Skip to content
    • Login
    • Create Account
Bad Elf
  • Home
  • Industries
    • Aviation
    • Commercial Aviation
    • GIS/Mapping
    • Marine
    • Photography
  • Products
    • Bad Elf Flex Mini
    • Bad Elf Flex
    • Bad Elf Flex Base/Rover
    • Bad Elf Scanning Kit
    • Legacy Products
      • Plug-in GPS
      • Legacy Bluetooth GNSS Receivers
      • Wombat (Piston Edition)
      • Wombat (Turbine Edition)
    • Accessories
    • Correction Services
      • Point One Navigation
      • GEODNET
  • Solutions
    • App & Hardware Partners
    • Bad Elf App
    • Bad Elf Flex App
    • Compatible Apps
    • Education/Non-profit
    • Esri Solutions
    • Laser Offset Workflow
    • Geospatial Services
    • Pioneer Package
  • Support
    • Documents & Manuals
    • GIS Resources
    • RTN Map
    • Training Videos
    • Cleared to Update
    • Developer Portal
    • Knowledge Base
    • Glossary
    • Contact Us
  • Store
    • Bad Elf Store
    • GSA Products
    • Resellers
  • News & Press
    • Educational Articles
    • Events
    • General News
    • Here! Here! Newsletter
    • Testimonials
  • Product Collections
    • Flex Mini
    • Flex Mini Support Equipment
    • Flex
    • Flex Support Equipment
    • Accessories for Flex
    • Flex Tokens
    • Accessories for Bluetooth GPS
    • Apparel
Total $0.00 0
    • Product Collections Navigation
    • Flex Mini
    • Flex Mini Support Equipment
    • Flex
    • Flex Support Equipment
    • Accessories for Flex
    • Flex Tokens
    • Accessories for Bluetooth GPS
    • Apparel
  • Home
    • Industries Navigation
    • Aviation
    • Commercial Aviation
    • GIS/Mapping
    • Marine
    • Photography
    • Products Navigation
    • Bad Elf Flex Mini
    • Bad Elf Flex
    • Bad Elf Flex Base/Rover
    • Bad Elf Scanning Kit
      • Legacy Products Navigation
      • Plug-in GPS
      • Legacy Bluetooth GNSS Receivers
      • Wombat (Piston Edition)
      • Wombat (Turbine Edition)
    • Accessories
      • Correction Services Navigation
      • Point One Navigation
      • GEODNET
    • Solutions Navigation
    • App & Hardware Partners
    • Bad Elf App
    • Bad Elf Flex App
    • Compatible Apps
    • Education/Non-profit
    • Esri Solutions
    • Laser Offset Workflow
    • Geospatial Services
    • Pioneer Package
    • Support Navigation
    • Documents & Manuals
    • GIS Resources
    • RTN Map
    • Training Videos
    • Cleared to Update
    • Developer Portal
    • Knowledge Base
    • Glossary
    • Contact Us
    • Store Navigation
    • Bad Elf Store
    • GSA Products
    • Resellers
    • News & Press Navigation
    • Educational Articles
    • Events
    • General News
    • Here! Here! Newsletter
    • Testimonials
My Account
Access Denied
IMPORTANT! If you’re a store owner, please make sure you have Customer accounts enabled in your Store Admin, as you have customer based locks set up with EasyLockdown app. Enable Customer Accounts

How to set ground control for drone operations

May 1, 2023
Author Nikolas Smilovsky
Nikolas Smilovsky
How to set ground control for drone operations

Setting ground control points (GCPs) is an essential step for achieving high-accuracy mapping drone flights. Here are the steps to follow to set GCPs for a 10-acre square area using a minimum of 5 GCPs and a few blind check points:

  1. Plan the GCP layout: The first step is to plan the layout of the GCPs. The GCPs should be distributed evenly throughout the project area, with at least one GCP in each quadrant of the area. The number of GCPs required depends on the accuracy requirements of the project, but a minimum of 5 GCPs should be used for a 10-acre square area.
  2. Choose GCP locations: Once the layout is planned, choose specific locations for the GCPs. The locations should be easily identifiable from the air and on the ground, and free from any obstructions that could affect the drone's flight or data collection.
  3. Mark the GCP locations: Once the locations are chosen, mark the GCP locations on the ground using highly visible markers such as brightly colored flags or painted targets. The markers should be large enough to be visible from the air and should be placed securely to ensure they will not move during the flight.
  4. Measure the GCP coordinates: Once the GCP locations are marked, measure the precise coordinates of each GCP using a survey-grade GPS or total station. Record the coordinates in a spreadsheet or database to be used later in the post-processing software.
  5. Capture the GCP data: During the drone flight, capture images of each GCP from multiple angles and heights, ensuring that the GCPs are clearly visible in each image. It's important to capture images of the GCPs both before and after the main flight to use for checking the accuracy of the final map.
  6. Use blind checkpoints: In addition to the GCPs, use a few blind check points, which are unmarked locations that will be used to verify the accuracy of the final map. These check points should be distributed throughout the project area and should be measured and captured in the same way as the GCPs.

By following these steps, you can ensure that the GCPs are accurately measured and captured, and that the resulting map is highly accurate. It's important to use high-quality equipment and software for both measuring the GCP coordinates and processing the drone data, and to carefully follow all safety and regulatory guidelines for drone flight.

 

 

  • accuracy
  • Bad Elf
  • GCP
  • geospatial
  • GNSS
  • GPS
  • ground control
  • MAY2023
  • Newsletter
  • Share on Facebook
  • Tweet on Twitter
  • Pin on Pinterest

Nikolas Smilovsky
Nikolas Smilovsky

Dr. Smilovsky is the Geospatial Solutions Director for Bad Elf, a GNSS technologies company. Dr S is a faculty member at Arizona State University teaching various GIS and design classes. He is a certified Geographic Information Systems Professional, a certified Arborist, and a Part 107 certified UAV pilot. As a geospatial evangelist, custom geospatial solutions provider, and geographic researcher Dr. S is widely versed in all things geodetic. He is a proud Geoholic!

Invalid password
Enter
Contact Sales

Looking for advice on a product or service? Speak with a member of our staff.

Need Help?

We're here to help you with all of your Bad Elf products. Browse recent FAQ's, our Knowledge Base, Glossary, and more.

Support

Our staff is ready to assist with your detailed questions.

Quick links

  • Home
  • My Subscriptions
  • Newsletter
  • Support
  • Store
  • Blog
  • Careers
  • Contact
  • About Us

Policies

  • Accessory Warranty
  • GPS / Electronics Warranty
  • Hardware EULA
  • MAP Policy (US)
  • Privacy
  • Reseller Program
  • Returns
  • Shipping

Connect with us on Social Media

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
Use left/right arrows to navigate the slideshow or swipe left/right if using a mobile device
  • Choosing a selection results in a full page refresh.
  • Press the space key then arrow keys to make a selection.

Shopping Cart

No products in the cart.