SkyIMD’s flight planner application was developed as an internal tool for planning our own aerial imaging and mapping flights. We had been using a commercial application, but were frustrated at times by the constant re-entry of data to view iterative results. It was so helpful for us, we decided to share with our clients and potential clients alike. This is a wonderfully useful free tool not without its flaws, but it is our gift to you. Hope it helps.
Note: there are a few known issues with the application. There’s a good chance you may encounter one or a few of them along the way. If you get stuck, just hit the reload button on your browser to start new.
For a successful experience, keep it simple – use closed polygon’s, upload .KML files with a single polygon/parcel.
When imaging a large area, it’s a good idea to plan your altitude and flight paths in order to:
• Capture the desired resolution needed
• Make sure that you have enough overlap in your photos
• Know your maximum ground speed so that you do not reduce the overlap percentage by flying too fast
• Keep your aircraft straight and levelHave a Plan B – Check the weather for prevailing winds and map out two different headings. Once you’re on station, you can figure out which plan to use depending on the wind direction.
Elevation data for all US States, including Hawaii and Alaska (Alaska below 60N)Australia (South Australia, New South Wales, Tasmania, & Perth [limited]); The Bahamas; Belarus; Buenos Aires (limited); Costa Rica; Czechia; Denmark; Germany; Greece; India (Bengaluru, Delhi, Hyderabad, Mumbai); Ireland; Kenya; Namibia; Netherlands; New Zealand; Portugal; Puerto Rico; South Georgia-South Sandwich Islands; Russia (limited to Western Russia); United Kingdom.
• Only .KML Boundary (closed polygons created with Google Earth) are supported at the moment. Parcels up to 1,000 square miles are supported
• Only .KML files are supported for upload. Download paths as either KML or GPX or LITCHI format files.
• Use a conversion tool like GPSBabel to convert it to another format
• If you import an unclosed polygon, the app will inform you that it will be closed
• If it hangs up or you get a memory warning, reload the page and try again
Common digital camera sensor sizes: Popular Canon & Nikon sensor resolution and dimensions: Or refer to your camera’s technical specifications to find the sensor resolution (pixels) and dimension (mm)
If you’re new to the tool or having trouble getting results, click here for a troubleshooting guide.