We're just either too developed, or if rural, too much tree canopy to make use of the data. It's got it's limitations in my area, and there are better ways of charging my time. The software is just not there yet to give me that level of comfort. To me it's similar to GPS 20 years ago. It's got it's uses, but to replace a total station, or better yet, a robotic. Not a chance.
I also do mainly design work (PE), so mapping is really a side show. Most of my clients just want the images, and they're willing to pay me $600 for aerials, lol. I've spent time creating orthomosaics, but at the end of the day, they're not impressed.
My experience has been quite the opposite. It is just another tool for the bag, but when used correctly along with robotic total station and GPS, the results are well worth it. The orthomosaic is value added snap shot in time that can be valuable to clients, once they are educated.This time year with low vegetation, no leaves, the Pix4D software does a great job of getting ground elevations. Pix4d has improved a lot over the past 8 months, and continues to get better. Clients in my areae are willing to pay for the ortho's, and the quick turn around.Some will even clear and grub the site before and after flights. I've done flights for soil stripping, earthwork quantities, top soil volumes, stone volumes, borrow pits, tree acreage, etc.
Need to find the right clients and create your own niche.
I do mostly new residential developments and the work has increased exponentially over the past 3 or so years. I did fly a site and generated a model with it, but I found the elevations were about 4 or 5 inches off. That's too much for an as-built plan. But I did use the orthomosaic to assist in the linework. So since then, that's really the only use I've had for it other than using the drone for aerial images for construction/progress/visual aids for display. I'd love to get into Pix4D to realize it's potential, but as of now I just don't have the work to justify the $9k pricetag. If anything I'm looking into Global mapper and at a much more affordable price point, I may pull the trigger.
Someday I'm sure I'll be using 3d modelling, but it won't be anytime soon I don't think.
I've used my P3A to map a few road route surveys. Our check points were very promising. Am going to map a 40 acre rolling field, mostly open, with heavy trees down in the gulleys. Prior, used Pix4D to generate orthos but never got to DTMs or contours. Is there a good resource or best practice for going from a photos to contours? We'll be using ground control points (every 500' min), plan to place them on the ridges and down in the lowlands, locating with GPS for control. How does one go from pictures to contours in Carlson/AutoCAD...
This site is just a test for the remaining 100 acres. Trying to figure out some methodology and best practice. We'll still be locating fences and top/toes and creeks in the wooded areas but would like to see about using UAV to capture topo data in the open areas.
DandaMan, post: 410132, member: 11506 wrote: used Pix4D to generate orthos but never got to DTMs or contours. Is there a good resource or best practice for going from a photos to contours?
Pix4d Pro-mapper (the purchased version) can create contours, DSM and a thinned point clouds. There is online documentation and a few videos.
There are only a few training course available. I am trying to contact Pix4d, and would like to offer support and consulting services for their software. But, it has been very difficult communicating with them.
This is probably not a "good enough" quadcopter, but woot is selling today (22 January 2017 until 10pm pst) a factory reconditioned DJI Phantom 4 for $730.
DJI Phantom 4 Quadcopter
- Remote control
- Propellers
- Intelligent flight battery
- Battery charger
- Power cable
- Case
mkennedy, post: 410410, member: 7183 wrote: This is probably not a "good enough" quadcopter, but woot is selling today (22 January 2017 until 10pm pst) a factory reconditioned DJI Phantom 4 for $730.
DJI Phantom 4 Quadcopter
- Remote control
- Propellers
- Intelligent flight battery
- Battery charger
- Power cable
- Case
I'd say that is plenty "good enough" to get started. You're really paying for the camera, and the 20mp camera on the Phantom 4...
I've got the P3A and am really starting to learn that stepping up to the P4 and the 20mp camera would come in really handy.
The Phantom 4 has a 12MP camera, and as of last week it is no longer in production. The P4 was first released in 3/2016, so life cycle was very short. It has been replaced by the Phantom 4 Pro with 20Mp camera that has a mechanical shutter (much better camera), cost $1500. The P4 does work OK, but requires lower flights' slower speeds, and need to apply rolling shutter corrections in Pix4d.
