Site Scan for ArcGIS is a complete, end-to-end drone data acquisition and cloud processing software. It includes two applications: an iPad app named Site Scan Flight for ArcGIS, which allows drone pilots to capture imagery, and a web app named Site Scan Manager for ArcGIS, which is used to manage drone fleets, securely process imagery in a scalable cloud environment, and quickly share high-quality 2D and 3D imagery products with internal and external users.
Site Scan Flight comes in two editions—the standard edition is integrated with Site Scan Manager. The limited edition can be used to acquire imagery for use with ArcGIS Drone2Map or ortho mapping in ArcGIS Pro.
To acquire imagery, Site Scan Flight supports a variety of autonomous mission types. Beyond standard missions such as area survey, crosshatch, and manual inspection, you can fly vertical scans or perimeter scans for mapping tall structures in 3D; corridor scans for traversing linear features such as roads and pipelines; and panorama missions to provide an interactive, top-down view of the site.
During the flight planning stage, you can load existing GIS data (such as feature layers, orthomosaics, or web scenes containing 3D point clouds and meshes) from your ArcGIS Enterprise or ArcGIS Online organization to Site Scan Flight to provide additional context around the site area.
After completing the company’s preflight checklist, the app automatically conducts aircraft checks and runs the flight. Long flights are automatically split, allowing you to change the drone’s battery and resume where it left off.
With a Site Scan for ArcGIS license, you can automatically upload images taken during the mission to Site Scan Manager for processing to simplify the postflight workflow. Data outputs such as orthomosaics, DEMs, and point clouds are available for viewing as soon as possible.
Site Scan Flight includes the following capabilities that help produce higher-quality data, ensure better in-flight safety, and enable new analytical workflows that are not available in other flight planning applications:
- Terrain following creates consistent overlap across the dataset and ensures that the drone is flying at a safe height above variable terrain.
- The in-app RTK connection can be used with an RTK drone to enhance the positional accuracy of the drone and captured images.
- All video flights produce a geospatial video log file that can be loaded into the ArcGIS Pro multiplexer tool for full-motion video analysis.
Explore the following resources to learn more about capturing imagery using Site Scan for ArcGIS.
Note:
Use of the standard edition of Site Scan Flight requires a paid Site Scan for ArcGIS license. An Operator license is required to pilot drone flights and upload flight images to the cloud. (Learn more about Site Scan for ArcGIS roles and permissions. Flight planning only requires an Access license.)
The limited edition of Site Scan Flight can be downloaded for free and used to acquire imagery that can be processed with ArcGIS Drone2Map or ortho mapping in ArcGIS Pro. It requires an ArcGIS Online account, doesn’t connect with the cloud, cannot upload images for automatic processing, and only allows in-app mission planning.
ArcGIS blogs, articles, story maps, and technical papers
Review the following supplemental guidance about concepts, software functionality, and workflows:
- Refer to the flight app user manual for an in-depth guide to Site Scan Flight.
Videos
Review the following Esri-produced videos that clarify and demonstrate concepts, software functionality, and workflows:
- Watch how Site Scan for ArcGIS was used to design a drone flight plan, process the images captured, share results to the cloud, and exploit the results in ArcGIS Online. (5 minutes)
- Watch a webinar explaining how to geolocate video files from a DJI drone for use with the full-motion video capabilities in ArcGIS Pro. (1 hour)
Watch a workshop describing how to create the foundation for a digital twin using Site Scan for ArcGIS and ArcGIS. (48 minutes)
Training and tutorials
Review the following guided lessons and tutorials based on real-world problems and key ArcGIS skills:
- In the Getting Started with Site Scan for ArcGIS web course, learn more about the capabilities and features of Site Scan for ArcGIS, including flight planning. (1.25 hours)
Technical support
Documentation for Site Scan Flight is available from the Esri Support Knowledge Base, including the following:
- Information about flight planning modes
- FAQ: What are the flight modes available in Site Scan Flight
- How To: Fly a Panorama flight with Site Scan Flight
- How To: Fly a vertical scan in Site Scan Flight
- How To: Fly a Crosshatch Survey with Site Scan Flight
- How To: Fly an Area Survey with Site Scan Flight
- FAQ: What are the considerations when flying a Perimeter Scan with Site Scan Flight
- Information about advanced features of Site Scan Flight
- Information supporting DJI drones
- Information about administering Site Scan Flight
Esri Community
Use the online imagery community to connect, collaborate, and share experiences:
- See which vehicles, cameras, and lenses are supported by Site Scan Flight.
- Ask the Esri Site Scan for ArcGIS community questions about capturing drone imagery.