Latest Contributions by CodyBenkelman

The Drone2Map team is now testing the introduction of AI capabilities through an ArcGIS Drone2Map assistant. This assistant provides new options for getting technical help and performing certain processing tasks. Whether you're a new user learning photogrammetry concepts, or an experienced drone image processing expert seeking to make your work more efficient, the Drone2Map assistant is your starting point for every question. Ask about processing settings, explore best practices, and get the answers you need to deliver your best work, all powered by artificial intelligence and drawn from Drone2Map documentation and related resources in real time. The ArcGIS Drone2Map assistant is entering an open beta phase starting June 15th, 2026. Be one of the first to test it out and provide feedback to help shape its development! For more information about the assistant please see the following blog: The ArcGIS Drone2Map 2026.1 assistant: Stop hunting for answers, start building products ... View more

As with every release, this version includes a lot of improvements in performance and usability as well as some new features.  This blog will just mention a few highlights and then direct you to further detail. With 2026.1, we've added some new output options - direct support for cloud formats (COG, MRF, CRF), and as an addition to the processed 2D and 3D data products, users can now create and publish oriented imagery layers to share the source images.    OI_demo.gif Processing speed has been improved again, and for users who need the Rapid processing mode, it is approximately 4x faster than in previous versions! There are improvements to ground control points, and we've enabled vertical measurements in the 3D scene.   CodyBenkelman_0-1778802958882.png This only mentioned a few highlights.  For an excellent overview of the new features and improvements, see this blog and also this video created by engineers on our development team.  For a complete list of everything in the release, refer to our Help documentation. Try out this new version and let us know what you think!  And if you have requests for future development, the ArcGIS Drone2Map Ideas page is always open! ... View more

