Drone Mapping Tips – How to Pick the Right Sensor
Today’s question is about the best sensors for drone mapping. We discuss the best sensors, drones, and mapping software that will allow you to fly high and still build accurate drone maps and models.
Our caller, Gary, is a licensed surveyor who recently attended our in-person mapping class. In our previous show, “How Marking Ground Control Points Affects Your Accuracy in Drone Mapping“, we had talked about the three main factors that affect GSD or Ground Sampling Distance: camera sensor, altitude, and focal length. In today’s show, Gary has come up with a great follow up question about camera sensors.
Specifically, which sensor set up will allow you to fly high and still build accurate drone maps and models?
To answer Gary’s question, we discuss different high-end sensors like the Zenmuse X7 and Sony A7 RMarkIII. We also discuss how enterprise drones like the Matrice210 and Matrice600 compare to the old warhorse, DJI Phantom. Apart from this, we compare different drone mapping software like GSPro, Litchi, and Pix4D to reveal the best option for you. If you are looking to enhance your mapping accuracy, this is a show you do not want to miss. Thanks for the great question, Gary. Fly Safe!
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Timestamps
- [02:35] The Drone U Black Friday sale is Live! Do not miss the biggest deals of this year!
- [03:54] Today’s question is about the best sensor set up for building accurate drone maps and models
- [05:18] Paul recaps the last show
- [05:44] What are the three variables that affect your GSD?
- [05:56] Does your terrain affect your GSD?
- [07:23] How does your sensor size co-relate to your GSD?
- [08:40] Can you use the X7 camera with GSPro for drone mapping?
- [09:28] Are you better off using the Litchi app with X7? Can you capture more details owing to the X7’s higher dynamic range?
- [09:50] Can you build more accurate drone maps and models with the Sony A7 RMarkIII and M600?
- [10:40] Is DJI Phantom the best option for drone mapping?
- [10:53] Can you use the X7 with the Matrice 210?
- [11:13] Will a bigger sensor result in lower and better GSD? And does lower GSD mean better data?
- [13:43] How to mark your GCP’s to eliminate ellipsoid and georefrencing error