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Polycam Web
Polycam allows you to create detailed 3D models from drone footage using Photogrammetry mode. Uploading images and videos through Polycam’s website offers several advantages, such as handling larger files more efficiently.
Best Practices for Drone Photogrammetry
Before uploading your drone footage, capturing the images properly for optimal 3D reconstruction is essential. Follow these best practices:
- Optimize Camera Settings: Set your camera to manual mode and adjust the aperture, ISO, and shutter speed to maintain consistent exposure and image quality. Avoid automatic exposure, as it can cause inconsistent results.
- Overlap and Sidelap: Ensure there’s enough overlap (70-80%) and sidelap (30-40%) between consecutive images.
- Consistent Flight Altitude: Use a flight planning tool to maintain a consistent altitude during the entire capture process. This ensures uniform ground resolution across all images and prevents jumps or bumps in the capture.
- Check Weather Conditions: Ensure that weather conditions are optimal—avoid strong winds, rain, or poor visibility to prevent instability in the drone and compromised image quality.
How to Upload Drone Images to Polycam Web
Once you have captured the drone footage, you can upload the images to Polycam’s web platform:
1. Log into Polycam Web: Go to Polycam’s website and sign in to your account.
2. Navigate to the Tools drop-down: Select Drone Photogrammetry in the Tools section on the right-hand side of the page.
3. On the Drone photogrammetry page, click Create 3D Drone Scan
4. Upload Your Images: Within the Create Photogrammetry Model window, select or drag and drop your drone images or video into the upload box. The following are files that are currently supported:
- For images: You need a minimum of 20 and a maximum of 1000 images in PNG or JPG formats.
- For videos: You need a minimum length of 15 seconds and a maximum of 30 minutes (or 16GB). Accepted formats include MP4, MOV, AVI, and M4V.
5. Start the Upload: Click Upload, and the files will begin uploading and processing on Polycam’s cloud servers. Larger models may take longer, depending on file size and internet speed.
Processing Settings
Polycam will process the images or video. Depending on the number of files and their size, processing may take a few minutes to an hour.
- Isolate object from environment: Enable this option if you have flipped or rotated your object while capturing to help the system identify the object while scanning.
- Sequential: Enable this option if your uploaded images are in order to help with the capture process.
- Smart Keyframing: Enable this optionif you move the camera quickly or unevenly while capturing