Create a mission and manually upload photos

As an alternative to using ArcGIS Flight for image upload, drone images can be uploaded and processed directly within Site Scan Manager. You can use this method after flying using ArcGIS Flight, other flight planning applications, or other sources of geotagged imagery. While ArcGIS Flight supports commonly used drones, there are other drone models that require a different flight planning application. For example, VTOL (vertical take-off and landing) fixed-wing drones can capture high-quality imagery that can be processed in Site Scan Manager.

There are three primary steps to this method: creating a project (or using an existing one), creating a mission, and browsing for the images from your computer. The sections below review the two methods for manual image upload: from missions captured using ArcGIS Flight, and from missions captured using third-party flight planning apps or imagery from other sources.

Process images captured using ArcGIS Flight

When images are captured using ArcGIS Flight, a Site Scan project and mission are automatically created within the project selected by the pilot in the app.

1. Browse to the project in which the mission was flown in ArcGIS Flight.
2. Locate the empty mission automatically created by ArcGIS Flight.

   This mission is already associated with your Fleet Management information.

   Note:

   If you do not see the mission in the project, ensure that the iPad used to conduct the mission is connected to the internet and synced to the Site Scan Manager cloud. Clicking the cloud button next to the project name in ArcGIS Flight and Sync with Cloud will force the app to sync. Allow a few minutes for the update to occur in Site Scan Manager.

3. Open the empty mission.
4. In the lower left corner of the 2D view page, click the Add button, and click Photos.
5. Drag the photos you want to upload into the window, or click Upload Photos to browse and select the photos.

   Site Scan will search for and exclude duplicate photos based on image metadata (photo name does not matter), and then the upload will start.

   Note:

   • Do not upload photos captured by the drone on the ground.
   • Do not close the photo upload window until the upload is completed.

6. Click Save.
   1. If you checked the option to automatically process the drone imagery, processing will begin and will take a few hours to complete.
   2. If you did not check the option to automatically process the drone imagery, click the Process button in the lower left corner of the mission map overview, specify the desired processing settings, and click Process.

Process images captured outside of ArcGIS Flight

This section explains how to create projects and missions and how to upload drone imagery collected with systems and apps other than ArcGIS Flight.

Create a project

If you already have a project suitable for the photos you want to upload, you can skip to the Create a mission and upload photos section below. To create a project, complete the following steps:

1. In Site Scan Manager, browse to the projects list page.
2. Click New Project in the upper right.
3. Fill in the basic details of the new project and click Next.
4. Search for an area or use the map to set a project location, and then click Next.
5. Optionally, invite team members to the project by setting each member's project access level under Project Access.

   You can also skip by clicking Skip this step in the lower left.

6. Once the project is created, review and input the project output settings.

Create a mission and upload photos

To create a mission and upload photos, complete the following steps:

1. Browse to the project for which you want the mission to be stored.
2. In the Missions sidebar, select New Mission.
3. Fill in details for Mission Name and Date Flown, and click Next.
4. To use the default processing settings, check the Automatically process when upload completes check box.
5. Drag the photos you want to upload into the window, or click Upload Photos to browse and select the photos.

   Site Scan will search for and exclude duplicate photos based on image metadata (photo name does not matter), and then the upload will start.

   Note:

   • Do not upload photos captured by the drone on the ground.
   • Do not close the photo upload window until the upload is completed.

6. Click Save.

   If you checked the option to automatically process imagery, processing begins and takes a few hours to complete.

   If you did not check the option to automatically process imagery, click the Process button in the lower left corner of the mission map overview, specify the desired processing settings and click Process. For more information about processing settings options, see Processing settings.

Processing time varies based on the number of images, size of individual images, and the type of data capture (nadir or oblique). You will receive a notification email when the processed outputs are available, and they will automatically appear in the mission map view.