3d mapping with solo

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Hello I have bought this UAV and I would like to use it with pix4d. Pix4d works with my other drones (phantom 4pro and a VTOL) but not with the solo. Here are my questions:

1. Do I need to get the hero 4 or can I use another camera? I have a firefly6 and a gitup get2 camera. Would these work? I also have a Sony @6000 which goes on the VTOL but I would rather not use it at the moment on the solo.

2. How do I geotag the pictures? Mission planner I suppose. Do I need the gopro then?

3. Which app should I use to plan the mission?

Thank you very much for your help or to point me to the right threads.
 
You only need a hero 4 if you want it on the gimbal and you want control of the camera. There are companies that make camera mounts for the Solo. I know IMP Concepts and MAPIR are two places to check out.

What you are trying to do is what 3dr focuses on now so there is definitely a solution.
 
Thanks. I looked further onto the forums and one the websites pointed out. Ideally I would like to integrate my own camera. I am a complete newbie but I have friends who integrate cameras on drone so I can ask them about it. Looks like there are some android apps that can substitute to mission planner so I will look at that as well.

It does not seem that there is a post or website that summarizes the different steps of how to integrate cameras on the solo and have them being triggered. I have seen some posts that use the time of the picture and match it with the records of the UAV but that does not seem ideal.

I really liked the mapir website and then use of filters. I have a micasense rededge on the VTOL which is fine to decipher vegetation stress but that will be short to find out about following algae blooms in water bodies. So using the right filters for that is surely a bonus.

If someone here has links to posts on how to integrate cameras on the solo please send away.

Thanks!
 
Also, you may want to skip worrying about getting the GPS location of each image. I don't know your GIS background but you could just use a stitching software and then georeference the aerial image in QGIS, ArcGIS, etc.

As far as integrating a camera with the solo I think you will have to use a intervolometer unless you can change the Solo code. You might be better off using a DIY Pixhawk build for collecting imagery. I haven't seen anyone set up a trigger function on the Solo, yet.
 
Thanks for your answers. I have ArcGIS and use QGIS as well. I am just getting into drone mapping so I have much to learn but I should be able to pick up quickly on this since I have a colleague who has been doing that for the past 5 years. The solo seems a good project for my students and I can still do mapping with my other drones which work with Pix4D in the meanwhile.

Keep it coming though. The idea of a DIY pixhawk is pretty cool.
 
That's great. I'm actually just getting into mapping also. I bought a 3dr y6 back when they were liquidated and have finally acquired all the stuff I need. I've got the Canon SX260HS. I'm going to try and use Imagej for stitching and then georeference manually in QGIS. Can't afford to renew my ESRI license, lol. Actually I use the Boundless Geospatial package of QGIS. It's awesome!

Please let me know if you get something figured out because I'm really interested.
 
We have over 100 Solos in use now and have a pretty fast work flow for geotagging photos using the dataflash log. P2P wrote a BAT that retrieves the logs to a laptop super quick. Tagging is done in Mission Planner. We use Photoscan as we havent been pleased with the accuracy of Pix4D thus far. Its been our experience that if processing over about 200 photos the process goes faster if they are tagged and the software can put them in order before alignment. Im happy to help if you like, the only thing I dont know about is triggering the Canon as we use a Ricoh camera these days.
 
I use GeoSetter Beta and then Agisoft, but very similar workflow. Agisoft seems to stich just about anything you throw at it without complaint, and Pix4D whines incessantly about data quality and yields inferior results.
 
I use GeoSetter Beta and then Agisoft, but very similar workflow. Agisoft seems to stich just about anything you throw at it without complaint, and Pix4D whines incessantly about data quality and yields inferior results.
Good to know! Thanks. Do you use the gopro or another camera?
 
Good to know! Thanks. Do you use the gopro or another camera?
GoPro Hero4B with Peau 3.97 lens, Kolari Vision Full-Spectrum Internal Hot Mirror conversion, and then Kolari Vision Blue NDVI Filter on the 3DR Gimbals.

