Life-saving sUAS Imagery: Support for Web Map Media Layers in ArcGIS SDK (Field Maps, QuickCapture, etc)

[pjdohertygis]

Real-world Problem - In Urban Search and Rescue, every second counts. When there is a sudden building collapse, firefighters and police will often use sUAS (drones) to get a quick nadir photo of the incident. They want to see what it looks like from overhead and from different angles so they can "map" the incident area to coordinate the search for survivors. For example, the recent Chocolate Factory Collapse in West Redding, PA or the Champlain Towers Collapase in Surfside, FL.

Technical Problem - Media Layers are not supported in Field Maps / QuickCapture. What are Media Layers? They provide is a way to quickly add an image to maps https://www.esri.com/arcgis-blog/products/arcgis-online/mapping/announcing-media-layers/

Most first responder sUAS pilots will not have the time or software to rapidly produce an orthomosaic and publish to ArcGIS Online (we often have to wait for specialists to arrive on scene or remote support to use Pix4D React or Drone2Map). This might take hours that are not available. The Media Layer is available in minutes and can buy some time while the "real imagery" gets baked.

Map (example only, not a building collapse) - https://napsg.maps.arcgis.com/apps/mapviewer/index.html?webmap=fbb0b80a4e8249f190976e9df02a5b68

Video https://screenpal.com/watch/c0fiYbVagre 

For field observations we have been using QuickCapture and Field Maps to support users in the field. We recently attempted to use the new ArcGIS Online "Media Layers" to rapidly georeference an image and it worked very well. We could have it up in a web map within 5 minutes or less. HOWEVER - when attempting to use this layer in Field Maps we get the following error. 

Domain: com.esri.arcgis.runtime.error
Code: 7005
Description: Layer type is not supported.

Solution: Support Media Layers in ArcGIS Mobile apps!

Note: Some in the first responder community are begining to use ATAK/TAK for this workflow...https://wiki.civtak.org/index.php?title=Rubber_Sheet

But then the imagery, base data, and incident data are in two separate systems. Moreover, hosting TAK Servers is a heavy lift for most public safety agencies and "TAK as a service" can be cost prohibitive when an agency has already invested in ArcGIS,  Microsoft, WebEOC, etc. However, without a "rubber sheet" solution in ArcGIS, we anticipate TAK will become the dominant tool for this workflow. 

@DougMorgenthaler  @JeffShaner @JamonJohnson 

[jhindleCRG]

Have you tried ArcGIS Image Online?

I use it to upload my GeoTIFF rasters, it then creates a hosted imagery layer that can be imported to any AGOL map/dashboard/webapp/or experience builder project.

[DiveshGoyal]

Thanks for submitting this idea.
We will consider it for an upcoming release.

[johnbrosowsky]

Beyond the mission critical use case, there is a broad generic data management use case: a very common workflow is to georef a small raster image that is a chart or plat of an area, and then go into the field with field maps and verify / capture what's on the ground, using the small georef image as a reference. ArcGIS Image for online is a bit a big solution to get a 400kb raster image into a map - plus it does not include quick end-user media layer georef.