is there any desktop processing software available? The Uav work i do at my company is not exactly full time work. we will get the odd job here and there or have a customer that wants a high resolution up to date overlay of their subject property onto our field survey. The drone might go out once a week for a couple of hours and thats about it at this point in time. I am far too busy with our regular surveying activities to promote this into a full time operation where the drone goes out every day. But i do like having the option to provide the service to our existing customers when they require it. i do not like sending them elsewhere. But as i am looking into the numbers they just arent adding up. i cant make any money on drone work when i am paying 4000$ a year for drone deploy. i may only bill out 4000$ in a year of drone work. that doesnt even include the costs of the high powered computers i need, extra desktop software, insurance and training ive done.?ÿ ?ÿI dont mind investing into a software that i can purchase once but this yearly software subscription just isn't feasible for me at this time. Especailly since the only feature?ÿ i need is going from 500 images to 3000 images processing limit. the rest of the features i could care less about.?ÿ
so! any other options for processing the images into orthos? i checked pix4d and it is more than drone deploy.
Thanks
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In the same situation here, and have been trialing Maps-made-easy, which appears to do free processing up to a limit, then appears to be pay as you go.
Two things to consider...
First, change your model. The value of a survey shouldn't drop when you buy new tools. If the cost is higher than the bill, raise the bill.
Second, consider a processing service. There are several companies stitching photos and creating models. Some allow enough interface and personalization to satisfy responsible charge.
Trimble provides UAS Master free of charge. I've never used it but it may be worth a look..
Carlson has added a photogrammetry software for drones.?ÿ I don't know the details but I share your pain.
Make the numbers add up.?ÿ As bionicman said, change your model.?ÿ It drone deploy is $4,000 a year and the drone goes out once a week, thats approximately 50 times a year.?ÿ Make up the $4,000 +profit by spreading out the 4k over all 50 flights.?ÿ You can't simply pay for new fancy gear and software and continue to have the same billing rates.
Send your files to me and I will process using my license of Pix4d for a fee of course.
What is a reasonable?ÿfee for using my hardware and software?
In testing, I have found that my PC will process near the same time as Pix4d cloud service, and faster if you considering the upload and download times.
My Pix4d perpetual license allows use for up to two end users. I will need to look into this more, but it may be possible for me to provide you with a temporary password to Pix4d, so you can process on your own PC.
I have used a sub to do some flying for me and produce point clouds and orthophotos. He is on site for about 30 minutes, typically after 3pm. He delivers the product by noon the next day. He bills between $1500 and $2000 for that. The client doesn't bat an eyelash. They just rave about the product.?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ?ÿ
These two softwares seem to have a handle on the orthos... I have read that Ground Station Pro is another alternative. Maps Made Easy is cool because it doesn't matter what you fly and will still create a stitched map and if you use their point estimator, you can figure out how to fly an area to stay under the allotted free points. Their product is as quality as the flight and camera. The first "map" I uploaded to Maps Made Easy was okay, but their processor does not like trees. It turns trees into blocks basically. You get what you pay for... Drone Deploy also offers free maps through the explorer program. Though, for survey grade ortho, GCP's are required - Maps Made Easy doesn't allow for GCPs, Drone Deploy does but only at the Enterprise level. For rough stuff, and I mean within +/- 3' horizontally only, not taking into account verticals (i.e. acreage topos) The free/cheap processors will work but you have to manipulate the GeoTiff which isn't the best practice either from what I read here. With a few targets at an equal elevation and measured distance between them you can definitely get it "close" but not to survey grade.
You might try Agisoft Photoscan Pro. I believe the cost is $3500.?ÿ I have that software as well as Pix4D, and use them both. If you have the right PC power for processing? Also, you can teach yourself with all the youtube tutorials and other on line documents that are available.
I concur with Agisoft.
My personal liking towards Pix4D have faded significantly. The license fees are one thing, but I personally don't like the way Pix4D takes away the control I have in processing how I want to process. Also I haven't tried the free options as much as some others here might have, other than Recap Photo and Drone Deploy, but to me it was even worse. Little to no control over the process, although this was a few years ago.
I guess you get what you pay for in that regard.
I have tested about 20 different previous flights using Pix4D vs Agisoft vs APS Menci and have found the overall winner is Agisoft. I might have had some bias, but based on point cloud quality vs ground shots, processing time, orthophoto stiching and photo accuracy Agisoft came out best for me. APS processes very quickly but the orthos can be dodgy sometimes, and had 2 instances where clouds were just way off.?ÿ
And as LeeGreen said, you could always use someone from the forum to do the processing at a small fee.
You don't have to fork out for the PC hardware and software, and also it will be done by a surveyor so they should know what they are doing.
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I'd also vote for Agisoft. Very robust, good quality stitching together and subsequent modelling. Can handle more or less any size, so long as you have a powerful enough computer to run the job on - we split up huge jobs into smaller segments. Agisoft outputs for each segment always match exactly along the join overlaps, so there is no cause to worry about that. Well worth the money.
We've also used Pix4D for certain things, but it is far more restrictive in letting you solve problems the way you would like to.
I would like to reach out to all who have replied. I believe that I have insightful info to contribute to this thread. I'm a new member, a UAV pilot and very involved with the photogrammetry side of this tech. Out of respect for the forum and not wanting to hijack this thread or appear as one big advertisement, I do want to share my ideas on this topic. We are also in the process of getting our marketing dept. to get our info advertised on this site. We participate on many levels within multiple states with input to help educate on this topic. Our approach is agnostic and our mission is first and foremost, customer service.
Thanks,
Jared
Global mapper has a beta and release 20 comes out soon.?ÿ I had trouble with heavy vegetation so I am using drone deploy month to month with the hope that 20 will resolve the issue.?ÿ 1000 plus 400 a year.
I tried Global Mapper's v19 beta for Pixels to Points etc also b/c I use it with LiDAR already and it did not compete with Pix4D Desktop in intuitiveness or results using imagery unfortunately. Now when it comes to LiDAR GM is still the ticket...?ÿ
Makes me curious to check out Agisoft too though!
