How drone 3D technology can occupy the world

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London design studio Sample & Hold said that different 3D scanning technologies have different advantages. As Mr. Jackson explained, photogrammetry is particularly good at capturing the visual quality of objects.

He said: "Color information is an important part." However, sometimes, the technology is not as effective as expected. Other industries are now turning to photogrammetry for cheap 3D mapping of large sites or facilities. Usually, this involves flying drones equipped with small cameras around the problematic structure so that photos can be taken from multiple angles. "Everyone has a camera, and the price of a camera has fallen sharply," explained Jan Bohm, an expert in photogrammetry at University College London.

Uplift Drones, a UK-based drone operator training company, offers aerial photogrammetry courses. Uplift adviser James Dunthorne said some local authorities in the UK are not sending staff to the roof of the parliament building for inspections, but are instead scanning 3D using drones. "It's better to do it on a computer than to physically check the asset," he explained.

Some of the customers he works with have taken photogrammetry to a new level by installing ultra-high-resolution cameras on drones. These are large pieces of equipment that are usually fixed to the underside of an airplane or helicopter.

For example, railway companies use such cameras to make ultra-detailed 3D models of orbits. Staff can then check that the tracks are correct and that all intersections and switches are properly aligned.

"The quality of the data obtained from it is breathtaking," said Dawn Thorne. "I call it steroid photogrammetry." Drone-based photogrammetry is everywhere. In the United States, the aviation department of the Washington State Department of Transportation recently tested the technology, which can be used to detect obstacles on the runways of Prosser Airport and Sunnyside Municipal Airport. A spokesman for the department confirmed to the BBC that the work would continue. However, third-party contractors often provide drones or software for photogrammetry.

Pix4D is headquartered in Switzerland and its software converts aerial photos into 3D models. Spokesman Gaitsheva explained that the total area of maps drawn by people using the software each year is increasing.

Gateseva said: "In 2018, our users have drawn more than 450,000 square kilometers of maps." "This is ten times that of Switzerland." This 3D map includes mines, farmland, communication towers, pipelines, and even underwater assets.

Pix4D customers like to regularly survey construction sites so that progress can be clearly displayed in 3D. Alternatively, mining companies may use photogrammetry to measure large piles of earth or raw materials that are constantly being excavated.

"In recent years, we have made great strides in cameras ... the stability of drones is getting better and better," said Ms. Gettysheva.

Depending on what you are scanning and where you are scanning, you may turn to a fixed-wing or rotary-wing drone. Fixed-wing devices have a longer range but need sufficient space to safely take off and land

The UAV made by Polish company FlyTech UAV is called "Burdy" and can be transformed from a fixed-wing to a vertical take-off and landing version with certain accessories. The company recently helped utility companies produce large 3D models of cables and towers. FlyTech says it's much cheaper than sending a helicopter for the same investigation. This is a way to draw a map of the world by taking one photo at a time.

Drone 3D technology will gradually be applied to our lives, and the world will change accordingly.
 

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