Download the latest version of the PIX4Dscan app for iOS and Android.
IN THIS ARTICLE
Step 1. Equipment setup
Step 2. Safety and Security settings check
Step 3. Create a project, select the mission(s) and fly
Step 4. Process the dataset
Step 1. Equipment setup
- Go to the area where the target structure is located.
- Turn on the controller and the drone.
- Connect the controller to the device with the corresponding cable.
- Launch PIX4Dscan.
- Log in with the PIX4D user account credentials (an internet connection is required for this step).
- Select the drone model from the Drone selector section.
- Once the status of the drone is Connected, tap Map view.
Step 2. Safety and Security settings check
Before starting the mission, it is strongly recommended to go through the Safety and Security settings. A detailed description of the settings can be found in PIX4Dscan - Settings.
On the top bar, tap if you are not logged in, or
if you are logged in (it shows the user's initials), to access the general settings.
- Ensure the minimum drone battery level to start a mission is correctly set.
- Ensure the signal lost action is defined correctly.
- Ensure the RTH height is set correctly. Notice that later on while defining the mission settings, if the position of the drone while setting the point of interest center is detected as higher than the RTH height, the user is asked to confirm this value again.
- Ensure the maximum flight altitude and geofencing are set correctly in the vendor app.
After setting the Safety and Security checks, the user is ready to start flying.
Step 3. Create a project, select the mission(s) and fly
- Tap
from the map view to create a new project.
- Select one or multiple Mission types and tap Done.
When selecting Cell tower or Transmission tower:
Mission planning is done by flying the drone on the field in order to ensure that the flight plan is positioned correctly. The take-off and the point of interest definition phases are done by manually piloting the drone.
To perform a Cell tower or Transmission tower, the steps are the following:
1.Take-off in manual mode at least 20m away from the upcoming mission flight path in a safe place.
2.Follow the instructions on the screen to define the point of interest references.
3. Select the 3D Model or Visual Inspection mission and adjust the parameters if needed.
4. Tap Start mission. The drone exits the manual mode and performs the mission. An estimate of the time remaining until completion is displayed throughout the whole mission.
5. (Optional) A mission can be interrupted anytime. More information in How to interrupt a PIX4Dscan mission.
6. Repeat the steps from 3 to 5 for each mission. Multiple missions of the same type can be performed for a Cell tower asset or a Transmission tower asset.
When selecting Orbit, Cylinder or Grid mission:
The take-off phase is handled by PIX4Dscan but the mission can also be started from the air. The base map is used to position the flight plan and set the mission boundaries.
To perform an Orbit, Cylinder, or Grid mission, the steps are the following:
1. Place and design the mission over the basemap (spatial reference).
2. Define the mission properties. For more information visit, PIX4Dscan - Manual.
3. Tap Start mission. The drone takes off automatically climbs up to the mission height and performs the mission. An estimate of the time remaining until completion is displayed throughout the whole mission.
4. (Optional) A mission can be interrupted anytime. For more information visit, How to interrupt a PIX4Dscan mission.
When a mission is over:
1. Tap the return to home button or manually fly the drone home for landing.
2. Switch off the drone and the controller.
The acquired images/videos are now stored on the SD card or internal storage and they can be used for visual inspection and to generate photogrammetric products.
Step 4. Process the dataset
Upload the acquired images/videos to a new inspection in the PIX4Dinspect cloud platform.
The dataset can now be inspected and processed, in order to generate the results and inspect the scanned structure.
Article feedback (for troubleshooting, post here instead)
0 comments