This article provides information on Pix4D's outputs that can be used for other applications.
Pix4D's outputs can be used for many applications, including but not limited to the followings:
The following table presents applications that can be done using Pix4D's outputs within other software.
Note:
- The majority of these uses can be covered by Pix4D products. No third party software is required.
- We only display applications that have been tested by our team. There can be more applications and software.
|
Contour lines generation |
| Output |
Software |
| Raster DSM (GeoTIFF) |
Global Mapper
ArcGIS
Quantum GIS |
| Raster DTM (GeoTIFF) |
Global Mapper
ArcGIS
Quantum GIS |
|
Path: DSM tiles: ...\project_name\3_dsm_ortho\1_dsm\tiles
Path: DSM merged file: ...\project_name\3_dsm_ortho\1_dsm
Path: DTM tiles: ...\project_name\3_dsm_ortho\extras\dtm\tiles
Path: DTM merged file: ...\project_name\3_dsm_ortho\extras\dtm
|
|
Distance and area measurements |
| Output |
Software |
| Raster DSM (GeoTIFF) |
Global Mapper
ArcGIS
Quantum GIS |
| Orthomosaic (GeoTIFF) |
Global Mapper
ArcGIS
Quantum GIS
AutoCAD |
| Raster DTM (GeoTIFF) |
Global Mapper
ArcGIS
Quantum GIS |
|
Path: DSM tiles: ...\project_name\3_dsm_ortho\1_dsm\tiles
Path: DSM merged file: ...\project_name\3_dsm_ortho\1_dsm
Path: tiles: ...\project_name\3_dsm_ortho\2_mosaic\tiles
Path: merged file: ...\project_name\3_dsm_ortho\2_mosaic\project_name_transparent_mosaic_group_name
Path: merged file: ...\project_name\3_dsm_ortho\2_mosaic\project_name_mosaic_group_name
Path: DTM tiles: ...\project_name\3_dsm_ortho\extras\dtm\tiles
Path: DTM merged file: ...\project_name\3_dsm_ortho\extras\dtm
|
|
Volume calculation |
| Output |
Software |
| Raster DSM (GeoTIFF) |
Global Mapper
ArcGIS |
Path: tiles: ...\project_name\3_dsm_ortho\1_dsm\tiles
Path: merged file: ...\project_name\3_dsm_ortho\1_dsm |
|
Comparing volumes between two DSMs |
| Output |
Software |
| Raster DSM (GeoTIFF) |
Global Mapper
ArcGIS
Quantum GIS |
Path: tiles: ...\project_name\3_dsm_ortho\1_dsm\tiles
Path: merged file: ...\project_name\3_dsm_ortho\1_dsm |
|
2D digitization |
| Output |
Software |
| Orthomosaic (GeoTIFF) |
Global Mapper
ArcGIS
Quantum GIS
AutoCAD |
Path: tiles: ...\project_name\3_dsm_ortho\2_mosaic\tiles
Path: merged file: ...\project_name\3_dsm_ortho\2_mosaic\project_name_transparent_mosaic_group_name
Path: merged file: ...\project_name\3_dsm_ortho\2_mosaic\project_name_mosaic_group_name |
|
3D digitization
|
| Output |
Software |
| Raster DSM (GeoTIFF) |
Global Mapper
ArcGIS
Quantum GIS |
Path: tiles: ...\project_name\3_dsm_ortho\1_dsm\tiles
Path: merged file: ...\project_name\3_dsm_ortho\1_dsm |
|
3D visualization |
| Output |
Software |
Densified Point Cloud (.las)
Grid DSM (.las) |
Global Mapper
ArcGIS
Quick Terrain Reader
VRMesh |
Densified Point Cloud (.laz)
Grid DSM (.laz) |
Global Mapper
Quick Terrain Reader |
Densified Point Cloud (.xyz)
Grid DSM (.xyz) |
Global Maper
AutoCAD |
Densified Point Cloud (.ply)
3D Textured Mesh (.ply) |
Meshlab
VRMesh
Sketchfab |
| 3D Textured Mesh (.obj) |
Meshlab
Global Mapper
Rhino
3ds Max
3DBuilder
Autodesk Maya
|
| 3D Textured Mesh (.fbx) |
Rhino
3ds Max
AutoCAD
Blender
Autodesk Maya
Cinema 4D
|
| 3D Textured Mesh (.pdf) |
Adobe Acrobat Reader |
| LOD Mesh (.osgb) |
Acute3D |
Path: Densified Point Cloud (.las, .laz, .xyz, .ply): ...\project_name\2_densification\point_cloud
Path: Grid DSM (.las, .laz, .xyz):...\project_name\3_dsm_ortho\1_dsm\project_name_dsm
Path: 3D Textured Mesh ( .ply, .obj, .fbx, .dxf, .dxf (polylines), .pdf, .osgb): ...\project_name\2_densification\3d_mesh |
|
Visualization on Google applications |
| Output |
Software / Web application |
| KML Google tiles (Orthomosaic) |
Google Earth |
| HTML Google tiles |
Google Maps |
| 3D Digitized objects (.kml) |
Google Earth |
|
Path: KML: ...\project_name\3_dsm_ortho\2_mosaic\google_tiles\project_name_mosaic
Path: HTML: ...\project_name\3_dsm_ortho\2_mosaic\google_tiles\project_name_mosaic
Path: 3D Digitized objects (.kml): user_defined_path/user_defined_file_name
|
|
Vegetation indices - Index visualization and color editing |
| Output |
Software |
| Index Map (GeoTIFF) |
Global Mapper
ArcGIS
Quantum GIS |
Path: tiles: ...\project_name\4_index\indices\index_name\tiles
Path: merged file: ...\project_name\4_index\indices\index_name |
|
Vegetation indices - agriculture applications |
| Output |
Software |
| Grid Index Map Shapefile (.shp) |
Farm Works |
| Path: merged file: ...\project_name\4_index\indices\index_name |
|
Thermal Map |
| Output |
Software |
| Index Map (GeoTIFF) |
Global Mapper
ArcGIS
Quantum GIS |
Path: tiles: ...\project_name\4_index\indices\index_name\tiles
Path: merged file: ...\project_name\4_index\indices\index_name |
|
Thermal Maps index - Thermal applications |
