Orthomaker Metadata Detection From Imagery

Question

We're running ArcGIS Enterprise 10.6.1 with Raster Analytics and are testing the Orthomaker app with our Drone Imagery.

Our Drone specialist tells me that his tests so far indicated that processing Drone Imagery in Orthomaker will be a good addition to his workflow - the process worked relatively quickly and produced good products.

However he seems to have a pretty regular issue with the Orthomaker workflow that doesn’t easily recognise the GPS data from the image EXIF, while other programmes do. His feeling is that this platform works well when DJI drones with DJI cameras are used, but when third party cameras are used the EXIF information isn’t recognised.

(he commented: "because we are often testing camera systems (multispectral/hyperspectral), we often rig third party equipment to the drones.")

Can others report any such findings and potential recommendations? Do you pre-process imagery before adding into Orthomaker (e.g. by exporting Metadata to CSV etc.).

Thanks

Tilmann

Leigh Tait‌

TilmannSteinmetz2 · Answer

Hi Cody.

Thanks for your detailed reply - I don't know any of the detail around cameras used so will get Leigh Tait‌ to send the information through. He did mention Hyperspectral so perhaps that was where the issue was. I will send an update when I know more -

Cheers,

Tilmann

TilmannSteinmetz2 · Answer

Hi Jay - good to know that it's the same camera library so cross-checking in ArcGIS Pro becomes a valid option. I am copying Leigh Tait‌ so he can send you more information about the cameras used (as I don't know) - thanks for your offer to check -

Cheers,

Tilmann

Cody Benkelman · Answer

Tilmann

We're always adding new camera definitions, but it's hard to cover everything in advance.  If your GPS data is not recognized, note you can import GPS data in a CSV file

and if your camera is not known, you can enter the minimal required metadata:

Note the above should be true assuming you have an RGB camera.  Hyperspectral cameras are not supported (and likely will never be) since they don't capture full frame images.  As for multispectral cameras, if you're using one of the multi sensor cameras which don't have co-registered frames (Micasense RedEdge, Sequoia, Slant Range, Sentera, some of MapIR & TetraCam), those will be supported in a future version.

Multispectral cameras made by modifying a single chip RGB Bayer-array sensor (MapIR Survey 3, AgroWing) should be able to process although you may have to manually re-sequence the spectral bands.  If you use a multisensor camera with an internal beamsplitter (Fluxdata, and I believe some TetraCam models?), these should also process properly since the spectral bands are aligned.

Note I'm going from memory on these different multispectral camera models, but one key issue is whether the spectral bands are aligned in the raw images.  Another issue is the number of image files captured at a single exposure station.  For any cameras that save multiple files per exposure, you'd need to process different spectral image collections separately (based on the current version of Ortho Maker - in the future, we may be able to add some features to handle these unusual configurations).

Cody B.