The real power of the Solo platform is in the software, and we've been hinting since the start that the consumer applications for Solo were just the start. So I'm delighted to announce the official start of the 3DR Enterprise era with SiteScan, our collaboration with Autodesk to use the 3DR Solo and software stack in combination with Autodesk's cloud to create a one-touch "reality capture" from the air.
From the Autodesk press release:
Taking Data Capture to New Heights
Leading drone maker, 3D Robotics is teaming up with Autodesk
“Capturing site data today is costly, time consuming, and often dangerous. Drones can easily go where it’s inefficient or unsafe for field personnel, making it easier to accurately measure our world so we can better manage it,” says Chris Anderson, CEO of leading drone maker 3D Robotics.
3D Robotics (3DR) is using Autodesk’s Forge Platform to develop a new UAV-to-cloud solution for enterprise field professionals within the construction, telecom, survey, mapping, energy and infrastructure industries. The Forge platform consists of a set of Autodesk cloud services, APIs, and SDKs for developers to quickly create the data, apps, experiences, and services that power the future of making things.
Anderson describes that by leveraging the Forge platform, 3D Robotics is able to deliver “a complete solution for site capture that will help business customers save time and money and will take humans out of harm’s way.”
3DR is using Autodesk’s ReCap Photo Web application programming interface (API) to develop a reality capture solution that allows field professionals to quickly and easily perform inspections, surveys and scans of work sites from its unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). For example, take telecom inspections that involve climbing tall towers. 3DR’s SOLO drone will capture data, then process it in the cloud using Autodesk ReCap, eliminating the need for personnel to risk injury.
Once processed by the Autodesk ReCap engine, the reality data (3D point cloud, 2D orthographic views, 3D mesh) is made available on A360, an Autodesk cloud platform, from where it can be downloaded to be used by Autodesk software to help field professionals with monitoring sites, measuring stock piles, getting the as-built context, survey and mapping, and more.
“We are excited to collaborate with 3D Robotics to help field service professionals collect information and make insightful decisions across a variety of industries,” said Amar Hanspal, senior vice president, Products at Autodesk. “From the integration of Site Scan and Autodesk cloud services, to their use of the Forge platform, 3D Robotics is opening up new ways of working for our architecture, engineering and construction customers.”
Comments
Its the way they are all going because the other side of the coin is that unless you are gajillionaire you won't be able to afford a computer at home that will get the job done in under a week. This way Drone Deploy, Propeller Aero PIX4D and Autodesk all keep upgrading their hardware to give you a better faster experience. Nobody will be doing this sort of thing in house in 5 years time, well maybe cities or huge companies.
OH BOY. I only read cloud cloud cloud cloud Cloud CLOUUUUUUUUUUUUDDDDD
Sounds like they want to create some remote computing solution where Autodesk provides the computing power in the CLOOWWWD.
But did it ever occur to them that where you need to fly drones for mapping you usually DONT have super duper high speed internet to upload 10 gigabites of data to the CLOOOUUD??!?!?
No free trial for Solo existing users? :(
My experience with Recap 360 hasn't been brilliant either, I do also find Photoscan more accurate. That said Recap 360 is dead easy to use, you don't need to know anything more than uploading the photos. It looks like Autodesk and 3DR are taking that to another level of integration which I'm excited to see what the results will be. Check out my article on getting GoPro images into Recap and then out to Revit here if you like; http://www.theaeroscout.com.au/2016/02/shearing-shed-3d-mesh-plus-r...
Is the release date for the Sony camera and gimbal is known? The GoPro is the obstacle to the purchase of the Solo.
@Michael: You can add it to your existing Solo. No need for new hardware.
https://3dr.com/enterprise/pricing/
Ugh... As a business start up you would need to have guaranteed contracts lined up to justify these monthly/yearly rates. It will appeal to companies who need these services regularly to go buy their own and not contract specialists like a lot of people belonging to this community are. Could always go work for the bigger companies I guess...
Will there be a way to test or demo the package to potential clients? Seems steep to shell out $8000/yr (CAD) and then try to get the work.
Seems promising! Robotics Tomorrow article has pricing info. I hope to see a camera/site scan only option available for those who want to post process their own data.
Is that camera going to be a 3DR and/or Solo exclusive? Or can it work with any aircraft using Pixhawk/Ardupilot?
Jose: We also announced a new Enterprise camera with Sony, which is a custom version of the QX1.
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