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Messages - orellius

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1
General / Re: Tips for improving orthophoto from drone imagery
« on: March 25, 2021, 04:51:15 PM »
I use Sparse Cloud when i generate the DEM for the Ortophoto. genretates less (almost none) )artifacts in the photo.
My goal is alway to have 80% forvard fligt overlap and between 65-75% side overlap. at volymetric flights I fly crossgrid and at 5m/sek @ 120meter (150) height, and that will result in 90/90% overlap. But is werry unesseserry.

When I generate Dense Cloud i always use MILD filtering. too mutch of the details is removed for me.

If you give me an not to big set I can see what i can generate for you, and see what parameter to use.

Thanks for the tips. I forgot about the depth filtering, I've had it set to aggressive for so many years due to multiple drone manufacturer's recommendations, but that's for typical surveys like gravel pits. The filtering is probably too aggressive and removing all the fine details of the gas plant site. I'm going to try re-processing it overnight with your suggestions and see what it looks like. I'll see the results tomorrow.

2
General / Re: Tips for improving orthophoto from drone imagery
« on: March 24, 2021, 09:50:57 PM »
Further, is it my dense cloud and my computer's capabilities that are causing the issue? Like I usually generate medium dense cloud due to RAM/resources on my laptop. See another screenshot below of the point cloud, DEM, and resulting ortho on this particular dataset.

My current work laptop is a HP Zbook 17 G2 w/ Quadro K51000M graphics, 32 GB RAM. If I try processing drone flights on high dense cloud setting I typically don't have enough memory, or it will take way too long.

I have a new laptop already ordered, is coming in a few weeks. HP Zbook 17 G7 Fury w/ Quadro RTX5000 graphics, 64 GB RAM. Perhaps if I can create a denser cloud the resulting DEM/ortho will be better?

3
General / Tips for improving orthophoto from drone imagery
« on: March 24, 2021, 09:09:29 PM »
Hello,

I've been using Metashape about 6 years now. I fly multiple commercial drones, typically RTK/PPK capable systems with high accuracy positioning. I typically do surveys with it, so it's point clouds exported and deliverables extracted in Global Mapper.

Typically the quality of the orthophoto is not that important, so little oddities in the ortho are not an issue. Meaning objects/structures on site, like buildings and such don't have to look perfect, it's all about the accuracy of the elevations in the ground/terrain, nothing to do with structures.

I've done a few flights over complex sites, like small natural gas plants for example. I get all sorts of artifacts/oddities in the resulting orthophoto where all the details are, like pipe networks and cable trays and building/structures. I am just looking to improve on it. Hoping to get tips on how to process it to get a cleaner looking image.

Notes:
  • Camera - Sony RX1 RII 42mp
  • PPK positions on photos - position accuracy set to 0.015m in Metashape
  • flown @ 61m/200ft with 80/70 overlap, with cross-grid so I have images perpendicular to standard grid as well. Generally I found this improves the results but still get some issues
  • Metashape batch settings:
  • Align photos - high, reference/generic pre-selection on, Key point limit 100k, tie point limit 40k, both those values are drone manufacturer recommendations, adaptive camera model  fitting enabled
  • Optimize - everything selected except additional corrections, camera model fitting enabled
  • Dense Cloud - medium, aggressive
  • DEM - from dense cloud
  • Ortho - from DEM, Mosaic blending mode, refine seamlines = no, ghosting filter = no
  • I have experimented with the refine seamlines and ghosting filter enabled but still see similar results
  • I have tried filtering the dense cloud to ground points only, then re-generate DEM and ortho from ground points, but the result is always worse, some detailed areas may look cleaner, but other areas there will be large splits in the ortho, like not missing info, just perhaps a vehicle is split in half and offset from the other half, so it's not a vehicle anymore, or a building split in half, hard to explain. Doesn't seem like filtering to ground points helps the DEM/Ortho generation much

I am not an expert with advance processing in the software, mostly over the years just using standard settings advised by drone manufacturers, automating the processing with batch files and just exporting the point cloud and ortho for volumes. So perhaps some of the settings above could be changed? Just looking for tips to create better orthophotos of detailed sites like this.

I feel like it is the DEM/point cloud causing the issues in the ortho image, but don't know how to fix it. I should have way more than enough overlapping images to create a clean looking result.

See attached screenshots, look at the pipe and building edges.