| Output |
Software |
|
Grid index Map Shapefile (.shp)
Index Map (GeoTIFFF, GeoJPG, PNG)
|
Global Mapper
ArcGIS
Quantum GIS |
|
Thermal Index Map (.kml)
|
Google Earth |
| Path: merged file: ...\project_name\4_index\indices\index_name |
|
Point cloud classification |
| Output |
Software |
Densified Point Cloud (.las, .ply)
Grid DSM (.las) |
VRMesh |
|
Path: Densified Point Cloud (.las, .ply): ...\project_name\2_densification\point_cloud\project_name_densified_point_cloud
Path: Grid DSM (.las): ...\project_name\3_dsm_ortho\1_dsm\project_name_dsm
|
|
Stereo viewing |
| Output |
Software |
Internal camera parameters
External camera parameters |
LPS |
Internal camera parameters
External camera parameters
Undistorted images |
Inpho |
Path: internal camera parameters: ...\project_name\1_initial\params\project_name_calibrated_internal_camera_parameters
Path: external camera parameters: ...\project_name\1_initial\params\project_name_calibrated_external_camera_parameters
Path: undistorted images: ...\project_name\1_initial\images\undistorted_images\image |
|
3D printing |
| Output |
Software |
| 3D Textured Mesh (.ply) |
Blender (print using makerbot)
Meshmixer (use ReplicatorG to prepare for 3D printing) |
| Path: 3D Textured Mesh ( .ply): ...\project_name\2_densification\3d_mesh |
|
Contour lines visualization and editing |
| Output |
Software |
| .shp |
Global Mapper
ArcGIS
Quantum GIS |
| .dxf |
Global Mapper
ArcGIS
Quantum GIS
AutoCAD |
| .pdf (visualization only) |
Adobe Acrobat Reader |
Path: ...\project_name\3_dsm_ortho\extras\contours\project_name_interval_resolution_minimum_line_size_DSM
Path: ...\project_name\3_dsm_ortho\extras\contours\project_name_interval_resolution_minimum_line_size_DTM |
|
Web viewing and sharing |
| Output |
Software / Web application |
Densified Point Cloud (.ply)
|
Sketchfab |
3D Textured Mesh (.ply)
3D Textured Mesh (.fbx) |
Sketchfab |
Path: Densified Point Cloud (.ply): ...\project_name\2_densification\point_cloud\project_name_densified_point_cloud
Path: 3D Textured Mesh (.ply, .fbx): ...\project_name\2_densification\3d_mesh\project_name_simplified_3d_mesh |
|
Video animation viewing |
| Output |
Software |
Video animation (.mp4)
Video animation (.mkv)
Video animation (.avi) |
VLC
Windows Media Player |
| Path: user_defined_path/user_defined_file_name |
|
3D Digitized objects visualization and editing |
| Output |
Software |
Polyline (.shp, .dxf)
Surface (.shp, .dxf)
Volume - Base surface (.shp, .dxf) |
Global Mapper
ArcGIS
Quantum GIS |
Polyline (.dgn)
Surface (.dgn)
Volume - Base surface (.dgn) |
MicroStation |
| Path: user_defined_path/user_defined_file_name |
|
In the field inspection (Index Map) |
| Output |
Software / Web application |
| .jpg Colored Index Map |
Image Viewer |
| Path: ...\project_name\4_index\indices\index\project_name_rgba_index_name |
|
Bundle Adjustment |
| Output |
Software / Web application |
| Bingo (ASCII text file) |
BINGO |
| .ssk |
ImageStation |
Path: Bingo: ...\project_name\1_initial\params\project_name_tp_bingo
Path: ssk: ...\project_name\1_initial\params\project_name_photo
Path: ssk: ...\project_name\1_initial\params\project_name_camera |
Disclaimer: Pix4D publishes this information as a courtesy to its customers. Because this information may not be accurate, Pix4D makes no warranty of any kind, expressed or implied, with respect to its validity.
Hi Pix4d team, not sure if this is the appropriate platform but do you consider the DTM and a DEM to be the same in the software? My understanding is that a DTM shows breaklines where a DEM does not, so can I use the DTM in stream delineation analyses in GIS software or is this not advisable?
Thanks
Hi,
In theory, DTM and DEM are used to refer to various types of continuous 3D geospatial data. There are plenty of definitions out there and it is not easy to decide which one is complete. According to Harris Geospatial (a source that I personally trust), a DEM is a raster or a set of vector contours, in which the values (be it pixel values or contour levels) represent the ground elevation above sea level. DTM is the equivalent of a raster DEM, where the pixel values represent the ground elevation above sea level. I would conclude that DEM and DTM are pretty much the same thing. Out of my experience, I have been computing stream networks based on DEM, so I am not 100% of the success of computing this using the DTM.
Cheers,
Teodora
Software / Web application
KML Google tiles (Orthomosaic)
Google Earth
HTML Google tiles
Google Maps
3D Digitized objects (.kml)
Google Earth
Path: KML: ...\project_name\3_dsm_ortho\2_mosaic\google_tiles\project_name_mosaic
Path: HTML: ...\project_name\3_dsm_ortho\2_mosaic\google_tiles\project_name_mosaic
Path: 3D Digitized objects (.kml): user_defined_path/user_defined_file_name