I hope I'm not introducing something that should be posted elsewhere, but if I am, please tell me where and I'll post it there.

I am trying to figure out the means to fly an automated grid pattern. I work with Google Maps Pro. Is there software included with the Inspire 1 that would allow me to fly point-to-point using points referenced by Google Maps Pro, or do I need to search elsewhere?

Thanks for reading.

We are all told by DJI that autonomous, way-point programing, is coming to the Inspire-1 sometime in the future. Nobody knows when, or if, for sure because DJI won't tell us.

rfrye Posted at 2015-3-4 03:03
We are all told by DJI that autonomous, way-point programing, is coming to the Inspire-1 sometime in ...

Ouch. Thanks!

I believe the "Ground Station" app for the inspire is a work in progress. As is the third part 3D mapping software. I'm not sure if there isn't already a 3D mapping software out their that would work with the data from the inspire?

davidmosley@hot Posted at 2015-3-4 03:05
I believe the "Ground Station" app for the inspire is a work in progress. As is the third part 3D ma ...

I've used the Inspire for 2 test projects and was able to use the images directly from the SD card and load into Pix4D software.  I set the UAV to record an image every 5 seconds and then flew a very slow grid pattern manually over the area and Pix4D was able to generate a final orthomosaic with a pixel resolution of .61 inches (flown from ~25 meters AGL).  Just be sure to capture ~70% overlap between images and it works fine.

pinpointmapping Posted at 2015-3-4 03:11
I've used the Inspire for 2 test projects and was able to use the images directly from the SD card ...

Thanks. I'm just looking to secure images, and someone else would be using them from there. I suppose that could change, though.

Custerboy Posted at 2015-3-4 03:21
Thanks. I'm just looking to secure images, and someone else would be using them from there. I supp ...

Well like myself you're waiting for ground station for inspire on the iPad i guess. In the mean time I've been plotting single smooth vectors by setting home at one aircraft position flying off to the start point and then engaging return to home. The inspire will then taken a nice steady line "home" while I consentrate on the camera. Not sure how much use that is to you?

It has been reported that DJI is going to incorporate segments of the Ground Station into the Pilot Program. One thing at a time.

davidmosley@hot Posted at 2015-3-4 05:54
Well like myself you're waiting for ground station for inspire on the iPad i guess. In the mean ti ...

I want to fly a grid pattern, which would entail multiple flights over a selected area. The pattern has to be evenly-spaced flight paths so that the images will overlap by a known percentage.

A person can do all this manually with little math.   If the sensor size is 4000x3000=12mp you simply decide what final resolution or ground sample distance (GSD) you want/need.  Let's say 1inch for this example to keep the numbers easy....So each image would capture 4000 inches by 3000 inches or ~333 ft x ~250 ft.  If you are wishing for ~70% overlap you would need to capture 233 ft side overlap between flight lines (333x.7=233). To achieve that overlap you are then capturing ~100 ft on new ground (horizontally) between flight lines and this is the distance between flight lines.  Your front overlap is dependent on photo capture speed/time.  The telemetry data displays horizontal speed in either meters or feet and you can set the camera to automatically take a pic ever 5 seconds.  So the height or Y axis of the image (with camera pointed straight down/Nadir) is ~250 ft and to have 70% overlap means that 250x.7= 175ft of overlap is needed between images and you are capturing 250-175=75 feet of new terrain along the Y axis per image.  If the shutter takes a pic every 5 seconds you'll want a forward flight speed of 75/5= 15ft per second.  Figuring out the desired altitude involves a bit more math that includes camera optics and local topography... Experiment a bit.... I got a .61" GSD by flying at an altitude of ~30 meters.  
If you can dream it, you can do it....

pinpointmapping Posted at 2015-3-8 02:45
A person can do all this manually with little math.   If the sensor size is 4000x3000=12mp you simpl ...

I think I'll wait for the DJI version. lol

Thanks for the lesson!

Just found a slick altitude calculator on the Pix4d website.  Enter in the required variables and it will tell you how high to fly.
https://support.pix4d.com/hc/en- ... GSD_Calculator.xlsx

I noticed that the DJI PC Ground Station does this automatically. The ideal might be for DJI to make the Ground Station run on a notepad, and connect to Google Earth Pro which is now free of charge. Being able to save the coordinate data in the Google format would be very helpful.