Aerial Media NDVI Not Compatable?

Data Processing - Discussion and Q&A
1

Hello,

Trying to get into precision Ag, I bought the advertised NDVI camera from Aerial Media Pros. They indicate their system is compatable with Drone Deploy but that may not be the case.

I ran two test runs using the NDVI camera. Both loaded into Drone Deploy BUT after looking at two different maps was shocked. Everything was backwards. Areas with heavy vegetative index were solid red as if bone dry and areas with no vegetative index were solid green. For example, the bone dry county road is lush green. furthermore, the mapping shows false shadows which means the data is useless. This makes either the report map generated by Drone Deploy OR the camera sold by Aerial Media Pros and their system useless.

Now the problem is, what is a user to do?

I called aerial media pros who inform me that the camera they sell is NOW a red NIR camera and used to be a blue NIR camera. They indicate they informed Drone Deploy but state Drone Deploy has not updated their Algorithms.

This is hardware blaming software. So I think it would be fair to get Drone Deploy’s take on this.

Drone Deploy…can you help me? If this is a hardware issue do I need to return the camera before my 30 days. If they are right and this is algorithm, then please tell me when can I effectively test the NDVI camera?

Thanks in advance.

Arvada

2

We have had the same issue and have spoken with DroneDeploy in length about this problem. They informed me that they have a meeting with Aerial Media Pros and the actual manufacturer of the lens itself to assist in working this problem out. I actually just spoke with one of DD’s reps earlier today and he said that this issue (which is a pretty big one) is literally #1 on the priority list for their engineering team.

Not sure if this helps at all but just an FYI.

3

Aerial Media has not helped the matter by being somewhat vague in the filter modifications. Is their NDVI camera just NIR or is it RGNIR or is it something else like R+NIR. Do you know?

4

The lens is R+NIR. This is the lens that Aerial Media Pros use in the conversion :

Hope this helps,

  • Mike
5

Just scroll down the page until you get to the NDVI filter section.

6

Hi @Arvada and @mfinn1223 thanks for your patience on this- it’s very high priority for us to get this figured out. We’ll post updates on this thread as well as on our individual communications.

Best,
Neema

7

In the meantime, use Maps Made Easy. Check out their app also, much more stable.

8

Hi Everyone- we’ve followed up with our engineering team, and this should be resolved Tuesday afternoon. We apologize for the inconvenience.

Best,

Neema

9

So Tuesday is the magic day? I have this new ndvi camera. Can I still collect data and expect the processing to be different after Tuesday?

10

Yes, that will work @Justin_Garcia - you may see the band reversal prior to tomorrow afternoon.

11

Thank you. I have a few missions processing now. Will they have to be re-processed or will DD recognize them and make the band reversal. Thanks again.

12

Well,

Tuesday has come and gone and the maps I have loaded are no different. Did I miss something?

Arvada

13

DataMapper uses R+G+NIR or B+G+NIR. Do you know why Drone Deploy and Aerial Media Pros just do R+NIR?

14

Same here…waiting patiently.

15

I still haven’t heard that they have fixed this. Any contact?

16

Hi Everyone- thanks for your patience. Please click on the histogram of the Plant Health layer to expand it, and use this combination of filter and algorithm with the AMP camera:

17

Thanks neema,

Looks like the filters for the Mapir camera (NRG) are still reversed. Are they working on that as well?

18

i dont have an “RGN” filter type option…

19

You’re right. I meant NRG.

20

RGN and NDVI are not giving me the results I am supposed to see.

RGN with Vari does, why not NDVI?

Arvada