3DR has announced the release of Site Scan, an aerial analytics platform that enables customers to safely, quickly and easily inspect, survey and scan work sites with the Solo smart drone and seamlessly deliver that data to the cloud for processing and analytics.
Designed for the field professional, Site Scan is an intuitive, open and extensible aerial analytics platform that leverages the latest innovations in image capture from Sony and cloud processing capabilities from Autodesk to deliver an end-to-end solution ready-made for existing reality capture workflows. Included in the Site Scan package are a Solo drone, a Sony Xperia tablet pre-configured with the Site Scan app, a Sony UMCR10C or GoPro HERO4 Black camera, unlimited storage in the 3DR Cloud and unlimited processing and publishing credits with the Autodesk Cloud.
Intuitive Experience for Field Professionals
Site Scan makes it safer and easier than ever for people in construction, telecom, GIS, mapping, energy, infrastructure and related fields to aggregate and process multiple forms of reality capture data and perform inspections.
"3DR has created the professional multirotor system that McKim & Creed and other engineering companies have been waiting for, said Christian Stallings, R&D Manager, McKim & Creed. “Finally there is a solution that combines intelligent hardware, intuitive software and camera systems built for mapping, not movie making. 3DR is truly changing the way that people will think about professional mapping drones."
The Site Scan app supports all reality capture needs with three modes: Inspect, Survey and Scan. The workflow — from flight and collection to processing and importing data — is managed entirely on the included Sony tablet, with a simple and familiar app interface designed for the business user. Site Scan automatically calculates a flight plan for Surveys and Scans, and Solo autonomously executes both flight and image capture. Inspect allows users to easily examine and photograph towers and other structures with everyday swiping and pinching on the tablet screen. The inspection process leverages the Sony camera's zoom lens, where precise imagery is required to capture asset identification information. Survey captures images to create high-resolution georeferenced maps and digital elevation models, while Scan captures imagery to create 3D models. This data can be seamlessly integrated into popular professional design and engineering platforms.
Powerful, Professional-Grade Tools from 3DR, Autodesk and Sony
Site Scan automatically captures highresolution images with the professional Sony UMCR10C or GoPro HERO4 Black camera and securely uploads that data to the 3DR Cloud and to the Autodesk ReCap processing pipeline. Once processed, the reality data (3D point cloud, 2D orthographic views and 3D mesh) is available for consumption and for use with many Autodesk products, supporting various use cases such as monitoring sites, measuring stockpiles, getting the as-built context and survey and mapping.
“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,” said Chris Anderson, CEO of 3DR. “We’re delighted to partner with two industry leaders — Autodesk and Sony — to deliver Site Scan, a complete solution for site capture that will help our business customers save time, save money and keep humans out of harm’s way.”
Additionally, 3DR is an early adopter of the Autodesk FORGE platform, which leverages the ReCap Photo Web API. As part of the FORGE ecosystem, 3DR is collaborating with Autodesk to create a complete dronetocloud solution for enterprise customers.
“Capture technology is rapidly transforming the way people collect information and make insightful decisions in the field,” said Amar Hanspal, SVP of Products at Autodesk. “We are excited about our expansive collaboration with 3DR — from deep integration between Site Scan and Autodesk products to leveraging the FORGE platform — to accelerate the development and use of reality capture across the AEC industries.”
Site Scan’s Sony components include a Sony Xperia Z4 tablet preconfigured with the Site Scan app, a Sony UMCR10C camera, a Sony E PZ 1650mm zoom lens for inspection use cases and a Sony E 20mm prime lens for 2D and 3D mapping.
“Sony is thrilled to work with 3DR to provide our UMCR10C as their flagship imaging solution,” said John Monti, Director of Visual Imaging Solutions, Component Solutions Business Division, Sony Electronics, Inc. “As an overall leader in imaging innovation, there is no higher leverage partner for us in the drone market than 3DR, North America’s number one drone manufacturer. We’re extremely excited about the opportunities this great partnership will present for us.”
An Evolving Aerial Platform
3DR designed Site Scan as an open and extensible platform. On the hardware side, the Solo smart drone has open gimbal and accessory bays, which give both 3DR and their global technology partners the ability to integrate additional cameras and sensors. Additionally, Solo firmware updates optimize the drone’s flight profile and performance. On the software side, 3DR will continually update the Site Scan app so customers can take advantage of the most recent and advanced analytics technologies.
Safety and Support
With Site Scan, even users new to drone technology will fly with confidence from day one. Users can define geofences, including obstacle fencing, simply by drawing on the screen with their fingertip; Solo won’t cross these geofences, and even plans its own flights around them so every flight is safe. The Site Scan app includes 3DR’s airspace safety information software, which alerts users if they’re about to fly in restricted airspace. They can then pull up a map of the area with all restrictions around them clearly marked. To support enterprise customers further, 3DR is launching a new industry-leading Success Services, Premier Success Plan. Included with their purchase of Success Services, all Site Scan users will have access to experts on Solo and aerial data acquisition seven days a week. They will also have a Solo overnight replacement guarantee should anything go wrong with one of their drones.
