Guide
See the drone photo behind any point in a point cloud
Click a point in a 3D point cloud and see the drone photos that show exactly that spot, with a marker on the point in each photo. How photo lookup works, what it is for, and where its limits are.
Short answer
A point cloud shows the shape, but not always the detail. With photo lookup you click a point in the point cloud and instantly see the drone photos that show exactly that spot, best photo first, with a marker on the point in each photo. You can open the full-resolution original and zoom in, right in the browser. The tool is included with every job that has a point cloud.
How to use photo lookup
- Open the point cloud from your dashboard or from a client gallery.
- Pick the camera icon under the tools on the left.
- Click a point in the model, for example a skylight, a crack or a sign. The panel on the right shows the photos that cover the spot, with a yellow ring on the point.
- Click a photo to open the original. It opens zoomed in on the point. Use the arrow keys to step between photos, and Esc to close.
- Click another point to look it up. The tool stays active until you switch it off or press Esc.
What it is useful for
Photogrammetry smooths out small details. A crack in a joint, rust on a bracket or the text on a sign can be clear in the drone photo but blurred in the point cloud. Photo lookup connects the two: the model gives the overview and the location, the photo gives the detail.
Typical examples are roof and facade inspection, checking damage after a storm, documenting construction in progress, and working out what a point in the model actually is, such as whether a dark patch is shadow, water or damage.
Photo lookup for your client
When you share the point cloud in a client gallery, your client can use photo lookup the same way, with no account and nothing to install.
You decide whether your client may open the full-resolution original photos. If you switch Source photos off in the gallery, your client still sees the thumbnails with the marker, but not the originals. That can matter when photos show neighbouring properties or people.
How it works behind the scenes
During processing, photogrammetry works out where the drone was and which way the camera pointed for every single photo, along with the properties of the camera lens. We keep that information together with small thumbnails of your photos.
When you click a point, the browser works out which photos the point falls inside, and exactly where in each photo it lies. Photos where the point is near the centre and the camera was close are shown first.
Limitations
Photo lookup works in the point cloud viewer, not in the textured 3D model viewer.
The tool finds the photos whose view covers the point. If something is between the camera and the point, such as eaves or a tree, a photo may show the obstruction instead of the point itself, so look at several of the photos shown.
The marker shows where the model's point lies in the photo. In our tests it lands very close, typically within a couple of pixels, but that says nothing about the model's absolute accuracy on the ground. Without RTK or ground control points, the model is only relatively accurate.
Original photos are available for as long as your data is stored: 30 days for Basic and 365 days for Full Service.
Frequently asked questions
Which jobs get photo lookup?
Every job with a point cloud, such as the 3D package. It is included automatically, with nothing extra to order.
Can my client use photo lookup?
Yes. When the point cloud is shared in a client gallery, your client can use the tool right in the browser, without an account. With the Source photos setting you decide whether your client may also open the full-resolution originals; the thumbnails with the marker are always shown.
How accurate is the marker in the photo?
In our tests the marker typically lands within a couple of pixels of the point in the photo that the model was built from. That describes how well model and photos agree, not the model's absolute position on the ground, which requires RTK or ground control points.
Why does a photo sometimes show something other than the point?
The tool finds the photos whose view covers the point. If something is between the camera and the point, such as eaves or a tree, that photo shows the obstruction. The other photos usually show the point from another angle.
More reading from us
These are our own articles and tools, not external sources.
Home: photo lookup and client galleries
A short overview of photo lookup and sharing with your client.
Orthophoto without subscription
When pay per job makes sense and what it costs.
GDPR-compliant drone processing in the EU
Where your photos are stored and who can see them.
Cowboy guide to drone mapping
Fly so the photogrammetry, and with it photo lookup, turns out well.
Try it on your next job
Upload your drone photos, pick a job with a point cloud, and click your way from the model to the photo. You pay per job, with no subscription.