Offline Maps

#1

Hi, I am a professional fine art photographer looking for a solution like Dronedeploy that will allow me to use my iOS device and a P4P to shoot overlapping nadir photographs in remote desert areas with no internet connection. I need to be able to create these missions on site as I will be in a 4WD /camping situation with no base camp for internet. To do this I believe I need an app that is able to access high resolution satellite maps of about 100,000 square miles so I am free to roam and recce locations before creating and executing a mission.

Can DroneDeploy do this? If so can anyone point me to an article or link that will get me started?

Thanks for your help.

#2

Hi @thinkpic,

I suggest taking a look at our Flying Offline support page to learn how you can plan a mission ahead of time.

Cheers,
Christina

#3

Thanks Christina for your helpful suggestion but I had already read the section you pointed me to. The problem is I will not be able to plan missions ahead of time where I have an internet connection. We will be out in the Australian desert hundreds of miles away from any internet connection. Using previously viewed google maps as a reference to take us to a promising general area we will then make a series of reconnaissance flights with DJI GO4 to see what the country actually looks like at that time from the air. When we spot an area we think will make a great piece of art I want to be able to immediately develop and execute a mission to take about 100 photos that will later be stitched together into a super high resolution photo. Flying these reconnaissance missions and then returning hundreds of miles to an internet connection to plan the mission before returning to fly it is not an option. This is why I am looking for a way to access large pre-saved maps while offline.

What I am wondering is if there is any way to do this with DroneDeploy. If it is not a feature currently available is there anyone you might be able to point me towards who could help me develop a work-around?

#4

If you have Apple devices, you could try using DJI’s Ground Station Pro software to fly your missions and take pictures. I have never used this App (all Android here and GS Pro does not run on Android), but you could look into this option.

Regards,
Terry.

#5

Thanks but I have the same issue with Ground Station Pro, Map Pilot for DJI and Drone Deploy all of which I have used but none of which have an offline basemap solution that I can find (though Map Pilot may - but the article I found was so technical you’d need a degree in cartography just to read it)

#6

Hi @thinkpic,

The feature you’re asking about is not available at this time. The best option was the article I pointed you to. :confused: Hopefully another user can share something that has worked for them.

Cheers,
Christina

#7

Hi,

An option is to work with a mixture of GIS and DroneDeploy or GSP with import kml/shape file function enabled. You can download aerial photographs of your target area into GIS and use gps to determine your position, which gives you an idea where you are within the GIS environment. Draw a shape file of your target area in the GIS and export the file to Drone deploy/GSP.
You won’t have a background aerial ion your mission but being in a desert you’d probably won’t need it either.
I’m not sure if you can buffer aerial data in google earth, if it does you could use it as an alternative to GIS.

#8

Thanks for chiming in @t.kahlert!

#9

Hi Thornsten, Thanks so much for your thoughtful suggestion. I am sorry it has taken so long for me to get back to you with this but I have been away. You seem to have your head around this properly but I must say I am new to this and though I have done some research into GIS software and the ability of google earth pro to buffer data (which I think it can do from my limited understanding of what I have read) I am not really able to follow your suggestion very well. Is there any chance of teeing up a Skype together so that I can get my head around it better? I live in Sydney Australia but would be happy to Skype at any time that suited you. my personal email is mail@thinkingpictures.com.au. You can see some of my work at www.thinkingpictures.com.au

#10

Hi,
I am more than happy to help. I wrote the whole thing very quickly so it may be a little bit confusing. I would be happy to walk you through this in a few days time as I’ll be a bit busy at work the first half of this week. I will add you to my Skype and we can stay in contact through that channel.

#11

Hi, just checking in to see if we can find a time for Skype. I will try and be as flexible as possible.

#13

Hi, I am leaving for my trip next week and am still having issues with offline mapping. Any chance of Skyping with you ASAP?