What common errors did you make when you started surveying and mapping?

[doktorinjh]

We all had to start somewhere and I want to hear some examples of common errors that you made when you first started out in the surveying and mapping industry. I think some of the most common errors are:

1. Overestimating the accuracy of the on-board GPS
2. Not incorporating ground control
3. Not assessing your final product through the use of check shots
4. Not using survey-grade equipment to measure GCPs or check shots
5. Improper GCP layout

Those are just a few major errors that I've seen (or done) when starting in the field. Let me know what other mistakes you've made and how you overcame them!

Thanks!

 

[JulieP4]

Flying to low I had to survey à mine I wanted a lot of stitching with my pictures to increase the quality of my cloud point so I fly at low altitude (90m) and I did not notice that the top of the pit was very high compare to the rest of the site (about 75 m) so I have missing part ont my DEM and cloud point on this area because pictures did not overlap properly because the drone was flying to close to the summit!!
But survey grade is excellent 2 cm in Z in the 600 ha we cover !!
At list something went well

 

[Phil Crossley]

Thanks for posting. I purchased a Phantom 4 adv. with the hope of figuring out how I could use it for research mapping (not legal surveying). Still trying to figure out. My first/main issue: not realizing that some apps (e.g. MapPilot/Maps Made Easy) only work on iOS devices (I purchases a GL300E controller with the built in Android screen). Since I can't afford Drone Deploy or Pix4D, am still working on work arounds to plan mapping flight missions and image stitching (Currently hoping that using DJI FlightPlanner (3rd party) to plan a mission, then export to Litchi Mission Hub, then fly mission with Litchi will work; May have to resort to manually calculating image coverage, overlap, flying elev....).
Ground control is clearly the other main issue. Am experimenting with doing some control with an R1 GNSS (sub-meter) to see if I can improve on the accuracy.....Look forward to others' input!

 

[JulieP4]

You can plan misson for free with Drone Deploy but you will not have access to image processing

 

[doktorinjh]

Picking the right hardware and software is extremely important for obtaining good results. Everything from the right tablet running the correct apps to the right desktop software for processing ground control targets will add up to a good product!

 

[Phil Crossley]

You can plan misson for free with Drone Deploy but you will not have access to image processing

thx. Checking it out now!

 

[FlyingGary]

Thanks for posting. I purchased a Phantom 4 adv. with the hope of figuring out how I could use it for research mapping (not legal surveying). Still trying to figure out. My first/main issue: not realizing that some apps (e.g. MapPilot/Maps Made Easy) only work on iOS devices (I purchases a GL300E controller with the built in Android screen). Since I can't afford Drone Deploy or Pix4D, am still working on work arounds to plan mapping flight missions and image stitching (Currently hoping that using DJI FlightPlanner (3rd party) to plan a mission, then export to Litchi Mission Hub, then fly mission with Litchi will work; May have to resort to manually calculating image coverage, overlap, flying elev....).
Ground control is clearly the other main issue. Am experimenting with doing some control with an R1 GNSS (sub-meter) to see if I can improve on the accuracy.....Look forward to others' input!

DroneDeploy is worth it. If you’re being paid, it makes things much easier and for me, my annual subscription is paid for after 1-5 missions depending on the job and what it’s paying. Although they are putting a lot of new and useful features in the Enterprise Edition, which falls under the category “if you have to ask...”

 

[Bigriver]

Errors? I have made many, including most of the ones mentioned above. Some have been financially costly, others just in time lost.

1. Changing mission type from grid to orbit in P4DCapture during flight, without verifying altitude.
2. Underestimating the effect of tall buildings on an aircraft's GPS positioning.
3. Shooting in partly cloudy conditions. Inconsistent lighting makes for poor looking orthomosaics. Either shoot during all sun, or all overcast.
4. Shooting in auto-focus mode, where camera focuses on ground in one image, and tops of trees or buildings in the next image. Manual Focus at Infinity.
5. Shooting with camera in any auto settings. I use all manual mode now to maintain consistency between shots.
6. Switching the X and Y coordinates when importing GCP coordinates. Quickly realized and easily fixed, but I seem to make this mistake all the time.
7. Reprocessing an orthomosaic at a lower resolution, only to accidentally overwrite and lose the original high resolution orthomosaic.

 

[vgo195]

8. Setting the White Balance to Auto. Big mistake. It should be set to Sunny or Cloudy. Otherwise some of the photos will have different colors.