Drone operator
tools & services

Flight planning & preparation

Create the route and the photographs you need, then keep the plan with the job.

• Waypoint flights. Set the takeoff point, route, heights and speeds. Insert, move, reorder or remove points as the plan develops.
• Area mapping. Create photo grids inside a selected boundary, with flight direction, camera settings and forward and side overlap.
• Individual photographs. Set camera heading, pitch and focal-length intent. Keep a close-up linked to its wider shot or position it independently.
• Mixed capture plans. Combine manual waypoints, area grids and object captures in one flight, or split the job into separate flights with different aircraft.
• Terrain review. Compare takeoff-relative and above-ground height settings, load available or custom terrain data, and review clearance conflicts in 3D.
• Repeat visits. Retain and revise plans for recurring inspections, progress photography or changes to a site.
• Mission files and documents. Export supported DJI KMZ profiles and flight or job PDFs. Choose a faint grayscale reference basemap, or omit the basemap from the PDF.

Mission compatibility depends on the aircraft, controller and application. See the export profiles below.

Property maps & reusable photo sets

Keep the source photographs as well as the map made from them.

• Retained photo sets. Upload flight photos, folders or ZIPs, review the images and keep them associated with their property and flight. Reuse a set for inspection, mapping or treatment planning.
• Direct photo overlays. Project suitable geolocated photos onto a ground plane or existing terrain surface for a quick visual review in the 3D planner.
• Your own orthomosaic. Use an existing corrected aerial map as the property basemap and in supported 3D views. Start work without repeating the survey.
• Dated map versions. Publish reviewed imagery, retain earlier versions and maintain an updated map for the customer.
• Before-and-after review. Compare dated photographs and retain the evidence behind a finding or recommendation.

Choose the capture method for the result. A projected photo overlay is useful for visual reference. A corrected orthomosaic or reconstructed model needs suitable overlap and processing; RTK image positions alone do not establish the accuracy of every visible feature.

3D scanning & object capture

Plan photographs around a building, structure or other object, with a clear view of where each shot points.

• Reference shapes and models. Position a simple box or cylinder, or bring in a building model to orient the capture.
• Capture rings and envelopes. Arrange photographs around the object at different heights, including higher oblique views and roof coverage.
• Photo spacing. Adjust photo density, standoff and ring heights, then inspect individual camera directions and footprints.
• Editable results. Rebuild a capture section when settings change, or fine-tune individual generated photo points.
• Ground and object context. Review the route against terrain and reference geometry before export.

3D model library, editing & conversion

Work with an architect’s model, a supplied mesh or a reconstructed scan without replacing the original file.

• Import existing models. Bring in IFC building models, OBJ, STL, PLY meshes or self-contained GLB files, including supported OBJ material and texture packages.
• Reduce heavy geometry. Create lighter versions with a chosen triangle target and simplification tolerance. Filter relevant IFC element classes when preparing the model.
• Place it on the property. Drag, rotate and scale the model, adjust elevation or tilt, and associate it with an asset. Use the property map for context or turn the map off.
• Keep proportions. Scale all axes together for normal resizing, with individual dimensions available when needed.
• Appearance. Keep supported source materials and textures, or apply a whole-object appearance for clearer reference.
• Export a working version. Download GLB for textured viewing, OBJ for mesh exchange or STL for geometry-based workflows. The original remains available separately.
• A continuing model library. Keep source files, lighter versions and geographic placements with the property for use beyond a single flight.

This is model preparation and placement. Detailed mesh repair, CAD authoring and BIM coordination use specialist tools. See what each format retains.

From a scan to a 3D print

With specialist processing & print preparation

Offer physical models of buildings, terrain, heritage structures or construction proposals. Start from a drone capture or a supplied 3D file.

1. Capture or import. Keep the source photographs or original model with the customer job.
2. Prepare a separate model. Reconstruct if needed, simplify the geometry and use external repair or CAD tools for missing surfaces, a solid base and print-specific changes.
3. Set the physical size. Agree the scale and check the exported model’s dimensions in the slicer. A 20 m building at 1:100 should print 200 mm wide.
4. Check and deliver. Review closed surfaces, wall thickness and printability with the printer or supplier. Retain the approved file and size specification with the job.

AgRhythm supplies model storage, simplification and STL export. Mesh repair, slicing and printing are separate steps. Current mesh exports use metres; STL does not declare its units. Preparing a miniature should not change the building’s placement or size on the property map.

