OpenDroneMap (ODM)

Owned by FIS
Last updated: Mar 10, 2021 by Elsa Raunio OCHA
2 min read

Overview

 

Until recently OpenDroneMap was the term used to refer to a single command line application (what is now known as the ODM project). With the recent development of a web interface, an API and other tools, OpenDroneMap has become an ecosystem of various applications to process, analyze and display aerial data. For more information on ODM components, check the workshop booklet under resources.

OpenDroneMap (ODM) is a UN Open GIS Initiative to provide open source solutions. ODM is used to collect data for situational awareness and to handle imagery from drones. ODM has a wide range of use in humanitarian operations, such as emergency management, monitoring changes, collecting real-time information and resilience mapping.

UN Open GIS organized an online training workshop on OpenDroneMap for two half-day sessions from 23 to 24 November 2020. The training workshop was intending to training of trainers.

Relevance of the training workshop for OCHA IMOs

The training provides insight into extracting both two- and three-dimensional information from drone images as an alternative to satellite imagery, which could be useful for OCHA IMOs.

The training also covers flight planning, applications required, equipment compatibility and factors that determine image quality such as sensors used, flight speed, camera angle, etc. This part of the training might be less relevant for IMOs who may not necessarily engage in flying drones. It included the following aspects:

  • Air space rules i.e. authorization to fly drones in different countries with humanitarian operations

  • Lens distortion and how to fix it with good hardware, flight planning and GPS error estimation