Annotations

Each project allows you to create various types of annotations once map processing is complete. These annotations help you document measurements, deliver stockpile data and provide progress updates.

Availability: Who has access?

Annotations are available for all DroneDeploy subscription tiers.

• Certain advanced measurement features (such as Surface Area and Volume) require an Individual, Advanced, Teams or Enterprise plan.

• Functionalities vary by subscription; please visit our Plan Comparison page for details.

How to use annotations

Follow these steps to create and manage measurements on your map.

1. Open your project in DroneDeploy. Navigate to the map where you want to add measurements.

2. Locate the annotation toolbar. On the Explore page, locate the annotation toolbar on the right side of the screen.

3. Choose an annotation type. Select the tool from the toolbar that matches your goal:

   • Point: Mark specific locations and view coordinates.

   • Distance: Measure the length between two or more points.

   • Area: Calculate the two-dimensional space of a shape.

   • Count: Tally objects or items across your map by clicking each instance.

   • Volume: Quantify the three-dimensional space of a stockpile or excavation.

4. Draw the annotation on the map. Click the map to place vertices. Double-click or press Enter to complete the shape. For the Count tool, click each object you wish to tally.

For every annotation you create, you can apply the following features:

• Lock/Unlock Changes: This prevents changes to the details of the annotation.

• Get a link: Ensure the end user has a DroneDeploy account and access to the project.

• Duplicate: This creates a copy of the selected annotation.

• Delete: This permanently removes the annotation. Note that there is no restore option.

• Title: Change the name of the annotation to control how it appears in reports.

• Color: Select the colored circle next to the name to change the annotation color.

Move and rotate annotations

After you create an annotation, you can adjust its position on the map:

• Move: Click and hold the Move button (the cross icon with arrows) to move the annotation.

• Rotate: Click and drag the Rotate button to rotate the annotation. This feature is available for all annotations except for circles.

Filtering and sorting annotations

Use the Annotation menu on the left side panel to manage your data:

1. Search for specific annotations by title.

2. Use the Filter menu to filter annotations by type.

3. Use Sort options to organize annotations by the date created or the date modified.

Copying annotations

You can copy selected annotations from one map to another within the same project.

Lock annotations

Available for Individual, Advanced, Teams and Enterprise subscriptions

Project Editors can use the Lock and Unlock feature for all annotations. Click the Lock button at the top of the annotation side panel to prevent further edits. When an annotation is locked, a notice appears at the top of the Annotation side panel.

Hotkeys

Use these keyboard shortcuts to work more efficiently:

Grouping and ungrouping annotations

You can group annotations into folders by name, type, creator, object type or measurement type.

How to group annotations:

1. Select the annotations in the left side panel in the EXPLORE tab.

2. Click the Folder icon at the top right side.

3. Select an existing group or create a new group.

How to ungroup annotations:

1. Click the three-dot menu at the end of the annotation group card.

2. Select the Delete option.

3. To delete the annotations along with the group, check the Delete annotations box in the pop-up.

Note: The system does not group or delete locked annotations.

Annotation types

Point

Use this tool to annotate a specific point on your map. The Point annotation includes:

• Annotation name

• Author and timestamp

• Latitude and longitude

• State Plane Coordinate System (SPCS) coordinates (if a Coordinate Reference System (CRS) is defined)

• Elevation

• Location images

• Field note creation

• Comments and attachments

Distance

The Distance or line tool measures the length of a straight line or a series of lines.

• Length: The 3D length (hypotenuse) from point A to point B.

• Horizontal Length: The 2D projection (adjacent side).

• Surface Length: The distance over the processed orthomosaic, including surface objects.

• Slope: The degree of incline from the start to the end of a profile.

• Surface Profile Graph: Includes Comma Separated Values (CSV) export options.

Area

Select the Area tool to outline a section of your map. Click the first point or double-click the last point to close the shape.

Note: If an area is too large, DroneDeploy cannot calculate the data. Simplify the shape or contact Support for assistance.

• Change the name of the annotation 
• View who added the annotation and when 
• Area Measurement (2D)
• Surface Area (3D): the surface area is the 3D calculation. The 3D measurement should always be larger than the 2D measurement.

  Area (2D): The area is the measurement of the space occupied by any two-dimensional geometric shape. The area of any shape depends upon its dimensions. The area of a shape is calculated in square units (sq units). As the area is measured for a two-dimensional object it has two dimensions length and width.

   

  Surface Area (3D): The surface area is the area calculated for the three-dimensional object. As the three-dimensional object is made up of 2D faces, the surface area is the sum of the areas of all the faces of the figure. 

• Field Note Creation (will not populate on the Field Note Report)
• Add comment & attachment 

Volume

Available for Advanced, Teams and Enterprise users

The Volume tool includes area measurements, cut and fill data, net volume and mass. You can select materials and define base planes or surface selections such as Digital Surface Models (DSM) or 3D DXF files.

Click here for more information on Terrain Edits feature to flatten unwanted artifcacts in your map.

Rectangle

The Rectangle annotation is a form of area annotation for 2D maps. You can drag the tool over an area or predefine the width and length.

Note: You can view rectangle annotations in 3D, but you must create or adjust them in 2D.

Radius

The Radius tool places a perfect circle measurement on your map. This tool is available only in 2D.

Count

See our guide on Counting objects here! 

If you are looking for AI Counting, check out our guide on AI Annotations (beta) here. 

Stockpile AI

See our guide on Stockpile AI here!

3D Annotations

• Edge Annotations

Note: check out this guide for more information on 3D annotations

All of these annotations above are available to use on your 3D Model. 3D Annotations bring you a more efficient and accurate noting in 3D mode for precision, accuracy, and a better experience when annotating your model.

Sharing annotations

Note: To learn more about sharing as a whole, see our Data Sharing guide. 

Sharing privately

Add a DroneDeploy user to the project via email to share privately. Authorized users can view, add and reply to annotations.

Note: Visibility status is saved to the map. If you turn off an annotation, it remains hidden for shared users.

Sharing publicly

Share a URL link to the annotation to share it publicly. Public links provide read-only access to your annotations.

FAQs

Q: How do I change the measured units of an annotation?

A: Navigate to your Account Preferences to select imperial or metric units.

Q: Does the Point annotation support custom coordinates?

A: Yes. If you have defined a Coordinate Reference System (CRS) for the project, the tool displays State Plane Coordinate System (SPCS) coordinates.

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