Not that many years ago, DJI was credited with forcing several competitors to pivot out of the drone hardware market and into commercial software.

The Chinese company’s drones were too good and too cheap for the likes of 3DR to compete with.

Now the world’s leading manufacturer has launched Terra, a new software tool that transforms drone data into 3D models and maps for analysis and decision making. While it’s obviously early days in DJI’s step into drone data, it’s no doubt a sign of what’s to come.

DJI’s end to end plan for data capture, visualization and analysis

DJI’s plan for Terra is simple: to provide a software service where previously the company’s customers would have relied on partners elsewhere. Terra will give businesses and organisations using DJI drones the ability to capture, visualise and analyze aerial images for a wide variety of applications, from public safety and construction to infrastructure, agriculture and more.

“As the leader in the commercial drone industry, DJI continues to develop accessible and easy-to-use hardware and software solutions that help organisations transform their operations with drone technology and gain a competitive advantage in their industries,” said Sunny Liao, Director of Enterprise at DJI.

“As an all-in-one mapping and modelling solution, DJI Terra makes it simple and efficient to extract value from drone data, generating conclusions and recommendations across multiple use cases from crash reconstructions to critical infrastructure inspections as well as agriculture field mapping and construction site modelling.”

Combining Flight Planning With Data Capture

DJI Terra has three mission options depending on the task at hand:

• Area – Capture a specific area quickly and easily by drawing a custom polygonal flight zone on a map. DJI Terra automatically generates efficient flight path options based on the area selected.
• Waypoint – Create dynamic custom flight paths through an area or around objects using waypoints and adjustable parameters like aircraft altitude, speed, heading, gimbal pitch and angle. For more complex missions that require high attention to detail, the 3D Flight Visualisation feature enables the design and simulation of missions on existing 3D models.
• Oblique – Capture a rich data set by automatically flying the same route multiple times. Each flight automatically adjusts the angle of the camera to capture new details, giving an extra crisp 3D model of the object or asset from multiple angles.

DJI Terra puts orthomosaic maps at your fingertips

DJI Terra allows drone pilots to generate 2D orthomosaic maps in real time, which is ideal for time-sensitive missions where situational awareness is critical and decisions need to be made in minutes.

DJI Terra’s creates representations of any environment through detailed 2D orthomosaics and 3D model reconstructions, which can be used across a range of industrial applications, including reconstructing vehicle crashes, tracking progress on construction projects, and conducting large-scale critical infrastructure inspections.

In addition to map and model creation, DJI Terra generates instant insights to provide a variety of measurements including linear distance, surface area and volumetric estimations. There are also elements designed to improve team communication and reporting, such as flexible annotation labels and a photo inspection tool which lets users closely examine every photo used to create the model so to highlight critical elements.

DJI Terra Availability

DJI Terra is available today for purchase through authorised DJI Enterprise resellers worldwide. The software is compatible with Windows PCs and all current DJI Phantom 4 Series drones.