Is Photoscan the correct tool for production volumetric calcs

[dpitman]

I am using the demo version of Pro in order to evaluate whether it is a good fit for processing stock piles.  I followed the tutorial which worked ok.  But it seems like a lot of steps to isolate and measure piles when there are a lot of them.

Is it true that each pile must be isolated, holes closed and then it can be measured?  Is there a better workflow when dozens of piles need measured?

Thank you.

[cadm8]

No not the right software. Try global mapper instead, a whole Lotta different things needed for that kind of processing.

[dpitman]

Thanks for the input.  I was hoping I was missing something in Photoscan.  Pix4d can do this pretty easily but of course is 2x+ the price. 

[TXPE]

Global Mapper is only $500 and then you'll be able to do much more than Pix4D.

[Alexey Pasumansky]

Hello dpitman,

PhotoScan Pro can perform basic measurements, that include volume measurement based on the DEM - you can draw a polygonal shape in the Ortho view, right click on it, choose Measure option and switch to Volume tab. There currently you can choose between three options of the base plane: mean level, custom level and best fit.

You have used mesh-based volume calculation and that procedure is more complicated that measurements on DEM.

[dpitman]

Global Mapper is only $500 and then you'll be able to do much more than Pix4D.

Global Mapper would still require an additional SFM application, correct?

Hello dpitman,

PhotoScan Pro can perform basic measurements, that include volume measurement based on the DEM - you can draw a polygonal shape in the Ortho view, right click on it, choose Measure option and switch to Volume tab. There currently you can choose between three options of the base plane: mean level, custom level and best fit.

You have used mesh-based volume calculation and that procedure is more complicated that measurements on DEM.

I was just following the tutorial.  Is there a documented workflow for the DEM approach?

[Alexey Pasumansky]

Hello dpitman,

You can check pages 54-56 in PhotoScan Pro manual:
http://www.agisoft.com/pdf/photoscan-pro_1_3_en.pdf
Also here's a link to a brief instruction for DEM-based measurements:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/aemlfzw9nqxswne/PS_1.2_Tutorial%20%28Intermediate%20level%29%20-%20Measurements%20%28DEM%29.pdf?dl=0

As for Global Mapper - you can use it with any DEM, irrespective to the application you've got it from. There's a free trial that you can check. Also you can consider using Q-GIS (free application) for similar kind of analysis.

[dpitman]

Thank you, Alexey.

I think I remember that generating a DEM with the demo version is not possible.  Is that correct or I am mistaken?