.
I am going to run the same test in the same area on a calmer day to see what the difference is.

 

[Uav.eye]

Glad things have went well. What did Yuneec UK suggest was incoming? (sorry just fishing for information!)

I've only had the H520 out once, but I was flying manual orbits around a tower structure. I was seriously impressed by the control of the bird using the ST16s. I bought the carbon fiber type 'desk' extension attached to a harness and this was definitely a good buy!

I find orbiting manually is usually a good solution for that type of footage, always seems to work out nice and stable.

i wouldn't like to say too much about what they said as not to spark debate or get hopes up, but more camera work for cinematography, ROI, terrain follow for missions (although they where unclear on whether this was already a selectable option!! but i cant find it!!) plus a few other user gimmicks to make it more consumer friendly. Probably stuff everyone knows already.