So I have found myself with a conundrum at work. First off background. I study beach nesting birds. We deiced to test whether we can more efficiency, more accurately, and more safely count colonial bird nest with a drone then we currently do.
Currently we have ~6 people walk transects through the colony and count the nest they see. This is very disruptive to the birds and also run the risk of stepping on a nest. It can also take upwards of an hour. That being side the area is rather small, ~3-5 acres.
I think a drone could do better. The problem with this experiment is me......
I have done a series of test using fake wooden eggs and decoys. I thought first I better get an idea for what altitude I can still ID the nest by species. So I did a vertical test. Starting at 50 ft I would take a photo capture at 25 foot intervals up to 300 feet. I did this test with the DJI 15mm and also the Oly 14-42. Of course at 42mm I could see the eggs at greater altitude, up to 200 feet. With the 15mm it was about 75 feet. I'm sure everyone is saying why not the Oly 45mm or fly lower? I have a reason for both. My employer will not buy me the 45mm lens yet and I can't fly lower because that is what I have determined is a lowest safe altitude to avoid bird collusion. Usually what happens is the birds will flush just because of our presence and then settle at the waters edge away from the nests.
Alright, I have figured out at what altitude and which lens I can use to maps the area. Now the problems start. First off I had to find a mission planner that will work with the zoom lens. There are a few and they seem to work. But when I create an stitched image or ortho map (drone2map) I can not see at the same zoom level or clarity.
So....
1. Does ortho and stitched images give the same zoom capabilities as a jpg at the same AGL?
2. I have overlap set at 70/80%. Too low?
2. I can not get consistent focus with the x5 while mapping, the zoom lens has made it worse. Do people use manual focus while mapping with the x5?
3. Am I looking at this all wrong?
Sorry for being long winded but that is all the marbles.
I should add that I do have my part 107 and this is being strictly monitored by US Fish and Wildlife Service and State Wildlife Agencies.
Thanks ahead of time for any insight,
Zak
Currently we have ~6 people walk transects through the colony and count the nest they see. This is very disruptive to the birds and also run the risk of stepping on a nest. It can also take upwards of an hour. That being side the area is rather small, ~3-5 acres.
I think a drone could do better. The problem with this experiment is me......
I have done a series of test using fake wooden eggs and decoys. I thought first I better get an idea for what altitude I can still ID the nest by species. So I did a vertical test. Starting at 50 ft I would take a photo capture at 25 foot intervals up to 300 feet. I did this test with the DJI 15mm and also the Oly 14-42. Of course at 42mm I could see the eggs at greater altitude, up to 200 feet. With the 15mm it was about 75 feet. I'm sure everyone is saying why not the Oly 45mm or fly lower? I have a reason for both. My employer will not buy me the 45mm lens yet and I can't fly lower because that is what I have determined is a lowest safe altitude to avoid bird collusion. Usually what happens is the birds will flush just because of our presence and then settle at the waters edge away from the nests.
Alright, I have figured out at what altitude and which lens I can use to maps the area. Now the problems start. First off I had to find a mission planner that will work with the zoom lens. There are a few and they seem to work. But when I create an stitched image or ortho map (drone2map) I can not see at the same zoom level or clarity.
So....
1. Does ortho and stitched images give the same zoom capabilities as a jpg at the same AGL?
2. I have overlap set at 70/80%. Too low?
2. I can not get consistent focus with the x5 while mapping, the zoom lens has made it worse. Do people use manual focus while mapping with the x5?
3. Am I looking at this all wrong?
Sorry for being long winded but that is all the marbles.
I should add that I do have my part 107 and this is being strictly monitored by US Fish and Wildlife Service and State Wildlife Agencies.
Thanks ahead of time for any insight,
Zak