Using the Solo for mapping..

Jubalr · Jul 6, 2015

Thought I would post this article. Mapping is one of the uses I have planned for the Solo and already have a local commercial contractor interested. I received the 1st part of my SkyCatch certification and now just need to fly a survey with ground control points as a last test.
Here is how 1 user is mapping with the Solo...http://diydrones.com/profiles/blogs...ld?id=705844:BlogPost:2026836&page=2#comments

Andrew Tarleton · Jul 6, 2015

Thanks for posting this is a very interesting article. Mapping is something I am interested in for the future. I'm so new to this and have a lot to learn. Thanks again for the info

Dunginhawk · Jul 7, 2015

So i am certainly new to all of this.. im very technical, so it wouldnt take time to pick it up.
What is produced from this geotagged map... can someone post an example?

dmassphoto · Jul 7, 2015

Would a GoPro's fisheyed lens be sufficient for such a task?

Jubalr · Jul 7, 2015

Dunginhawk said:
So i am certainly new to all of this.. im very technical, so it wouldnt take time to pick it up.
What is produced from this geotagged map... can someone post an example?

Here are some examples from users using Pix4D...https://pix4d.com/applications/

Jubalr · Jul 7, 2015

dmassphoto said:
Would a GoPro's fisheyed lens be sufficient for such a task?

Looks like it. I appears that with a 70% or more overlap, the stitching process removes/negates the fisheye effect.

MillsapsPE · Jul 8, 2015

I've done a number of mapping runs with my P2v2 with GoPro 4 with good results. It is difficult to set the overlap exactly using the iPad, so I end up with more than needed overlap.

I have several examples on a public Sugarsync folder. This folder should be open to anyone and hopefully Sugarsync doesn't make you have an account. Let me know if you have problems accessing it. WARNING: many of the files are large.
https://app.sugarsync.com/wf/D7586619_756_6689621845
Everything but the Johnson City location were done with P2v2 w/ GoPro 4. The Johnson City location was completed with Event38 E384 plane due to the large size (280 acres).

I look forward to using the Solo for mapping the smaller sites since it will be easier to geotag the GoPro photos. I never geotagged the GoPro photos from P2v2 and it took a really LONG time for Agisoft Photoscan Pro to align the photos.

In case anyone is wondering, everything I've done so far has been for testing purposes (and it's fun). I'm going to start the Section 333 exemption paperwork next week. Don't even get me started on the legitimacy of that program. Let's just say I'm a fan of Peter Sachs.

Jubalr · Jul 8, 2015

As a Law Enforcement Officer who works regularly with Federal Agencies I too am a fan of Peter's as he is very good a reading the letter of the law and how it is applied. Don't want to get into the debate of legitimacy (or lack thereof) of the FAA in these areas as it has been extensively covered in most all forums already. I will just say that Peter is correct in that the average weekend flyer shooting real estate photos or other popular applications would first receive a multitude of letters from the FAA before any attempt at 'criminal' enforcement or fines. It's also a #s game..

MillsapsPE · Jul 8, 2015

I agree it has been hashed out already. My issue is that regardless of what I think, all that matters is what my clients think. We do work for very large companies and all they go by is what the FAA says. They don't dive any deeper. So, if the FAA says a Section 333 exemption is required to do commercial work, then that is what my clients will/are require before they will hire me/ my company. The work is there. I have enough potential work to justify spending $4-5k on getting a sports pilots license. I've always wanted to fly anyway.

Jubalr · Jul 8, 2015

MillsapsPE said:
I agree it has been hashed out already. My issue is that regardless of what I think, all that matters is what my clients think. We do work for very large companies and all they go by is what the FAA says. They don't dive any deeper. So, if the FAA says a Section 333 exemption is required to do commercial work, then that is what my clients will/are require before they will hire me/ my company. The work is there. I have enough potential work to justify spending $4-5k on getting a sports pilots license. I've always wanted to fly anyway.

I understand your situation and how it will put some of your client at ease. I already have a pilots license, but haven't looked in to the 333 at all. Is there a lot involved?

MillsapsPE · Jul 8, 2015

Jubalr said:
I understand your situation and how it will put some of your client at ease. I already have a pilots license, but haven't looked in to the 333 at all. Is there a lot involved?

I downloaded a number of 333 exemption approvals from the FAA's website. Many of the applications were submitted by the individuals themselves. Aside from the letterhead, you can certainly tell which ones were completed by lawyers. Anyway, I plan on pulling the relevant information from those to create my own. I hope to start this by the end of this week.

It looks like you need to include every UAV you plan to fly and what types of projects (agriculture, mining, real estate, etc) you plan to perform now or in the future. The FAA recently said if you already have a 333 exemption in hand, you can do any type of commercial work you want as long as it is below 200' AGL and >5 miles from airport without additional approvals from FAA.

The silver lining of the FAA requiring a 333 exemption and pilot's license is that from a business standpoint, it helps separate me (w/ 333) from any Joe pilot. That is another reason I bought the Solo, it doesn't look like a Phantom. Almost everyone recognizes the Phantom (thanks to the many idiots who have done stupid things).

Getting back on topic, I can't wait until my April PRE-ordered Solo actually gets here so I can start testing it for mapping projects.

rrmccabe · Jul 8, 2015

I would be interested in this if someone could cut through the BS. The site was hard to follow last time I looked at it and I had more important things to work on.

ALLA · Jul 8, 2015

rrmccabe said:
I would be interested in this if someone could cut through the BS. The site was hard to follow last time I looked at it and I had more important things to work on.

+1

MillsapsPE · Jul 21, 2015

Update: I submitted my Section 333 exemption yesterday. The countdown has started.

Rich · Jul 21, 2015

Keep us informed, can perhaps what can you share?

MillsapsPE · Jul 22, 2015

@Rich, I sent you a PM with link to Word file.

Jubalr · Jul 22, 2015

MillsapsPE said:
Update: I submitted my Section 333 exemption yesterday. The countdown has started.

Sent mine a little over a week ago. FAA says they are about 60 days backlogged. Was only 2 weeks a few months ago..

MillsapsPE · Jul 22, 2015

From looking at the approvals, it looks like an 8-10 week review time is normal. I just hope I'm "normal" and not "abnormal".

aggravated... · Jul 22, 2015

@Rich, I sent you a PM with link to Word file.

MillsapsPE, can you share that with me please. Very interested in doing this long term and would like to be a legal eagle. Once they come out with the new rules next year I doubt those doing small low altitude jobs will be required to get a sport license. I could be wrong but that is overkill if all you are not going over 100' foot in altitude or no farther than 100 to 200 feet out.