This article will cover the basic mission planning mode, “Map Capture” on the Skydio X10. For the best results, please follow the settings recommendations listed below.
As a reminder, Propeller only supports the V300-L and the V100L sensors.
- To begin, power on the remote and the drone.
- Make sure your RTK attachment is installed and secure (Detailed RTK settings)
- Tap “Continue with PPK”
- Tap Switch Mode and select “3D Scan”. (A menu will pop out from the right side, displaying available Flight Modes).
- Tap "Fly Now" to enter the planning menu
- Tap the “Map Capture” Mode from the start screen
- Name your scan (optional)
- Set Boundary Points
- Review or Edit Scan (Note that you will need to come back to "Scan Settings", Step 4 to make any changes to your mission).
- Configure Mission Settings via the icons on the side bar.
If you are flying for photogrammetry, ensure the "Thermal Camera" settings are disabled.
Recommended mission and camera settings are as follows:
| Drone Setting | Set to | Question to Ask Yourself | Reason |
| Drone / Camera | Wide | ||
| Collection Type | Map Capture | Do I want to collect standard NADIR mapping data. | Skydio also offerers more adanced flight modes for 3D scanning - but for precision mapping "Map Capture" is the best collection mode |
| Route Altitude | 250ft | How high should I fly relative to the takeoff point? | 250 feet will produce the most consistent and accurate data |
| Speed | 1.1 - 11.2 mph (0.5 - 5 m/s) | Do I need to slow my mission down? | The X10 has a electronic shutter. Slowing down the mission can improve image capture and data quality |
| Side and Front Overlap Ratio | 75%/75% | How much should each of the images overlap each other? | This provides enough overlap for if some images are missing or poor quality, while still building a contiguous model. The lower the detail on the surface below, the higher your overlap should be. If you have a large area to survery, you can look at reducing the horizontal overlap (no lower than 60%) to increase the area you can cover per battery. |
| Advanced | Set to | Question to Ask Yourself | Reason |
| Perimeter | Disabled | N/A | Not supported (and not needed to improve data) |
| Diagonal | Disabled | N/A | |
| Stop for Photo | Disabled | N/A | Stop for photo will signifigantly limit the area the drone can cover with a single battery. As long as the suggested speed is set - we are able to achieve 3-7cm with this mode disabled |
| Custom Flight Direction | Disabled | N/A | |
| Perpendicular Camera Heading | Disabled | N/A | |
| Capture Settings | Set to | Question to Ask Yourself | Reason |
| Brightness (EV) | 0 | Do I want to influence the cameras exposure? | |
| White Balance | AUTO | N/A | This provides the most consistent data in variable lighting conditions |
| ISO | AUTO | N/A | The drone will calculate the best ISO to use to achive a good exposure |
| Shutter Speed | 1/1000 | Is my shutter speed high enough to not cause motion blur? | 1000 is usually a good place to start for sunny conditions. In low light conditions, reduce the shutter speed to ~800 and lower the speed. |
| IR (Thermal) | OFF | Do I need thermal imagery? | Propeller does not support IR processing or the inclusion of IR imagery in a mapping mission |
| Image Resolution | Full | Do I want to use the entire 50 MP? | We want to use all of that sensor to get the highest quality imagery |
| Image Format | JPG | How should the images be saved? | Images must be in a JPG format to upload to Propeller. |
| Interval | OFF | N/A | We want the drone to use its default method - distance internal |
-
Tap "Begin Scan" then slide the toggle to launch your drone
Caution: Do not remove the battery or power off during any post-flight tasks. Doing so will result in loss of data. Do not power off or disconnect from the drone until you return to the "Begin Flight" screen. - Save your scan after your mission is complete.
- To repeat a scan, open the scan library and navigate to the INFO tab. Select "Scan Library" under "Maps".
I still can't do it!
We wrote these articles to equip you with everything you need to get the job done on your own, but we understand that sometimes this isn't sufficient.
If you're stuck, the Propeller hardware support team may be able to help. You can contact them by emailing hardwaresupport@propelleraero.com.au.
Related to