Photogrammetry Mapping SOP
Texas Drone Company · DJI Mavic 3E · v1.0
Section 1 — Pre-flight prep
SD card & connectivity
- Format SD card or verify storage. Camera settings → "..." → Format Memory Card. Storage visible top-right of screen.
- Turn on hotspot before opening DJI app. Leave the hotspot menu open — the controller connects to internet faster this way.
Camera settings
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Photo format | JPEG |
| Dewarping | OFF — must be disabled |
| Camera mode | Auto |
Confirm dewarping is OFF before every mapping mission.
Section 2 — Map creation in DJI
- Tap the Library button (bottom-left of DJI screen). Shows all saved maps sorted by distance from current location.
- Tap "+" to create a new map → select "Area Route."
- Use your finger to place boundary points around the full property. Push the boundary slightly beyond the property edges — ensures complete site capture.
- Tap the checkmark. The app generates the flight plan and calculates path, photo count, and estimated flight time.
- Select your aircraft.
Always push boundary slightly past the property edges. It is far better to capture slightly too much than to miss the edge and need a re-fly.
Section 3 — Flight parameters
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Altitude | 300–400 ft AGL |
| Front overlap | 80% (same flight line) |
| Side overlap | 70% (between lines) |
| Speed (normal) | 30–33 mph |
| Speed (low light) | 20–25 mph (shutter < 1/500s) |
| Photo mode | Timed interval — always |
Speed rule
- Default speed is 30–33 mph. Only reduce if shutter speed drops below 1/500s.
- In low light: reduce to 20–25 mph or slower.
Course angle
- Course angle sets the direction of flight lines. The green lines in the app simulate the full flight path.
- Adjust to align flight lines with the longest axis of the site — reduces total flight time.
- Top-left of screen shows area size, estimated flight time, and photo count. Review before launching.
Crosshatch pattern — when to use
- A second pass flown at 90° to the original course angle.
- Use for complex sites with tight corridors between buildings or areas where a single pass may miss vertical faces.
- ✅ Duplicate the map in the app, change course angle by 90°, fly as a separate second mission.
Always use Timed interval photo mode — this is the Texas Drone Company standard for all mapping missions.
Section 4 — RTK setup
Do not launch until RTK confirms "RTK data in use" and std dev has settled.
- Confirm controller is connected to hotspot with internet. Leave hotspot menu open — it connects faster that way.
- Open the RTK tab in DJI. Enable "RTK Positioning" and "Maintain positioning accuracy mode" — both sliders ON.
- Select mount point: choose the closest RTKUSA base station to your site. Reference: rtkusa.com.
- Watch the standard deviation drop toward 0. Wait for it to settle before proceeding.
- Confirm status reads: "RTK Connected. RTK data in use."
- Verify satellite count is adequate. Low satellite count = poor geolocation hold. Do not launch.
Bookmark rtkusa.com — knowing your nearest base station ahead of time saves significant setup time on site.
Section 5 — Launch & in-flight
- Take off manually. Do not press play from the ground — fly to the start point by hand.
- Climb to mission altitude manually. Once at altitude and clear of all obstructions, press play to begin the automated mission.
- Monitor telemetry throughout: battery %, signal strength, GPS/RTK quality.
- Plan battery swaps before 30%. For battery swap procedures, refer to Section 5.
- Maintain VLOS and scan for manned aircraft. Yield right of way at all times.
- After landing, verify image count matches the expected count shown in the app before packing up.
Battery swap mid-mission: pause the mission, swap the battery, then resume from the last point.
Section 6 — Deliverables & file naming
File naming convention
YYYY_MM_DD - Client Name - Job Site
e.g. 2025_06_14 - Hensley Construction - Fort Worth Logistics Park
Deliverable summary
| Deliverable | Format |
|---|---|
| Unprocessed imagery (all mission photos) | Full resolution |
| QGIS data check | No gaps · RTK confirmed |
Pre-handoff checklist
- ✅ Image count matches expected count from app.
- ✅ RTK was confirmed active ("RTK data in use") for the entire mission.
- ✅ Boundary was pushed past property edges — full site captured.
- ✅ QGIS verification complete — no gaps in coverage, RTK positioning confirmed throughout flight.
- ✅ Imagery reviewed for gaps or blurring before handoff.
- ✅ Files named: YYYY_MM_DD - Client Name - Job Site.
- ✅ Data backed up before leaving site.
- ❌ Do not deliver without first verifying in QGIS — no gaps in coverage and RTK positioning confirmed throughout flight.
Questions on site? Call your lead pilot before improvising. A quick call is faster than a re-fly.
Texas Drone Company · txDroneCo.com · For internal use only