Drone video Inspections - Aerial Photogrammetry
Aerial drone photogrammetry is a technique that uses drones (unmanned aerial vehicles) equipped with cameras to capture a series of overlapping photographs of a landscape, structure, or area from different angles. These photographs are then processed using specialized software to create detailed 2D maps, 3D models, and measurements of the captured environment. Aerial drone photogrammetry offers a versatile and efficient way to gather geospatial data for various industries, including construction, agriculture, environmental monitoring, urban planning, and more.
Here's how aerial drone photogrammetry works:
1. Drone Flight:
● A drone equipped with a high-resolution camera is flown over the area of interest.
● The drone captures a series of overlapping aerial photographs from different altitudes and angles.
2. Image Capturing:
● The camera on the drone captures multiple images of the same area, covering it from various perspectives.
● The overlap between images is crucial for accurate photogrammetric reconstruction.
3. Data Collection:
● The images collected during the drone flight are geotagged with GPS coordinates and other metadata to establish their exact positions.
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4. Image Processing:
● Specialized photogrammetry software is used to process the collected images.
● The software analyzes the overlapping images, identifies common points, and calculates the spatial relationships between them.
5. Point Cloud Generation:
● Based on the identified common points in the images, the software creates a point cloud, which is a dense collection of 3D coordinates representing the surfaces of the objects in the images.
6. Surface Reconstruction:
● The point cloud data is used to reconstruct the 3D surface of the captured area or object.
7. Texture Mapping:
● The software applies the captured images onto the reconstructed 3D surface to create a realistic textured 3D model.
8. Georeferencing:
● The reconstructed 3D model is georeferenced to real-world coordinates, allowing it to be accurately placed on a map. This increases the accuracy of utility mapping and the satellite imagery that the map is referencing.
9. Map Creation and Analysis:
● The processed data, including 2D maps, 3D models, and measurements, can be used for analysis, visualization, measurement, and planning purposes.
10. Applications of Aerial Drone Photogrammetry:
● Topographic Mapping: Creating detailed topographic maps for construction, land development, and geographic analysis.
● 3D Modeling: Generating accurate 3D models of buildings, structures, landscapes, and archaeological sites.
Aerial drone photogrammetry provides accurate, cost-effective, and timely geospatial data that can speed up the collection of utility marks and their real world locations compared to some mapping variations.
Here at AUUL we can use drones to capture 4k resolution video, images and pictures to document, inspect and understand utility markings onsite. These photos can also be used to understand elevations, plant health and a number of other applications.