Weed mapping & spray prescriptions

Use survey imagery or an existing orthomosaic to define where treatment is needed and at what rate.

• Separate survey and spray work. Keep the survey flight and photo set, then create a treatment layer with its own selected spray aircraft.
• Paint or draw treatment areas. Mark visible weeds with a brush or area tools. Return later to change a stroke’s width or rate, reorder marks, delete them or undo edits.
• Explicit application rates. Set litres per hectare or a percentage of the base rate. Visual layer opacity remains separate from the dose.
• No-spray areas. Record exclusions, erase marks and obstacle geometry for review alongside the treatment.
• Quantity review. Inspect treated area, rates and estimated litres before downloading.
• Prescription packages. Prepare DJI Agras variable-rate or fixed-rate packages, XAG fixed-rate treatment areas, or GIS interchange files.

The export is treatment data; the sprayer’s controller creates its flight route. The exact model and controller workflow needs testing. XAG variable-rate export and automatic weed recognition are not currently included.

Asset & infrastructure inspections

• Buildings and roofs. Plan façade, roof and close-up photographs, link them to the asset and retain reviewed findings.
• Farm and industrial assets. Build a record for tanks, silos, sheds, fences and other mapped equipment or structures.
• Repeat condition records. Reuse planned viewpoints, compare dated evidence and create follow-up work.
• Event assessment. Record storm, flood, slip or other site damage with mapped photographs and supporting reports.

Agriculture, livestock & environment

• Weeds and invasive plants. Locate visible infestations, retain field evidence and turn reviewed findings into treatment areas.
• Crop and pasture observations. Use repeat RGB imagery alongside available property records to guide field checks and agronomic review.
• Mustering route preparation. Prepare centreline and sweep routes, review terrain requirements and export a proposed mission.
• Waterways and land condition. Record drainage, erosion, access and restoration work through dated imagery and follow-up tasks.
• Forestry, orchards and habitat. Keep repeat capture and observation records for establishment, damage or vegetation change.

Survey, construction & design context

• Construction progress. Keep dated site photographs, map versions, model deliveries and job updates.
• Proposed-building context. Place imported IFC or mesh geometry on a property to review its location, scale and orientation.
• Existing-condition records. Organise capture plans, source imagery and reconstructed models for design teams.
• Presentation and handover. Deliver aerial photographs, visual models, site reports or files prepared for physical presentation models.

Processing, customer delivery & ongoing maps

• Bring completed captures. Create processing work from existing imagery, even when the flight was planned elsewhere.
• Assisted reconstruction. Request processing, agree the outputs and retain the resulting maps, terrain files or 3D models with the job.
• Review before sharing. Keep draft and reviewed result sets, publish the intended delivery and retain earlier versions.
• Downloadable deliverables. Share authorised access to photographs, plans, reports, supported map outputs and model files.
• Ongoing property services. Maintain map versions and a placed model library as the site changes, rather than losing the history between visits.
• Actionable findings. Record reviewed observations against property assets and create follow-up tasks.

Processing is arranged with assistance. The processor, outputs, turnaround and cost need to be agreed for the job.

Aircraft & maintenance records

• One aircraft record. Connect personal, property or business aircraft to the relevant properties and jobs.
• The right aircraft per flight. Assign different equipment to survey, inspection and spray work within the same job.
• Reusable settings. Maintain property flight profiles and camera or export preferences without silently changing saved flights.
• Readiness and maintenance. Record defects, maintenance, calibration, service dates and return-to-service decisions with notes and supporting evidence.

These are managed equipment records. Automatic flight-hour, battery-cycle and controller-telemetry collection is a separate integration.

Customers, quotations & jobs

• Work across properties. Keep customer sites, mapped work areas and contacts together, including non-agricultural properties.
• Define the job. Record the brief, dates, required outputs, notes and source files. Include several flights or follow-up stages.
• Quote and agree changes. Prepare itemised quotations, optional lines and amendments, with retained versions and acceptance records.
• Xero add-on · Coming soon. Create Xero draft invoices from accepted job quotes. AgRhythm quoting works without Xero.
• Work with a team. Give participants the appropriate job access and keep preparation, processing, review and delivery connected.
• Prepare and hand over. Keep flight documents, readiness information and customer deliverables with the work.
• Set up customer properties. Help a customer establish their map and records, then use the supported handover process.
• Optional operator discovery. Publish a service listing and use available-work workflows where enabled. Public listing is separate from your private account and fleet.