Overlays

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Easily import, overlay, and view design plans against your orthomosaic maps in DroneDeploy using our Overlay layering tool. Upload CAD design surfaces to utilize cut and fill functionality—import data from your integrations such as ProCore and BIM360. Upload shapefiles, DXFs, GeoTIFFs, and other imagery to aid in planning and analyzing your maps in DroneDeploy. 

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Supported Overlay Formats

File Type Use-Case Tier

PNG

Design plan

Site maps

Individual, Enterprise

PDF

Design plan

Site maps

Individual, Enterprise

Shapefile (lines and polygons)

Design plan
Site maps
Contours

Individual, Enterprise

GeoTIFF

Cut, Fill, and Volume Analysis

Enterprise

DXF

Design plan
Cut, Fill, and Volume Analysis

Enterprise

XML

Cut, Fill, and Volume Analysis

Enterprise

Web Layer

Feature, Map, and Tile Layers

Enterprise

 

How to Add an Overlay to Your Map

1) From the Explore Tab, choose the" "Add" option in the Overlays section: 

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2) choose the file type from the pop-up window for local files. For an ESRI Web Layer, choose" "Web Layer" in the left panel or one of your integrations to import from. Let us know if you want to integrate with DroneDeploy through one of our many apps

 

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3) Align and process. For non-georeferenced files, you will have the opportunity to align the file to your site. You can use our PNG/PDF document below for more detailed instructions on alignment. The file will begin processing automatically for georeferenced files. 

 

All files will be organized in the Overlays tab in the left panel. This is where you can toggle them on and off, rename them, and change the color of your layers. 

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NOTE: Shapefiles for overlays can only contain lines or polygons. Point shapefiles are not accepted. 

 

Show Overlays on the Flight Planning Page

You can choose to have this overlay shown on the flight planning page, which can be helpful for boundary planning and context when making your drone plans. 

To do this, click the overlay in the left panel list view. 

Open the details and toggle on the option to show on the Fly Page:

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EPSG Code Selection

There's a new way to set the EPSG code for uploaded design files (including DXF, GeoTIFF, and LandXML) in DroneDeploy to ensure accurate alignment with the map!

Set the desired coordinate system for the project and all future uploaded design files in Project Settings.

EPSG_1.png

 

Upload a design file from the add overlays menu.

EPSG_2.png

If the Project EPSG Code is already set, it will be reflected during the Design Surface Upload, as shown below.

EPSG_3.png

Uploaded design surfaces will inherit the EPSG code in Project Settings if specified. This differs from the past behavior, where we either 1. used the native coordinate system for the file (for TIFF) or 2. tried to infer the best coordinate system given the project's location. We will fall back to this prior logic if no EPSG code is set in Project Settings.

 

How to Add an Overlay on Flight Planning

 

Show overlays in flight planning as a 2D reference to help add additional site context and aid flight path adjustments.  

  • Supports .png files, web layers, design surfaces, and 2D design files.
  • Helps customers understand and plan flights for sites with outdated base map imagery.


It brings in additional site context from planned
design elements such as underground services,
cut/fill detail and structural envelope boundaries.

 

You can also display uploaded overlays for flight planning on the" "Fly" tab.


1) On the overlay details page, toggle" "Show on Fly Page."
2) Navigate to the" "Fly" tab, and the enabled overlay will appear.

 

NOTE: This is only available on desktop, and the overlay(s) will not persist after a refresh. Shapefiles for flight planning can only contain 1 continuous polygon

 

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