Bad capture kills reconstruction quality before processing starts. This checklist focuses on field decisions that matter most for drone Gaussian Splatting projects.
Pre-flight checklist
- Lock exposure, ISO, shutter, white balance
- Disable aggressive sharpening/noise filters if possible
- Verify storage space and battery margin
- Plan two orbit heights minimum
- Avoid strongest midday glare on reflective materials
Capture targets
| Parameter | Recommended target | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Front overlap | 75%+ | Stable feature matching |
| Side overlap | 65%+ | Better surface continuity |
| Orbit count | 2 to 3 | Reduce occlusions |
| Camera tilt set | 45° + 70° | Capture vertical faces |
| Motion speed | Slow/constant | Lower blur risk |
Flight pattern sequence
- Nadir grid pass for horizontal coverage
- Orbit at medium height (45° tilt)
- Orbit at lower or higher height (70° tilt)
- Optional detail pass for complex facade zones
Common failure patterns
- Fast yaw changes → motion blur
- Auto exposure jumps → color flicker
- Sparse side angles → wall holes
- Specular windows → ghost artefacts
If one zone fails, run targeted recapture instead of full mission repeat.
Process and validate fast
Upload mission frames to FreeGaussian, inspect renderer output, then decide if second pass needed. Quick feedback loop saves field time and post-processing time.
For indoor/object capture strategy, read our capture fundamentals in /blog/best-practices-capture.