Guide
See the original drone photo behind any point in your orthophoto, point cloud or 3D model
Click any spot in the orthophoto, point cloud or 3D model 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
Photo lookup is a tool in all three results viewers: the orthophoto map, the point cloud and the textured 3D model. Click a spot and the panel lists up to eight original drone photos that cover it, best first, each with a ring on the exact point. You can open the full-resolution original and zoom in, right in the browser. It is included with every job.
How to use photo lookup
- Open the orthophoto, point cloud or 3D model from your dashboard or from a client gallery.
- Pick the camera icon under the tools on the left.
- In the orthophoto map, click the ground. In the 3D viewers, click the surface.
- Click a spot, 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 your results in a client gallery, your client can use photo lookup the same way, with no account and nothing to install.
Your client can also open the full-resolution original photos and zoom in, just like you can.
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
In the orthophoto map, only photos that look nearly straight down are used, so the photos match the map view. In the point cloud and 3D model, photos are chosen by how well they cover 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, 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, 2D and 3D. It is included automatically, with nothing extra to order.
Can my client use photo lookup?
Yes. When your results are shared in a client gallery, your client can use the tool right in the browser, without an account, and open the full-resolution originals.
Does photo lookup work in the orthophoto map?
Yes. Click the ground in the orthophoto map and the panel lists the nearly straight-down drone photos that show that spot.
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, and click your way from the orthophoto, point cloud or model to the photo. You pay per job, with no subscription.