Some of the new features of Drone2Map 2024.1 are described below.
Product improvements
The latest improvements in the Drone2Map processing engine provide increased detail for meshes and textures when using the ultra point cloud setting.
Inspection enhancements
The accuracy of inspection features has been improved through multisketch editing. After the adjustment step is run, drawing sketches on multiple images will automatically improve the accuracy in subsequent images. You can still manually refine features on each image, and those refinements will automatically factor into the placement of inspection features.
You can also perform an inspection without running the adjustment step first. The full editing capabilities of the inspection session still requires the adjustment step to provide their full functionality, but this workflow provides a quick way to review the imagery and generate a report in a matter of minutes.
Catalog enhancements
Catalog datasets are now time enabled and allow you to go through layers one at a time in the catalog to help provide a visualization for projects that focus on change over time. When a catalog dataset is selected in the Contents pane, the Time contextual tab appears. The time-enabled catalog can also be combined with other functionality such as the built-in animation tools to share updates on the project such as a quick video demonstrating the progress of construction for a new building.
The supported layer types for catalog datasets continue to grow with the addition of map note layers. Map note layers in a catalog dataset function in the same manner as other catalog layers and can be loaded into a map or shared to ArcGIS Online or ArcGIS Enterprise.
Analysis enhancements
New 2D measurement tools have been added to the measure gallery on the Analysis tab. These 2D-focused measurements can be used on a True Ortho without creating an elevation product. They provide a way to quickly measure features in the imagery, such as a building perimeter, without having to process extra products.
Smart processing improvements
A new set of validation functions has been added to automatically report potential configuration errors before they occur.
The Select Transformation drop-down list now displays messages that indicate whether no transformation needed, which default transformation is in use, or whether a transformation is needed but not found. The ArcGIS coordinate system data can be installed to increase the number of available transformations.
Additional user control has been implemented in the Transformation section of the processing options. This section has been redesigned to provide more transformation options depending on the selected coordinate systems. Additionally, the default transformation used in a project is now always visible.
Detailed information about the selected transformation can be viewed from the details link in the Transformation section.
A warning appears if the Fix Image Location High Accuracy GPS (RTK and PPK) option is checked for a project that has linked ground control points. Combining the processing of RTK or PPK GPS accuracy with ground control points can negatively affect positional accuracy.
Learning resources
The processing report now includes hyperlinks in each section title of the report. Clicking a link takes you to the relevant help topic to learn more about that subject.
New tutorials and blogs have been published that focus on some of the most requested subjects. Some of them are listed on the updated Drone2Map Resources page.