Introduction This blog provides guidance for users who have existing oriented imagery catalogs created using oriented imagery classic and need to migrate to the formally supported oriented imagery dataset and oriented imagery layer format. If you are using oriented imagery today, you already understand the core concepts. This post focuses specifically on migration paths, supported options, and required changes.  Deprecation of Oriented Imagery Classic was announced in January 2025, and it has now been retired with the February 2026 ArcGIS Online update.   Why Migrate to the New Format? Oriented Imagery Classic was a prototype implementation of concepts for non-mapping imagery, including the oriented imagery catalog data model.  However, it was never released as a formally supported product. Oriented imagery is now fully integrated into the ArcGIS system. Oriented imagery layers—which replace oriented imagery catalogs—are supported as a first‑class layer type across ArcGIS applications.   Classic vs. Current Format An oriented imagery catalog (Classic – now retired) consisted of: A point feature layer defining camera locations, with feature attributes defining orientation and image metadata An optional vector tile layer showing imagery extents A separate JSON file defining layer‑wide properties These components could be shared locally or published as three separate items in ArcGIS Online or ArcGIS Enterprise. An oriented imagery layer (Current – fully supported across ArcGIS) is a type of point feature layer where the point geometry defines the camera location, the feature attributes define the orientation and other key image metadata, and the layer properties define key layer-wide metadata.  The data source for an oriented imagery layer  can be an oriented imagery dataset, created and managed in ArcGIS Pro, or a feature service that includes an oriented imagery layer.  An optional coverage feature layer showing imagery extents can be defined in the oriented imagery dataset properties, or published as an additional layer in the feature service.   What’s Required to Move Forward? At a minimum, all future use of oriented imagery must be based on an oriented imagery dataset and/or oriented imagery layer. You may need to make updates to your imagery, metadata, and/or applications, depending on: Where your images are hosted How your Classic catalog was created Which applications consume the imagery The sections below walk through these decisions step by step.   Step 1: Choose a Supported Image Hosting Option Before creating a new oriented imagery dataset, you must ensure your images are hosted via a supported method. Image Hosting Options Users are able to host images using one of the following supported options: Public cloud storage (for example, Azure Blob or Amazon S3), Secure feature attachments within the oriented imagery layer, hosted in ArcGIS Online or Enterprise, and Secure 3rd-party storage accessed via a Custom Data Feed (ArcGIS Enterprise 11.5 or later) Users can also host images using a local web server (such as IIS).  Local files are supported directly for desktop-only workflows.    Note: In Oriented Imagery Classic, secure image access in 3rd party storage was possible using a custom token server. This approach is not supported in the current oriented imagery capability.  We are working on adding support for secure image hosting using ArcGIS Enterprise, which will become the recommended solution for securely hosting images once available. Image Hosting Scenarios and What to Do Images already in public cloud storage or a local web server No changes to image storage are required. You can reference these images directly when creating your new oriented imagery dataset. Images hosted as feature attachments in a Classic catalog You have three options: Start over with your local copies of the source images, or Download the images (see here) and re‑upload them as feature attachments when publishing the new oriented imagery layer, or We will make a Python script available soon that can read and reformat published Oriented Imagery Classic layers in place.  You can check back here for updates when that becomes available.   Images hosted securely If you need to host images in a secure 3rd-party storage in the near term, use a Custom Data Feed in ArcGIS Enterprise to access imagery and metadata.  Refer to the Custom Data Feed documentation for configuration details. Unless you need the flexibility of a custom data feed, Esri recommends migrating to secure image hosting using ArcGIS Enterprise (mentioned above) when it becomes available.     Step 2: Create a New Oriented Imagery Dataset Esri strongly recommends returning to your original source data to create a new oriented imagery dataset.  Use ArcGIS Pro to run the Create Oriented Imagery Dataset geoprocessing tool to create an empty dataset, then run Add Images To Oriented Imagery Dataset to populate the metadata.   Your input to the Add Images tool depends on how your Classic catalog was originally created. If Your Classic Catalog Was Created by Reading EXIF/XMP tags in each image Provide a list of image URLs, file paths, or a local folder Image names are not required Images must be accessible (for example, public cloud storage) When you run Add Images To Oriented Imagery Dataset, the tool will read the EXIF & XMP metadata and populate required fields automatically.   If Your Classic Catalog Was Created from a CSV table of metadata Create a new table formatted for the oriented imagery dataset Your original table (if available) should be reusable as a starting point If needed, export the attribute table and point geometry from the Classic catalog Recommendations: Follow the field names in the current oriented imagery schema (some field names from Classic have changed)  Use separate values for the orientation angles (heading/pitch/roll or omega/phi/kappa) in the table instead of the legacy CamOri string where possible Verify geometry and orientation values before publishing If Your Classic Catalog Used an Image Service or Mosaic Dataset as the source Image services are not supported as an image hosting option. If you used a mosaic dataset, you may use it as a data source to build a new oriented imagery dataset. You must still choose a supported image hosting option for the underlying images. If you do not have access to the original mosaic dataset, you can start from the beginning, or export the attribute table and point geometry from the Classic catalog.   Step 3: Building Coverage and Publishing Once your dataset is populated: Run the Build Oriented Imagery Footprint geoprocessing tool to generate a coverage layer Use the Generate Service From Oriented Imagery Dataset geoprocessing tool to publish an oriented imagery layer to ArcGIS Online or ArcGIS Enterprise If hosting images as attachments, upload images during publishing. If referencing cloud storage or web servers, no image upload is required.   Step 4: Update Client Applications and Web Apps Once new layers are published, all client applications must be reviewed and updated.  Any application referencing Classic catalog URLs must be updated. Experience Builder If your app uses the Oriented Imagery Classic widget, it must be rebuilt using: Oriented Imagery Viewer widget, or The Sidebar or 3D Viewer Instant App templates available in Experience Builder within the Online/Enterprise portal The Classic widget has been removed from Experience Builder with the February update to ArcGIS Online.   Special Cases Oriented Imagery Catalogs Created with ArcGIS QuickCapture If your catalogs were generated by ArcGIS QuickCapture, refer to this blog to use QuickCapture designer to update your existing Classic layers to the current oriented imagery format.   Features Not Yet Supported The following features are not yet supported in oriented imagery datasets and layers, but are planned for later in 2026: Video files as source data Superimposing images in a 3D scene If these capabilities are critical, refer to this blog for options to continue using Oriented Imagery Classic in the short term. Final Recommendations Test migration workflows with a small subset of imagery first. If you no longer have your original images, perform thorough validation before deleting Classic catalogs or services. Update documentation and user instructions once new layers are live. ... View more