Thanks a bunch!
 :)

4
General / Re: Import markers/reference - degrees format options
« on: November 08, 2019, 08:52:52 PM »
Hello orellius,

I suggest to use degrees,minutes,seconds marks in the CSV file (like in my example above) or "colon" delimiter:
Code: [Select]
IMG00001.jpg,19°39'59.99"E,60° 20'0.05"N,100.073997or
Code: [Select]
IMG00002.jpg,19:39:59.99E,60:20:0.05N,100.073997

Sorry I assumed that was just a photo of what DMS looks like for formatting, not that you actually were suggesting to insert the degrees symbol, minutes and seconds into the values. That will work but is not ideal, the way it comes out of at least this survey software (Topcon Magnet Field) is in the format I showed, there is no option to have the symbols inserted into the spaces, or colons. I'm guessing that most field survey software are like this, typically limited delimiter options.

It's good though I know in the future that it can actually be done, if the customer I need to support can't provide me with decimal degrees then they have to provide a properly formatted file like you show, or I will have to manually insert the formatting myself. Not ideal but I guess it's a solution, now that I know it can actually take in a DMS formatted coordinate.

I do have options of converting their coordinates via office software, this was more of a inquiry just to see if Metashape can do it and avoid some other manual work.

Thanks!

5
General / Re: Import markers/reference - degrees format options
« on: November 07, 2019, 10:46:36 PM »
Hello orellius,

I think that the coordinate information input from CSV in the following format should work in the latest Metashape version:
Code: [Select]
IMG00001.jpg     19°39'59.99"E     60° 20'0.05"N     100.073997
Let me know, if you have a problems with the import in such format (in such case the example of the input lines would be helpful).

Hello and thanks for the quick reply. See my screenshot, hopefully it explains all.

I have tried it and it doesnt seem to work, I've tinkered around with the import options and it just comes in as ddd.0000 (degrees with zeros trailing). Likely due to the lack of ability to tell the import phase that it is a "degrees space minutes space seconds comma". I can choose tab or space or comma delimited only. The source file is a TXT file.

6
General / Import markers/reference - degrees format options
« on: November 07, 2019, 08:08:13 PM »
Hello,

Been using Metashape for years, have always wondered this. Is there any way to import GCPs or reference as a CSV/TXT file that is formatted in say Degrees Minutes Seconds (DMS) (dd mm ss.sss, or dd.mmsssss)?

Currently it seems there is only a way to import as Decimal Degrees (dd.ddddddd).

Just looking to be able to import different formats, I have to support customers who provide survey coordinates from varying field survey software brands, not everyone can easily figure out how to get decimal degrees. Pain in the butt sometimes.

Thanks in advance!

7
General / Re: [resolved] Orthophoto export Google Earth KMZ red X
« on: December 04, 2018, 01:55:21 AM »
See up top, I just resolved this myself by updating Google Earth, now the ortho loads in just fine.

8
General / Re: Orthophoto export Google Earth KMZ red X
« on: December 04, 2018, 01:41:34 AM »
Yes thanks, I will send it ASAP. 100 MB file but ill use our company's file sharing service and send a link, referencing this forum post.

9
General / [resolved] Orthophoto export Google Earth KMZ red X
« on: December 03, 2018, 10:47:26 PM »
EDIT: I've resolved this myself just by updating to the latest version of Google Earth Pro. Mine was a version from July 23, 2018. Now I am on October 31, 2018.

I've done my own internets searching and even on this forum, I know there are some posts about it before but none seem to help me at all.

I process UAV survey flights and export ortho in KMZ. If I open in Google Earth it's just a red X. This never used to be the case, it always worked for me, but I've had this issue for a little while and have no idea with what version upgrade it broke and stopped working.

I do not believe it has anything to do with my PC hardware limitations, and also nothing to do with the actual dimensions or size of the KMZ file. When this WAS working, I was able to successfully load KMZ files in that were 100 MB, 1 GB, and even more. Yes, larger ones might take a bit to load but they always worked. Now, I can't get any of them to work.

I've taken suggestions that I've found online and have had no luck. The file I'm trying to open today is only 100 MB. But I've also drawn in a polygon boundary and shrunk the area to a very small region 5 MB file, and no luck. I've tried exporting the entire region but changing the pixel density to 10cm (down from 1.5 cm) and still get a red X. Essentially no matter what actual boundary dimensions, file size, or pixel density, I get a red X.

