Best free drone mapping software (plus paid ones!)
To create the all-important aerial maps and models, drone data must be processed and stitched together by software. Calculations, measurements, and other insights are then gathered from these data sets. We have collected and written about the best drone mapping software available in the market today. Let’s jump in!
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best free drone mapping software : DJI Terra
With DJI Terra, you can use any drone, including the Phantom 4 RTK, DJI drone mapping payloads, the P1 and L1, and the X7, for a complete end-to-end drone mapping solution.
Drone mapping data can be analyzed using Terra to automate flight routes, create maps and 3D models, and automate flight routes. As a result of its fast processing abilities, it is extremely popular. In addition to being able to create extremely high-fidelity 3D models, DJI Terra has one of the biggest advantages in this area as well. As a result of combining DJI Terra with the L1, it becomes a complete drone LiDAR solution.
Licenses are available in four categories: Agriculture, Pro, Electricity, and Cluster. Different features and prices are associated with these products. Computer clusters speed up computations by allowing multiple computers to work at the same time.
Esri Site Scan for ArcGIS
AEC professionals will benefit from Esri Site Scan for ArcGIS, a cloud-based data acquisition and processing platform.
Users can use this cloud-based software suite to plan drone flights, manage fleets, process images, and analyze data. Its ability to share data and be used to manage fleet and team management data, coupled with survey data, is a significant asset of Site Scan. The Esri ecosystem includes a variety of software platforms that can be used in conjunction with Site Scan for ArcGIS. For example, ArcGIS Online, ArcGIS Enterprise, and Autodesk BIM 360 support drone mapping.
DroneDeploy
With DroneDeploy, you can use drone mapping software that’s both easy to use and comprehensive. Some of its key features are a 360° virtual walkthrough mode, autonomous flights, and real-time mapping. A number of third-party apps are also compatible with DroneDeploy.
There are three types of licenses available for DroneDeploy: Pro, Business, and Enterprise.
best free drone mapping software: Pix4D
DroneDeploy is a very user-friendly drone mapping and photogrammetry software, similar to Pix4D. Providing a tailored solution is possible due to its vast ecosystem. Pix4Dmapper, for instance, bridges the gap between photogrammetry and CAD; Pix4Dsurvey, for thorough photogrammetry; and Pix4Dmatic, for large-scale photogrammetry. Furthermore, industry-specific applications are available, such as Pix4Dinspect, for industry inspections; Pix4Dfields, for crop analyses; and Pix4Dreact, for emergency situations. Drone mapping solutions can be tailored to specific industry needs, providing great versatility.
Agisoft
Agisoft performs photogrammetric processing of digital images and 3D spatial data generation as a stand-alone software product.
A Standard and Professional version is available. In addition to batch processing, Standard can generate 3D models and point clouds in great detail. The professional package is recommended if you want to process multispectral/thermal data, perform ground control, and generate georeferenced DSM/DTM.
The Agisoft license does not have a time limit, but both come at a price.
Free Drone Mapping Software
There are some options out there that are free of charge, but most drone mapping software comes with a price tag. Nevertheless, professional drone mapping flights are probably best handled with paid software. These are ideal for simple drone mapping missions.
WebODM: OpenDroneMap
GitHub can be used to manually install the OpenDroneMap software WebODM, which is an open-source piece of software. Alternatively, there are paid-for packages that come with installation support. You can use WebODM to generate aerial drone images into maps, point clouds, DEMs, and 3D models.
PrecisionMapper
The PrecisionMapper application was announced as free in 2017 by PrecisionHawk. Two-dimensional and three-dimensional maps can be stitched together with the software tool. You can subscribe to PrecisionMapper for a fee, but free users still have access to plenty of features.
best free drone mapping software: Pix4Dcapture
The Pix4Dcapture mobile app offers professional drone mapping planning, flying, and image collection. There is support for a wide range of DJI, Parrot, and Yuneec drones. Users can upload their images to Pix4Dcloud (which requires a monthly subscription) to create 2D and 3D maps.
Free Trials
While some drone mapping software packages aren’t strictly free, there are some which give you the opportunity to try them before buying a license, such as Pix4D, DroneDeploy, and Agisoft.
We hope now you can easily select the best free drone mapping software as well as the paid ones. We have a number of articles on our website that discuss mapping using drones, and you can read them here. Don’t forget to check them out!
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