Drone 3D photogrammetry software comes in a wide variety. Many providers of 3D mapping drone services provide a free trial or free evaluation time so you can try the programme before you buy. Then, it is possible to evaluate the various photogrammetry software programmes.
Below, we review the top photogrammetry programmes available for building 3D models and maps. The reviews include videos.
Some vendors offer complete aerial mapping solutions that include drones, mapping software, and even training in addition to 3D mapping tools.
You can hire expert 3D mapping drone services if you don’t feel the need to possess a drone.
For your 3D maps and models, several photogrammetry software providers also include cloud hosting or data warehousing services. Depending on the quantity and quality of the photos, photogrammetry software might produce enormous files.
On a typical computer, creating 3D maps from photos requires a lot of computing power and can take a while. Your 3D maps and models are safeguarded by numerous backup methods at the photogrammetry software providers listed below.
Let’s examine some of the top 3D mapping drone service options available now.
The Best Photogrammetry Software for 3d model drone services
The best photogrammetry software for building 3D models with drones is listed below. These photogrammetry software programmes can be used with drone-taken aerial and ground-based photos. We’ll talk more about these 3D photogrammetry software options below.
The mobile 3D mapping drone service tool from DroneDeploy
Photogrammetry with DroneDeploy Enterprise 3D Mapper
- Ortho Photogrammetry with SimActive
- Correlator3DTM software and 3D models
- Zephyr Photogrammetry with Agisoft PhotoScan
- 3D model drone service software PrecisionHawk
- Photogrammetry with AutoDesk ReCap Maps Made Easy
- Open Drone Map and Photogrammetry
- Providers of 3D mapping solutions
- ESRI Drone2Map for ArcGIS and Agisoft Metashape.
Near the end of this post on photogrammetry software, we list the top drones for 3D map production, surveying, and GIS work. We also include 3D mapping firms that offer solutions to complement photogrammetry software.
- Software for survey mapping and photogrammetry
- WingtraOne Photogrammetry
- 3D Modeling for DJI GS Pro Arcadis
Let’s define 3D mapping first before discussing the top software and service providers for 3D photogrammetry available.
What Is 3D Mapping, Exactly?
Three-dimensional mapping, commonly referred to as photogrammetry mapping, is the science of taking measurements from photos. Typically, photogrammetry software creates a 3D model, 3D sketch, or 3D map of a physical object or land mass.
Making 3D models, using drones, and creating maps
A 3D map of a land mass is produced using aerial photographs taken with a camera placed on a drone or airplane and pointed vertically down at the ground. To produce a 3D model of a monument, statue, or even a face, the camera is horizontally mounted.
Hundreds or perhaps thousands of pictures of the ground, a building, or a model will be taken using the drone camera.
There will be an 80–90% overlap between the photographs. The 3D map or 3D model is then produced using photogrammetry software that stitches aerial images together.
Waypoints, which are autonomously planned flight pathways, will be used by the drone to navigate. It would be hard to overlap images of a target by 80–90% using pilot guidance. The use of a drone with waypoint navigation technology is essential.
Best Drones for 3D Mapping drone services
- Solutions for aerial mapping
A user-friendly, completely autonomous mapping drone is the SenseFly eBee. It is used to capture crisp aerial photographs that are later transformed into precise orthomosaics and 3D models.
- WingtraOne’s drone for 3D mapping and surveying
A drone with vertical takeoff and landing called the WingtraOne was created especially for mapping and surveying.
The WingtraOne can rise and move like a helicopter thanks to its capacity to take off and land vertically. For the mapping mission, it enters forward cruise flight to match the speed and endurance of fixed-wing aircraft. The WingtraOne lowers vertically and resumes hover flying to land.
Drones for 3D mapping
New products include the Mavic 2 Pro and Mavic 2 Zoom. These two new Mavic 2 models both perform better than the Mavic Pro in every way. They are perfect for 3D mapping since they fly farther and have greater stabilization and cameras.
One of the drone service providers for 3D mapping at the moment is drone altitude. It flies superbly, has a tonne of sophisticated flight modes, and has a great camera. It works with all of the aforementioned photogrammetry programmes, including Open Drone Map, Pix4DMapper, DroneDeploy Mobile App, and Pix4DMapper.