I've also tried turning off the "save network links" and some of the layers in the KMZ file itself, as suggested online and on this forum, and no luck. What am I missing? I used to be able to provide KMZ files to all my clients, now I cannot.

thanks for any help

10
General / New 1.4.0 datum transformation options help
« on: February 02, 2018, 07:30:49 AM »
Hello,

I've spent many hours troubleshooting what the heck is going on, I was about to report this as a bug but it might not be so I came here. Might be a new feature, that is just going to bug me!

To start with, I'm no Geomatics Engineer, but I've been working for various geomatics/survey equipment resellers for almost 15 years so have a pretty good understanding, just looking for help.

Been using Photoscan Pro a few years. Ever since before 1.4.0 I could either generate a DEM/ortho in UTM or 3TM inside Agisoft, and view it there, and do GCP checks,  fly my mouse over the ortho and check coordinates/elevations, etc. Then I could export in UTM/3TM and import to other software and everything was just as accurate as it was in Photoscan.

I could also generate DEM/Ortho in WGS84, and at the export stage choose UTM/3TM, and again have no issues importing to other software and it still being in the right place.

Now in the newest build of 1.4.0, I can no longer generate it inside photoscan, in just for this one example, NAD83(CSRS) 12N (EPSG 2956). If I do so, all the data is shifted by up to a meter in XYZ. See screenshot included showing the difference in GCP checkshots compared to the surveyed coordinates. It shows the difference table as well, which is consistent across the board.  Notice though the accuracy Photoscan is reporting for my checkshots and photos, which is good. This has worked fine for years, now it doesnt. If I export this same data in Photoscan 1.3.5 my data is accurate.

I've narrowed it down to something relating to the new export options for datum transformation, but I dont know enough about that part to know what is actually happening. The problem I see is I figured out how to actually export the data properly (only if I generate it in WGS84, then export it). I have to choose an advanced export option (see screenshot). It is defaulting to EPSG:1946 at export which has a shift/rotation. If I choose "none" if gives an error. If I choose EPSG:1842 it has zero shift/rotation and my data is good. This advanced button didnt exist before, now it does and it defaults to something I don't want. On top of that, It seems to be defaulting to this if you generate your data in EPSG:2956 in the software, so it's shifted and rotated in the viewer...so I'm forced to view it in WGS84, then export it elsewhere.

 
  • Problem 1 is why does generating in EPSG:2956 (and maybe others?) for viewing INSIDE Photoscan have a new shift/rotation that it did not have before, and how do I stop it from doing that?
  • Problem 2 is why is this new version now defaulting to this option at the export phase when going from WGS84 to grid?

It's like my goto option is totally broken now, and my backup plan to do in WGS84 then export elsewhere has an option defaulted that I don't want. Kinda sucks!

Again keep in mind I don't fully understand the new EPSG codes at the export datum transformation option. Honestly it took me hours just to see the new button was there...I hope this is unintentional and will be addressed. I think it should default to what it was before, leave the advanced options for those who want to play with them! 

11
General / Re: Reducing file size of Orthomosaics
« on: January 05, 2018, 12:31:04 AM »
Sorry reviving this old topic. I've searched around and can't find answer. There's multiple mentions on Agisoft forums of people recommending ECW format for smaller size orthomosaics. But I can't for the life of me find how to export one in that format, PhotoScan doesn't seem to support the file at export stage.

Is this even a feature or are people using some other software to convert to ECW?

12
General / Re: Large GeoTIFF hangs Windows Explorer
« on: January 04, 2018, 09:42:57 PM »
You sir, are the G.O.A.T.! Even though you did not solve the problem, you lead me right to it. I tried the thumbnail settings and that wasn't it. It made me think though, I had Windows Explorer set to have the "details pane" open, so on the right side you see a preview of items selected. Just simply touching a GeoTIFF freezes it. If i turn off details pane, I can do whatever the hell I want with them with no freezing.

As I mentioned this plagued me for years. For a while I had the issue. Then it went away for a while. Then it came back. Went away, came back, lol. It's because I had the details pane on for a time, then off, then on. haha

Cheers!  :D


13
General / Large GeoTIFF hangs Windows Explorer [solved]
« on: January 04, 2018, 08:06:24 PM »
Hello,

I've been having this issue for a couple years and never found a solution. I've scoured the interwebs on several occasions and did find a bunch of people having the same issues, with TIFF files, but all of them are old cases and only involve people on Windows Vista and Windows 7, for which Microsoft released a patch, but that does not affect Windows 10.

