Flying 3D Scan

Overview 2D GPS Capture gives you the ability to preplan your flight using a top-down map view. Navigate to the scan location on the map and place area bounds to outline the area. Your drone will fly in a lawnmower pattern to capture the scene. Use 2D GPS Capture when you need to scan large areas such as rail yards or large construction sites and when you expect to use more than one battery. Quick Steps Before starting a scan, you will need to change the operating mode from Skills to 3D Scan....

Overview Scan passes organize the drone’s capture path into three continuous slices, Z, Y, and X. The Z slice is completed first and resembles orbits at fixed heights going around the structure. By default, the camera gimbal angle is set to 15°. Use the Z Gimbal Pitch slider to adjust the camera angle at which the drone will capture photos while orbiting. Increased gimbal pitch results in capturing less sky and more photos of the surrounding area and structure itself. The camera gi...

Overview Efficiently scan complex structures with 3D Capture. Skydio assesses the scan volume and generates autonomous and adaptive flight patterns to ensure every angle of the structure is captured. Capture data can be used for inspection or to generate high-fidelity 3D models. 3D Capture is best for scanning structures such as bridges, transmission towers, architecture, machinery, telecommunications towers, and vehicles.  Quick Steps Before starting a scan, you will need to change the opera...

Overview Rapidly cover large areas with 2D Capture scans. 2D Capture is a planar scanning capability that captures imagery for orthomosaics and digital terrain models. This mode supports traditional capture patterns, but with superior obstacle avoidance and the 3D Surface Engine for accurate localization even in GPS-denied environments. 2D Capture is best for wide, flat area mapping.  Quick Steps Before starting a scan, you will need to change the operating mode from Skills to 3D Scan. The op...

Overview Using computer vision, Skydio can resume scans across multiple battery changes without reliance on GPS. We recommend flying scans that require no more than 4 batteries. During the Review Scan Settings step, you will see a scan summary which includes the total scan time and estimated number of batteries. If your total number of batteries is greater than 4, consider adjusting your settings or split the volume into separate scans. Wait to remove the depleted battery until all post...

Overview Settings will persist between scans of the same capture mode and through power cycles. If you would like to restore settings back to default, select the reset button in the top right on the workflow pane during the Review or Edit Settings steps of a scan. GPS will be required for scans higher than 65 ft (20 m).  3D Capture Settings 2D Capture Settings All Scan Mode Settings Photo Settings Based on the available lighting conditions, your drone will automatically adjust ph...

Overview The AR Observer allows you to set the perspective from which you observe the progress of your scan in augmented reality (AR), displaying a static overview of the entire scene while a virtual drone navigates the structure and updates status in real-time.  The white lines denote the planned path of the drone Quick Steps Select the change view icon to toggle between the static AR Observer scene and the live camera feed at any time during the scan.  Set the AR Observer: Review...

Overview AR Coverage Mesh allows you to monitor the photo coverage progress of your scan by displaying a live heatmap that updates as the drone captures scan images. yellow indicates minimal coverage purple indicates full coverage Quick Steps Step 1 - Select 3D Capture mode Step 2 - Select the icon to display real-time AR photo coverage of your scan Ensure coverage of key areas and enable the AR Coverage Mesh: during the Explore phase live while scanning viewing the scan in the AR O...

Overview Visual Geofence gives you the ability to further constrain Skydio 2 to a safe flight area while scanning autonomously. By default Visual Geofence is off, and the drone will remain within an area defined by the scan volume and the scan distance. When toggled on, the Visual Geofence will keep the drone strictly within the scan boundaries. Using its visual navigation system, Skydio 2 will always enter and exit the 3D volume from the same location (without the use of GPS). Skydio 2 will...

Overview The Edge Model Viewer promptly generates photosets and enables spatially indexed photo browsing in the field for real-time inspection and decision-making. Use this tool to preview scans directly in-app or on a laptop after a flight.   Quick Steps Access the Edge Model Viewer in the app: Step 1 - Select REVIEW Wait a moment as the scan thumbnails sync in the Skydio Enterprise app   Step 2 - Select a scan to preview The Edge Model Viewer will automatically open with this scan ...

Overview Retrieve valuable contextual scan data post-flight. To access the photos off of your device, you must remove the microSD card from your Skydio 2. Use any microSD or SD card reader to view and copy your full-resolution photos to your personal computer.  Quick Steps Accessing Scan Data Step 1 - Insert the Media Card into a card reader Step 2 - Locate the card reader in your file manager  Step 3 - Select the scans folder and locate your desired scan Folder titles include the sca...