If you're a user of oriented imagery, you may (or may not!) have noticed that the viewer behavior and location in the 2D Map viewer changed with the recent release of ArcGIS Online (26 February 2026).  The viewer is now more flexible and easier to use - let us know what you think! In the previous version, users had to select the oriented imagery layer in the Table of Contents which would make the oriented imagery icon appear in the "action bar" on the right hand side of the map; then users would have to click on the icon to activate the oriented imagery search to call up the viewer. OldOIViewer_Workflow.jpg With the latest release of ArcGIS Online, oriented imagery layers behave like other layers.  Once the layer is added to the Table of Contents, the user can simply click on the ellipsis (3 dots) in the layer to call up the oriented imagery viewer.   NewOIViewer_Workflow_2026February.jpg   You'll also notice that the oriented imagery viewer appears in the center slot of the map, so now it's more flexible in terms of size and shape.   OIViewer_center_slot_2026February.jpg There are more changes and new features in oriented imagery in this release of ArcGIS Online - stay tuned for another blog (to be linked here) soon!   ... View more

This blog is a follow up to previous notifications that the classic, community supported add-in version of oriented imagery will be retired soon.  Deprecation was announced in January 2025.  The classic capability will be officially retired in February 2026 at the next release of ArcGIS Online. IMPORTANT:  Note that when the next update for ArcGIS Online goes live later this month, the classic widget will be removed from Experience Builder.  Organizations with an active application using the classic widget should consider following the workflow here to download a copy of their application.  Refer to this blog for further discussion of options for updating Experience Builder applications. For organizations with implementations of oriented imagery classic that do not include  Experience Builder,  additional resources regarding migration options will be published soon. (This blog will be updated with links) ... View more

The latest version of ArcGIS Drone2Map is now available!  All current users should upgrade via your MyEsri self-service portal (or work with your system administrator, as appropriate for your organization). Refer to this detailed blog https://esriurl.com/D2MwhatsNewBlog where you can read about all of the improvements and new features.    Cage_GSplat.gif Example of a Gaussian Splat for rendering a 3D scene Note:  You'll want to be sure to review the hardware requirements at https://doc.arcgis.com/en/drone2map/latest/get-started/arcgis-drone2map-system-requirements.htm, and also note MyEsri will show a second download for Deep Learning libraries which are required for creating Gaussian Splats and also for automated Control Point detection. DL_LibrariesInstall_MyEsri.jpg   ... View more

A new version of ArcGIS Drone2Map is now available in MyEsri, and we encourage everyone to upgrade.  This release includes a number of improvements to the overall processing, providing increased quality in True Orthos, reduced processing time, and reduced file sizes for the 3D products (published to the ArcGIS Online/Enterprise, or used locally).   For users with multispectral sensors, you can now create True Orthos!  And if your projects include water bodies that have presented a challenge in the past, we think you’ll love the simpler water body mask available in this new version.  USGS_Marsh_MS.gif 5 band multispectral imagery, showing different band combinations.   Imagery courtesy of USGS  These are just some of the highlights for the latest version of Drone2Map.  You can see more detail in the What’s New blog, and check out our What's New video to see these new enhancements!  You can find a complete listing of new features in the online Help, including a list of specific issues which have been addressed. ... View more