Hey everyone,
I’ve got a client with an empty site where they want to build a 5-story apartment block. They’re curious about the views from the top floor, and I’m wondering if there’s a drone that can be set to specific coordinates and height to capture this view. I’ve been reading up on it, but it seems more complicated than I expected. The height would need to be really accurate. Does anyone know of drones that can do this?
Most consumer drones use GPS to navigate, so yeah, this is pretty standard.
Pretty much any consumer drone other than a cheap toy from Amazon can do this. You’ll get what you need with most professional drones.
I used to be an architectural drafter. You can get these views from a 3D model of the building. If someone can afford to build an apartment complex, they can afford to ask the architect to show the views. Plus, views don’t change much floor to floor. A five-story building is only about 75 feet tall. You could rent a boom lift for a few hours for the same price as a good drone or hire a drone operator instead.
If you’re in the U.S., just hire a licensed drone operator since this sounds like a business project, meaning you need a Part 107 license. Save yourself the trouble and potential crashes.
Most decent consumer drones can do this, but you’ll need to be on-site to keep visual contact. Fly to the location, go up to the right height, and take your photos. The height shown on the controller should be accurate within a few feet. Keep in mind that the height reading is relative to where you launch, so consider the terrain.
Drones usually show how high they are above the launch point—it’s built into most models.
Most drones have accurate location tracking. If you’re in the U.S., you need a license for commercial work. For height, just fly up to the view you want and adjust as needed. Honestly, you might be better off hiring a professional.
Sounds like you need a drone pilot, not just a drone.
You won’t find a drone where you can just enter coordinates and height, but you can fly manually to the height you want using the height readout on the controller. Most consumer drones can do this.
Breck said:
You won’t find a drone where you can just enter coordinates and height, but you can fly manually to the height you want using the height readout on the controller. Most consumer drones can do this.
Actually, you can set altitude on many drones with autonomous flight, like the Mini 4 Pro.
@Ari
Are you using third-party software? I haven’t seen anything like that in the DJI Fly app.
Breck said:
@Ari
Are you using third-party software? I haven’t seen anything like that in the DJI Fly app.
You can set altitude in the waypoint flight settings. It might not be in the Fly app, but it’s set up through the controller. I’ve had mine follow a trail on a mountain at 8 feet off the ground consistently.