TopoFlight is a three-dimensional photogrammetric flight planning program that has been conceived by a team of experts in the cartographic sector and has been used since 2003 by different companies around the world. The program is used to plan the distribution of passes (strips) of flight lines with the help provided by a Digital Terrain Model (DTM). The information related to the flight plan can be transferred directly to the camera's flight management system (for example, ASCOT or CCNS4) allowing the estimation of costs of the flight and the rest of the photogrammetric products, as well as the flight parameters themselves (flight height, longitudinal and transversal overlaps) with the help of a spreadsheet such as Microsoft Excel. It can also be used for quality control of the flight parameters, once the flight has been carried out, through the import of information from the projection centers of the captured images. The current version of the program is 7.
File Formats
TopoFlight works with a multi-layer system. The generated flight plans are stored in the well-known shape format (ESRI/ARC VIEW).
Maps and orthoimages can be used as cartographic reference files. Additional information that should be used is:.
Reference files can be used in the following formats:
Characteristics
Best adjustment in flight height – Allows the calculation of the optimal flight height to obtain the image of the desired scale, and also provides the maximum and minimum scales for a certain area for a certain flight height considering the relief of the area from the MDE.
Coordinate transformations – It is possible to perform coordinate transformation operations from the local system to another system (for example, WGS84).
Determination of projection centers – The system provides information about the coordinates of each projection center with the image scales and longitudinal overlap.
Calculation of the area effectively covered by the images of each pass (strip)
Transverse overlap surface ** – Calculation of the transverse overlap area between two neighboring flight passes (strips).**.
Three-dimensional planning
Introduction
TopoFlight is a three-dimensional photogrammetric flight planning program that has been conceived by a team of experts in the cartographic sector and has been used since 2003 by different companies around the world. The program is used to plan the distribution of passes (strips) of flight lines with the help provided by a Digital Terrain Model (DTM). The information related to the flight plan can be transferred directly to the camera's flight management system (for example, ASCOT or CCNS4) allowing the estimation of costs of the flight and the rest of the photogrammetric products, as well as the flight parameters themselves (flight height, longitudinal and transversal overlaps) with the help of a spreadsheet such as Microsoft Excel. It can also be used for quality control of the flight parameters, once the flight has been carried out, through the import of information from the projection centers of the captured images. The current version of the program is 7.
File Formats
TopoFlight works with a multi-layer system. The generated flight plans are stored in the well-known shape format (ESRI/ARC VIEW).
Maps and orthoimages can be used as cartographic reference files. Additional information that should be used is:.
Reference files can be used in the following formats:
Characteristics
Best adjustment in flight height – Allows the calculation of the optimal flight height to obtain the image of the desired scale, and also provides the maximum and minimum scales for a certain area for a certain flight height considering the relief of the area from the MDE.
Coordinate transformations – It is possible to perform coordinate transformation operations from the local system to another system (for example, WGS84).
Determination of projection centers – The system provides information about the coordinates of each projection center with the image scales and longitudinal overlap.
Cost estimate – Allows you to obtain the cost estimate of the flight and the photogrammetric products to an Excel file. The information formats can be modified by the user.
List of coordinates – It is possible to transfer flight parameters to an Excel file. The information formats can be modified by the user.
Support and verification points – It is possible to import and tag pre-existing support and verification points in the area. It is also possible to plan the distribution of support points on flight planning with a single mouse click, obtaining the coordinates of the point to measure in the field.
Exporting the flight plan – The flight plan can be exported to different formats that allow its incorporation into many other programs, such as, for example, SHAPE format files, DXF format, or TIFF format with TFW header.
Transfer to flight management systems – Coordinates can be exported to the most common flight management programs such as ASCOT, CCNS, or TrackAir.
Verification of the longitudinal overlap for aerotriangulation processes – Allows verification of compliance with the minimum longitudinal overlap at the level of passes (strips).
Create flight catalogs and images – The coordinates of the image centers along with a reduced image of existing flights can be read in Topoflight to have flight catalogs and images available, providing information on their basic parameters (projection center, scales and overlaps).
Users
TopoFlight is currently used in 19 countries around the world, including the United States of America, Canada, Germany, Italy, Spain, Brazil, Mexico and others.
Calculation of the area effectively covered by the images of each pass (strip)
Transverse overlap surface ** – Calculation of the transverse overlap area between two neighboring flight passes (strips).**.
Cost estimate – Allows you to obtain the cost estimate of the flight and the photogrammetric products to an Excel file. The information formats can be modified by the user.
List of coordinates – It is possible to transfer flight parameters to an Excel file. The information formats can be modified by the user.
Support and verification points – It is possible to import and tag pre-existing support and verification points in the area. It is also possible to plan the distribution of support points on flight planning with a single mouse click, obtaining the coordinates of the point to measure in the field.
Exporting the flight plan – The flight plan can be exported to different formats that allow its incorporation into many other programs, such as, for example, SHAPE format files, DXF format, or TIFF format with TFW header.
Transfer to flight management systems – Coordinates can be exported to the most common flight management programs such as ASCOT, CCNS, or TrackAir.
Verification of the longitudinal overlap for aerotriangulation processes – Allows verification of compliance with the minimum longitudinal overlap at the level of passes (strips).
Create flight catalogs and images – The coordinates of the image centers along with a reduced image of existing flights can be read in Topoflight to have flight catalogs and images available, providing information on their basic parameters (projection center, scales and overlaps).
Users
TopoFlight is currently used in 19 countries around the world, including the United States of America, Canada, Germany, Italy, Spain, Brazil, Mexico and others.