Anyone using cloud processing of uav photogrammetry data? Any recommendation for a software suite that offers cloud processing with gcp support (especially on Microsoft Azure cloud)?
I'm working for a large construction company with multiple thousand construction sites per year. Project sizes increase (multiple thousand images with >40 megapixel resolution), more and more staff are using uav mapping, etc. Even if only a fraction of all sites are using uav mapping we're talking about hundreds of photogrammetry processing projects each year. So we have to move to cloud processing.
We're currently using Pix4D for local processing. They offer the Pix4D Enterprise Server as cloud solution, but it's not very user-friendly when it comes to gcp marking. You have the choice between 1) rdp'ing into the server and mark the gcp in the raycloud and edit the final point cloud, or 2) download the data after finishing step 1, mark gcps, upload again and calculate step 2, download again and edit the point cloud. Both methods might work if you have just a few well trained users, but they are unsuitable when you want to roll it out for less qualified staff. A terminal server with a nice user interface would be much better.
I was told to run step one on local PC, Then mark your GCP's. Then upload to cloud for processing. But I have found my 10 core PC, 64GB RAM, w/ m.2 drives, the processing time is faster than the cloud processing with upload and download times.
The bottle neck with all cloud processing is GCP. But is one of the most important parts.
Yes, but the problem with locally processing step 1 is that you still need decent hardware to process it. Every user - and we'll have a lot in different places worldwide - needs a good system. That's stupid.
They should develop a web-based interface to mark GCPs. It can't be that complicated.
If all else fails, you may want to send the files to a consultant (like me), to mark GCP's and process the data for you.
Philipp, post: 443352, member: 12971 wrote: Yes, but the problem with locally processing step 1 is that you still need decent hardware to process it. Every user - and we'll have a lot in different places worldwide - needs a good system. That's stupid.
They should develop a web-based interface to mark GCPs. It can't be that complicated.
Who is they?
Pix4D. Or any other photogrammetry software company that offers cloud processing.
Philipp, post: 443419, member: 12971 wrote: Pix4D. Or any other photogrammetry software company that offers cloud processing.
We bought a humdinger of a PC to process everything, especially considering the upload and download times. That really is more dependent on the local internet provider. If you have Google Fiber or ATT Uverse (residential) with a 1 GBS internet service, then the Cloud option is the best option considering the data, but without that, a super PC with a network folder for all jobs is the faster and best solution.