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Drone mapping flight basics

Good data capture is the foundation of good processing. No setting in the software compensates for a weak flight, so it is worth getting this part right.

Fly for the output you need​

The camera angle depends on what you want back.

  • Orthomosaic, DSM, DTM. Fly nadir, with the camera pointing straight down. This keeps the geometry simple and the ground resolution even.
  • 3D point cloud and volumetric surveys. Add oblique shots, or fly a crosshatch grid with the camera tilted. For reliable volume measurements, use an oblique or crosshatch flight pattern with higher-than-usual overlap. Vertical surfaces such as facades and walls are barely visible from straight above, so a nadir-only flight produces a thin, flat model.
Tip

Need both a map and a good 3D model? Fly a nadir grid first, then a crosshatch pass at an angle. Upload everything into one project.

Settings that matter​

  • Overlap. Around 75 percent front and 65 percent side is a safe starting point. Too little leaves gaps the reconstruction cannot bridge.
  • Terrain follow. Switch it on for large sites and hilly ground. It keeps the aircraft at a constant height above the surface, so the resolution stays even instead of drifting across the site.
  • Constant altitude on flat sites, for the same reason.
  • Moderate speed and good light. Motion blur is the most common cause of a poor result.
  • Even, diffuse light and low wind. Hard shadows and gusts both make feature matching less reliable.

Cover more than you need​

Fly a slightly larger area than the one you actually want to survey. The edges of a flight are only seen from a few positions, so they reconstruct worse than the middle. Extending the grid by a few passes keeps your real area of interest well inside the good part.

Safety and rules first​

  • Follow the drone regulations that apply where you are flying.
  • Check airspace restrictions and permissions before take-off.
  • Keep the aircraft within the limits your licence and the local rules allow.
  • Never let a flight plan override safe operation.

Next, check what the files themselves must contain in image requirements.