Thermal images used to prepare this orthomosaic were provided by RMUS .
About drone mapping
Drone mapping uses unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) equipped with cameras to collect a series of images over a specific area. These images are stitched together using software such as Pix4D or OpenDroneMap (ODM) to create detailed maps and 3D models of the landscape.
Drones equipped with thermal cameras add temperature information to this process. Unlike standard RGB imagery, thermal images require careful calibration and correction to represent temperature variations accurately. Both image collection and post-processing need to preserve that information.
How IRT Cronista enhances your workflow
IRT Cronista helps prepare thermal drone images for mapping:
- Organize images on your computer.
- Convert images to Radiometric TIFF format while preserving GPS data and calibrating image data for stitching.
- Use the exported radiometric TIFFs in OpenDroneMap or Pix4D. Orthomosaics created from these files retain temperature information for further thermographic analysis.
Converting thermal images to radiometric TIFFs
- Navigate to the folder containing your original thermal images.
- Select the images you wish to convert. Press Ctrl+A to select all images in the folder.
- Right-click a selected image and choose Export to open the Export dialog.
- Select Place images in a subfolder and enter a folder name, such as Tiffs.
- Select TIFF: Radiometric TIFF from the export formats list.
- Click Export to begin the conversion.
The selected subfolder will contain the radiometric TIFF images for use in OpenDroneMap or Pix4D.
Pix4D notes
- IRT Cronista can prepare images from cameras whose original image format is not directly supported by Pix4D.
- We recommend converting thermal images to Radiometric TIFFs with IRT Cronista, including for supported drones, to preserve temperature information in the orthomosaic.
- Select a standard processing template. Do not use the Thermal Camera or ThermoMAP Camera templates in Processing Options Template for this workflow.
The final orthomosaic TIFF generated by Pix4D is located in the project folder under 3_dsm_ortho/2_mosaic.
Supported drones and thermal cameras
Compatibility depends on the thermal camera attached to the drone. If IRT Cronista supports the camera's image format, it can convert those images to radiometric TIFFs. Check the camera compatibility information for your camera and format.
The original workflow includes DJI thermal cameras and platforms such as:
- Zenmuse H20 N and H20 T
- Mavic 2 Enterprise Advanced (M2EA)
- Thermal-equipped Mavic 3 Enterprise models
- Matrice 30 Series M30T
- Matrice M3TD, M4T, and M4TD
- Zenmuse XT S and XT 2
Compatibility has also been confirmed with Autel Evo II Pro drones equipped with an InfiRay thermal camera.
Discuss your mapping workflow
Contact us about specialized requirements for drone mapping, photogrammetry, or 3D reconstruction involving thermal imaging.