I'm certain some of you have seen this so I'm hopeful someone has a suggestion.

Agisoft Photoscan Professional + Windows 10 x64
HP Zbook 17 G2 | 32 GB RAM | Core i7 | SSD drive(s) | Quadro K5100M GPU

Large GeoTIFF files tend to hang/freeze Windows explorer. Like if you browse to a folder with TIFF images, just simply clicking your mouse (single click) to select the TIFF, it hangs Explorer, becomes unresponsive for quite a while. Trying to select a group of them with dragging a box around them, hangs explorer. Trying to drag them to another location, say to copy them somewhere else, hangs explorer, basically ANY interaction with it hangs explorer.

By "large" TIFF files I mean under 4 GB, I use the auto-split in Agisoft at the export stage and it breaks them down in to sections of varying sizes, typically 500 MB to 2 GB because Windows does not like greater than 4.5 GB TIFF. Well it seems to not like smaller ones either. These are orthomosaics from UAV mapping.

I'm actually thinking this is a main reason I have lag issues scrolling in/out in Global Mapper software, which I am currently evaluating before purchase. Loading these same TIFF images into that software provides a non-smooth experience when zooming in and out. Might be associated with how Windows is dealing with the files in the background. Internet research points to paging file settings (which I've tried), how Windows is allocating memory when interacting with the files. But all of this is relating to Windows Vista, and no patch or user cases I found of people discussing Windows 10.

Any thoughts?

Thanks in advance!

14
Bug Reports / Re: Photoscan 1.3.3 & 1.3.4 problems
« on: December 08, 2017, 07:23:55 AM »
In the meantime a download link to v1.3.2 might help, I don't seem to have mine now and it worked fine before these versions.

15
Bug Reports / Photoscan 1.3.3 & 1.3.4 problems
« on: December 08, 2017, 07:23:06 AM »
Ok I'm 90% sure these problems did NOT exist in 1.3.2, but only in 1.3.4 and 1.3.3. However, unfortunately, I deleted my 1.3.2 installer and I can't find a replacement that isn't a torrent hack or something that I don't trust, so I can't downgrade and go back and check.

I ran 1.3.2 for a long time because when I installed a newer version I ran into this issue where I process the photos (align) and point cloud in WGS84, then process the ortho/DEM in UTM/3TM (UAV data) and I can't zoom in on or even view the ortho or DEM. I can double click the point cloud, zoom, pivot, fly around, no issues. But the DEM or Ortho if I double click, nothing is there on the display. If I double click the DEM and the screen is blank, also so is the menu bar, it literally disappears. Screenshot attached. I highlighted in the screenshot the totally blank toolbar. I tried re-processing the DEM/ortho in WGS84 and it's still blank. So I don't think it's a UTM/CSRS projection issue. I think it's a version issue.

It's funny because the toolbar completely goes blank, only if I double click a DEM or ortho. At that point the software is unresponsive totally to mouse scrolling (zooming) and clicking on the toolbar, the only thing to bring back software response and the visible toolbar is to double click back on the dense cloud, then I have full zoom/pivot and the tool bar. Other than that the software is unresponsive.

I also investigated the forums and searched, and found some topics that somewhat resembled my issue (though not exactly the problem) and the solution was to update drivers or run the "-- opengl angle" on the exe and that didn't seem to help. Drivers are updated, etc.

I know for a fact that I tested this before. I have 2 hard drives on my laptop, 2 separate installs of Windows 10. One was running v1.3.2, other was upgraded to 1.3.4. If I opened the same project in 1.3.2, no issues. If i opened in 1.3.4 on other hard drive, I could not see or zoom on the ortho or DEM. I had since, and some point, upgraded to 1.3.3, and now I dont have 1.3.2 to test, and still have the same issues. For a few months I was avoiding updating due to the issue I saw. But now we've sold some more UAVs and have customers downloading trial Photoscan software and I'm still having issues. So are they.

I am the pilot and demo person for a large UAV reseller and soon to be Photoscan reseller, hoping for a fix soon. I had zero issues for almost 3 years, now the software is unusable. 

Hardware:
HP Zbook 17 G2
32 GB RAM
512 GB Samsung SSD
i7 CPU
Quadro K5100M GPU

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