How are Drones being used in Architectural 3D Modelling?

Trying to convey an idea on paper can be challenging to say the very least. But with the introduction of photorealistic architectural visualisation, this allows the client to see exactly what a particular structure will look like once constructed.

So this in itself manages the expectations of the client making life a lot easier. So is there a need for drones? The answer is yes.

As we know, a drone captures the tiniest of details and shows off a structure from every possible angle. From taking still images and videos, architects can now produce an outstanding 3D image to showcase a realistic visual of the structure.

But how much will the introductions of drones cost?

It is not so much how much the drones itself costs but how much it saves on time. And by that we mean images and videos can identify particular issues before plans for construction even takes place.

If the use of drones were not in place and plans for construction commenced before noticing certain problems, it would cost the architect company money to attempt to fix the issue, and therefore this would have a knock-on effect to the client.

A drone enables both parties to reach construction without any unforeseeable hiccups.

But there are four crucial steps in order to reach the end goal. One of which is the right time of day.

In a bid to showcase a 3D image in the best possible light (excuse the pun) you will need to fly the drone, most likely in the morning or midday. At this time of the day you can avoid shadows.

Another step is Feature Detection & Matching. Firstly, you will need 3D rendering software and once the drone video is uploaded, you then need to analyse the frames to detect and match the same features.

This process is called a linear method for reconstruction from lines and points. There are two main concepts within this process. One is called detectors and the other is called descriptors. The former detects similar features while the other helps you match the features. On extracting the features of two images, a descriptor, called a vector, helps to find feature pairs and matches them from one to another image.

Once this method is in place, the next step is called motion and recovery. This involves recovering information regarding the motion of your Drone camera and how the scenes of the film are put together.  So, hold fire and let Quote 4 Drones explain exactly what we mean.

According to Easyrender.com this means recovering the orientation and position parameters of your camera to calculate all the 3D co-ordinates of every frame in the video. To enable this, you need to use RANSAC, MSAC, or MLESAC algorithms.

Stereo mapping means using the structure you recovered to create a detailed map of the scene. You create a model from using the various video frames, taken from different angles, generated from the video footage. 

Once all this has been done, you are there.  The final step is adding the lighting and textures of the model. You can also add different props, such as trees, cars, and people.

Ends