My Photogrammetry Adventure: From Reddit Discovery to 3D Drone Modeling

So this all started with a chance encounter on Reddit, where a post caught my eye about creating 3D models with a drone. Now, as someone who’s handy with a drone, this piqued my interest big time, and I decided to delve deeper into this field.

After some research, armed with nothing but my trusty drone and taking over 500 photos (yeah, you heard that right), I set out on my photogrammetry journey. I tinkered with a couple of software options like Metashape and Meshroom, but after some trial and error, I found myself leaning towards Metashape for its superior results.

Now, let’s talk about the bumps in the road. Every journey has ’em, and mine was no exception. One of my major challenges was figuring out how to showcase my awesome 3D render to the world. After a bit of head-scratching, I settled on Sketchfab as my go-to display platform. But, here’s the kicker – size restraints. Who knew file sizes could be such a buzzkill? So, while I couldn’t share my render at the highest settings, what I am able to share here are what I would say are the mid tier renders. I’ve added a video and some screen captures at the highest resolution so that you can get an idea of the difference between the Sketchfab share and the model at the highest settings.

And let me tell you about those highest detail renders – talk about mind-blowing! It’s like stepping into a whole new dimension where every tiny detail comes to life right before your eyes. Seriously, it’s the stuff of digital dreams.

All in all, my journey into photogrammetry was a rollercoaster ride of excitement and discovery. Sure, there were a few bumps along the way, but isn’t that what makes the adventure all the more exhilarating? I’m itching to dive even deeper into this captivating field and uncover more of it’s awesomeness, and how you can maybe share higher quality renders. Beyond that I’m super excited to try and 3D print these models. Wish me luck.