One of the areas of research I’m interested in with Drones is their ability to collect data used in Agricultural and architectural industries. Drone Deploy is an app that allow you to set up a flight path over a specified area and capture images along the path in order to stitch them together later. The data recorded allows you to view a large scale 2D map (orthomosaics), terrain models with accurate topographical data, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI data) to show crop health, and also can stitch together 3D models of terrain and structures. Well…This I have to try.

I decided the safest and funnest place to try it out was up on my property where we have a few small buildings and a good couple acres of hay fields to map. There are rolling hills and wooded areas as well. So here’s some results.

2D Map

Elevation Map

Plant Health/NDVI Map

3D Map

I also did a few 3d models specifically of my little cabin, the shed, and our trailer which I’ll share as well once they’ve finished processing. It looks as though the software did NOT like my black steel roof on the cabin as the 3D model looks like we had the roof melt. But I was very impressed how well it modeled the tarp covering the lumber pile behind the cabin. haha.

Anyway. More to come as I continue to experiment with it.