Pix4d

[Recoveryone]

I have been trying to use Pix4d capture lately and I been having nothing but problems, from missing shots (not flying the full grid) to not resuming a mission after a battery swap and blurry shots. I have switched apps in the field (Go 4 & Dronedeploy) with no issues and normal results, but this Pix4d is almost a 50/50 chance of something going wrong. I was out yesterday on a very large warehouse (6 batteries to do the roof alone), 1st battery everything went fine, upon return and battery swap the drone would not resume the mission. it would take off, reach altitude and then start a bucking motion as if I was trying to flying into controlled airspace. I went through 4 batteries trying to work through this issue. Re-starting system (Controller, drone and tablet), I even swapped out display devices, both Apple, and the results were the same. I finally loaded up the Go 4 app and the drone flew flawless. I loaded up Dronedeploy and flew the mission without a hitch. So I know it's not my gear and I used the same tablet that I had Pix4d on, so I know it's not in that area also. Anyone have hints or clues on what may be the issue or is Pix4d capture a unstable platform?

 

[R Martin]

I have been trying to use Pix4d capture lately and I been having nothing but problems, from missing shots (not flying the full grid) to not resuming a mission after a battery swap and blurry shots. I have switched apps in the field (Go 4 & Dronedeploy) with no issues and normal results, but this Pix4d is almost a 50/50 chance of something going wrong. I was out yesterday on a very large warehouse (6 batteries to do the roof alone), 1st battery everything went fine, upon return and battery swap the drone would not resume the mission. it would take off, reach altitude and then start a bucking motion as if I was trying to flying into controlled airspace. I went through 4 batteries trying to work through this issue. Re-starting system (Controller, drone and tablet), I even swapped out display devices, both Apple, and the results were the same. I finally loaded I started planning individual flights for each battery and never had another problem. up the Go 4 app and the drone flew flawless. I loaded up Dronedeploy and flew the mission without a hitch. So I know it's not my gear and I used the same tablet that I had Pix4d on, so I know it's not in that area also. Anyone have hints or clues on what may be the issue or is Pix4d capture a unstable platform?

I went through a period where my Inspire 1 would stop taking images after a battery swap but still fly the mission. I started planning individual missions for each battery and didn't waste any more flights and charges on blown missions. The only time I had a problem where the aircraft refused to take off I later determined that I was in an area covered by an NCAA TFR because there was a non-sporting event being held in the stadium. Sorry I couldn't shed any light on your issue. Hopefully someone has a better clue what is happening.

 

[JimD]

I have been trying to use Pix4d capture lately and I been having nothing but problems, from missing shots (not flying the full grid) to not resuming a mission after a battery swap and blurry shots. I have switched apps in the field (Go 4 & Dronedeploy) with no issues and normal results, but this Pix4d is almost a 50/50 chance of something going wrong. I was out yesterday on a very large warehouse (6 batteries to do the roof alone), 1st battery everything went fine, upon return and battery swap the drone would not resume the mission. it would take off, reach altitude and then start a bucking motion as if I was trying to flying into controlled airspace. I went through 4 batteries trying to work through this issue. Re-starting system (Controller, drone and tablet), I even swapped out display devices, both Apple, and the results were the same. I finally loaded up the Go 4 app and the drone flew flawless. I loaded up Dronedeploy and flew the mission without a hitch. So I know it's not my gear and I used the same tablet that I had Pix4d on, so I know it's not in that area also. Anyone have hints or clues on what may be the issue or is Pix4d capture a unstable platform?

Same issues here. Even worse if in controlled air space. Lost a lot of $$$ on px4 d.

 

[John Githens]

Not sure that I can shed any light on your experience. That said, I've had less-than-consistent experience when using Pix4Dapture and battery swaps with a DJI Inspire 2 and a DJI Phantom 4 Pro V2. For several reasons, for a larger area where I will be using the Phantom, I now plan individual, slightly overlapping missions in Pix4Dcapture, based on one battery per planned mission. The actual missions can be somewhat different depending on where I actually launch and land that day, the varying wind conditions, and the sudden appearance of unexpected aircraft of many kinds. However most of my work is in semi-rural areas, not urban.

I use Pix4Dcapture on an iPad (6th generation) as a component of several overall system configurations. I have used both of my Parrot Anafis for recording images for large area 3D models and orthoimages, with zero battery swap problems or lost image problems. Which suggests... a root problem related to software/firmware updates released by one Company, which may not have a quick and reliable response from a second Company whose products are expected to interact or interface with those from the first Company. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, those of us in the field cannot know how management and employees behaved in those two companies so as to offer products that consistently, in all use-cases, "work" together. Too bad for us that we become uncompensated testers.

I don't run a comprehensive system testing lab. However a small clue may be in this study about using a Phantom 3 to measure tree heights. Apparently their Phantom delivered unacceptable altitude measurements when flown from treetop to treetop. The Phantom needed to be landed and relaunched to obtain more consistent measurements (allows the internal barometer chip to stabilize). Only mentioning that study because it is conceivable that a fast battery swap by an operator in the hot sun and on a schedule can have unexpected consequences. One can be testing an edge-case and not know it.

Off-topic of Pix4Dcapture, but related to the quality of SfM models/maps, you may want to read this long thread on the DJI Forum about observations from tests related to camera calibration, and choices of settings in photogrammetry software products.

 

[R.Perry]

Multivista experimented with Pix4d and what I was told had nothing but problems with it. We use Drone Deploy exclusively. DD has worked flawlessly for me most of the time. One of the problems I am having with Drone Deploy is using it's pano feature, it rotates the camera on the Inspire 2 and not the drone, so needless to say the camera locks up. What I liked about DD panos is I can set the exact GPS location for each pano, something I can't do in Litchi. I know I'm getting lazy in my old age.

 

[jjdun770]

I have been trying to use Pix4d capture lately and I been having nothing but problems, from missing shots (not flying the full grid) to not resuming a mission after a battery swap and blurry shots. I have switched apps in the field (Go 4 & Dronedeploy) with no issues and normal results, but this Pix4d is almost a 50/50 chance of something going wrong. I was out yesterday on a very large warehouse (6 batteries to do the roof alone), 1st battery everything went fine, upon return and battery swap the drone would not resume the mission. it would take off, reach altitude and then start a bucking motion as if I was trying to flying into controlled airspace. I went through 4 batteries trying to work through this issue. Re-starting system (Controller, drone and tablet), I even swapped out display devices, both Apple, and the results were the same. I finally loaded up the Go 4 app and the drone flew flawless. I loaded up Dronedeploy and flew the mission without a hitch. So I know it's not my gear and I used the same tablet that I had Pix4d on, so I know it's not in that area also. Anyone have hints or clues on what may be the issue or is Pix4d capture a unstable platform?

Ive also had nothing but problems with Pix4dcapture to the point that I deleted it without looking back. Had a few small hiccups with DD but I've come back into the fold. It seems to be the most stable/consistent option at least for now anyway. I do like their new 'perimeter 3D' feature that adds a single orbit after the grid has been flown. Get rid of pix4d there are better options available.