Hey guys,
How can I share the 3D model with the new 3D viewer?
With the old one (sketchfab) You were able to send a direct link to the 3D model.
Now, the only thing I get, is a linkt to the model’s main page (with 2D map, 3D map, plant health, elevation, etc etc…)
How can I share just the 3D model?
Thanks!
Can you export the OBJ?
Thanks for your reply, Michael.
What I meant is to be able to share the 3D viewer to Social media and as a link…
For example, this is a link to the 3D model made before the new 3D viewer:
Note how it instantly loads and shows the 3D model.
https://sketchfab.com/models/890cf04c72bf48098cd5f9bc38d3ed7a
This is the link to the model now:
http://www.dronedeploy.com/app2/data/5b94b2209afaba06650918fc;jwt_token=eyJhbGciOiJIUzUxMiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJ0eXBlIjoiUmVhZE9ubHlQbGFuIiwiaWQiOiI1Yjk0YjIyMDlhZmFiYTA2NjUwOTE4ZmMiLCJleHAiOjI1MzQwMjMwMDc5OX0.kIhAACZxsTjnCx5M6vYxRLNssSABUV13TOz21xVV4rZWBAGx-L33iidws3ZvZgNwpXf2HhG7yj-f_Fulfkodlw
Note how you now first need to click 3D model before you can view the model. Furthermore there is far more info (2D map, plant health, elevation) wich I do not wish to share…
You would have to export the obj file as Michael mentioned and then import it into your own Sketchfab account and share that link from there.
I think that is a huge step backwards… Why not just simply add the ability to share just the 3D model like before?
That means I need to get a Sketchfab subscription as well…
I agree that is a huge step backwards. One of the great things about DroneDeploy is it’s simplicity for the clients to use as well as the drone operator.
Is there anyone who knows how to share/embed just the 3D model the way we could before with sketchfab? With the new Cesium Ion viewer it seems impossible…
The embed code that DD supllies just opens the DD viewer (with all the options) in an Iframe…
Hi @DeNnZ
Thanks for swinging by the DroneDeploy Forum. We are sorry to see that you lost the ability to share your 3D model using Sketchfab directly from the DroneDeploy website. We understand that this is has been frustrating for many customers. The main intention behind the 3D model viewer change is so that we can start developing advanced 3D features that would be more useful for customers and their businesses. These advanced features, if integrated with that Sketchfab link, would not work.
However, as Gary mentioned, you can always export your map as an OBJ file and upload it into your private Sketchfab account. Here is a link on how to do those uploads to Sketchfab: https://help.sketchfab.com/hc/en-us/articles/202508836-How-to-Upload-Model-Files. Hope this sheds light on the reasoning behind the change.
Best,
Kaitlin
Imagine if you could do more with the Model/Point Cloud view than look at it… It’s about 15-clicks to go from DD to SketchFab so I personally feel that it’s worth the wear and tear on my mouse.
@Kaitlin Thank you for your reply.
Unfortunately we do not have a Sketchfab account, because it will get too expensive and we will not be able to provide the service anymore. I personally think that embedding/sharing a 3D model is a basic function I would expect with this service. Please consider the possibility to make this function available again.
@MichaelL, I understand that we do not have the same wishes for what one is able to do with the model. We only use it for realtors to have a 3D model of a property to showcase. As you might understand I was all set with the way it was. We do not have a Sketchfab account, because it will get too expensive. So for us this change has made it so far that we unfortunately have to stop supplying this service.
Totally understand that! Let me do some hunting.
Thanks Kaitlin,
I understand that DD’s decision to switch from the old viewer to our own Sketchfab account/viewer was driven by a need for flexibility in how we (and our clients) may be able to utilize the 3D models in future.
Any chance we’ll see a webinar on 3D models, how they can currently be utilized, and what we might expect to see in the near future? I was recently asked, for example, if GIS shapefiles - such as underground utilities - could be added, and had no idea what the answer might be. (Way beyond my area of expertise.)
Thanks for the clarification, and for DD’s ongoing growth of services and options for us and our clients.
@DeNnZ, How big are the sites that you typically fly? You said real estate, but I wasn’t sure if it was lots/houses or larger properties…
Hi @MichaelL,
It depens, but usually it are multi-million € properties with varying lot size.
This one for example has about 3 Acres:
This awesome restaurant about 5 Acres
This property I mapped almost 18 Acres
http://www.dronedeploy.com/app2/data/5b73d87a55e5757aa890ac88;jwt_token=eyJhbGciOiJIUzUxMiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJ0eXBlIjoiUmVhZE9ubHlQbGFuIiwiaWQiOiI1YjczZDg3YTU1ZTU3NTdhYTg5MGFjODgiLCJleHAiOjI1MzQwMjMwMDc5OX0.A00XnNtpAzLtcDrLEO4vF8upS4HsBODbNM4id_v8ci6vArLImm0DOrjhTtEu6cg8LXjxL4EJUQ7XtLfr54nW8Q
Those are typical sizes, some smaller some larger.
Gotcha. The reason I ask is because you can upload a couple of standard residential lots to Google poly. Anything over that is too big for their 100 megabyte cap.
How big of a model can be exported from DroneDeploy? So far my models have been under 100MB. Can a 250MB .obj model be exported? That would provide reasonable detail on an 80 acres site.
Regards,
Terry.
Thanks for thinking along to find a solution, @MichaelL ! I really appreciate it!
If there is anything that crosses your mind that might help me out, I would gladly hear it 
it’s a hard cap of 100 megabytes, but I have been able to take an export from dronedeploy that was 115. Downside was that I had to decrease the resolution of the texture files. It’s still looked really good though. My work around for right now is to make GIF movies and load them on YouTube.
Thanks for relaying the size limit. Unfortunately that is much too small for the precision agricultural work I am doing with Kevin. This requires over 250MB in order to allow flying a 1-battery mission at 375’ over 80 acres and still recover accurate tree heights.
Do you know if that limit is for the Pro plan, the Business plan or an Enterprise plan? Are they different in your experience?
Regards,
Terry.
I have started a dialog with Autodesk to work on being able to bring our OBJ files into their Viewer platform. Everything works well and there are some great features for interaction with the model, but it is not texturing correctly. Ill report back once we have gotten somewhere.