We were using CHDK modded Canon SX260s but they were nightmares to work with, honestly. Besides, I can survey at 35mph with the gimbal and still keep it at nadir which makes me happy.
 
We have over 100 Solos in use now and have a pretty fast work flow for geotagging photos using the dataflash log. P2P wrote a BAT that retrieves the logs to a laptop super quick. Tagging is done in Mission Planner. We use Photoscan as we havent been pleased with the accuracy of Pix4D thus far. Its been our experience that if processing over about 200 photos the process goes faster if they are tagged and the software can put them in order before alignment. Im happy to help if you like, the only thing I dont know about is triggering the Canon as we use a Ricoh camera these days.
I wrote Wookiee to help folks like yourself. I'm always looking for feedback and enhancement requests. If you get a chance, check it out and see if it helps with your workflow.
Wookiee - Android Apps on Google Play
 
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We have over 100 Solos in use now and have a pretty fast work flow for geotagging photos using the dataflash log. P2P wrote a BAT that retrieves the logs to a laptop super quick. Tagging is done in Mission Planner. We use Photoscan as we havent been pleased with the accuracy of Pix4D thus far. Its been our experience that if processing over about 200 photos the process goes faster if they are tagged and the software can put them in order before alignment. Im happy to help if you like, the only thing I dont know about is triggering the Canon as we use a Ricoh camera these days.
How do you trigger the ricoh? What I would like to do is mount my Rededge on it.
 
We use channel 7 the same as the Mapir cameras, except the settings are slightly different. This goes to a trigger cable from Gentles Limited. Works really nice so far. We designed a mount for the Rededge as we fly them too. It is available from Shapeways. You will need the Bottom Plate, Dampening Buckle and Rededge mount. I use the yellow dampening balls from Peau Productions and the buckle is designed to use a gopro bolt and nut.

BLM UAS Accessories by beisele - Shapeways Shops
 
The Gitup G3 Duo now has the option of adding a GPS puck so you can easily geotag photos. www.gitup.com/home/76-gitup-g3-duo-pro-packing.html

After doing a bit more research, this camera will work really well and it can be triggered with PMW. Plus you can buy it already ready to go with improved optics as a MAPIR 3 camera. It is $100 cheaper to buy the MAPIR ($400) than buying the camera ($129) plus gps module ($29) and send it to to get it retrofitted.
The only thing I am not sure of is if the firmware needs to be modified as this is what the MAPIR 3 has. I am interested in multispectral and am reluctant to put my rededge on the solo with the fear of losing the UAV with it.
 
We use channel 7 the same as the Mapir cameras, except the settings are slightly different. This goes to a trigger cable from Gentles Limited. Works really nice so far. We designed a mount for the Rededge as we fly them too. It is available from Shapeways. You will need the Bottom Plate, Dampening Buckle and Rededge mount. I use the yellow dampening balls from Peau Productions and the buckle is designed to use a gopro bolt and nut.

BLM UAS Accessories by beisele - Shapeways Shops
Is your Solo on v3.0.0? Have you changed to use the Green Cube? Would you be willing to share the "slightly different" settings that have worked with the trigger cable from Gentles Limited? I have a gentWire-FOCUS (21MS Shutter controller), and am trying to trigger an a6000 on a Solo with the black cube, upgraded to Open Solo 3.0.0. Signal wire on pad 19. Power looking good. On initial Solo bootup, the two red LEDs light in quick sequence and the shutter is triggered. Same result near the end of the bootup sequence. After that, none of the settings I have tried in MP have resulted in an actual triggering of the shutter, although using Trigger Camera NOW in MP does show a camera icon on the map at that moment of using that function, suggesting that at least a portion of the overall process is working. But no shutter action. (After many searches I discovered this Facebook thread, however the info appears to be stale.)
 
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