TopoFlight is a three-dimensional flight planning software that was originally conceived by a team of experts in the mapping industry, in use since 2003. The program is used to facilitate the planning of flight lines with the help of a Digital Terrain Model (DTM), to document the flight plan and transfer it into the flight management system of the camera (for instance SoftNav, TrackAir, ASCOT or CCNS4), to calculate the costs of photogrammetric flight and subsequent photogrammetric products with the aid of Microsoft Excel as well as flight parameters, and to complete the post checking of a flight (flying height, length overlap, and side lap). Coordinates that have been calculated can be exported to be used during flight. TopoFlight is able to work with frame, line, and LIDAR sensors. As of 2009[update] the software is at version 7.
Contents |
Version 7
Version 6
Version 5
Version 4
Version 1
TopoFlight works with multiple layers. The generated flight plans are stored in the widely used "shape format" (ESRI/ARC VIEW).
Additional maps can be attached as reference files. These maps include:
The reference files can be in the following formats:
Best fit flying height – Calculation of the best flying height to achieve the desired image scale as well as minimum and maximum image scales for given flying height.
Coordinate transformations – Transformation of the coordinates from the local grid to another system (such as WGS84).
Calculation of image centers – calculation of coordinates of each image with image scales and overlap.
Calculation of the effective covered area by the images of each strip
Area of side lap – Calculation of the side lap between two neighboring flight lines.
Calculation of costs - Calculation of costs of flight and photogrammetric products which can be transferred into Excel. Custom forms can be later defined.
List of coordinates – Transfer of the flight parameters to Excel. Custom forms can later be defined.
Ground control points – The coordinates of existing ground control points can be imported and annotated. They can also be placed with a mouse click to show the surveyor where to paint and measure a new ground control point.
Exporting the flight plan – The plot can be exported either through SHAPE files, DXF format, or in TIFF format with a TFW header file.
Transfer to flight management system – coordinates can be exported to ASCOT, CCNS, or TrackAir.
Check overlap for aerial triangulation – Check if the minimal overlap is achieved over the whole strip area.
Create image indexes – The coordinates of image centers, stored in a text file can be read by TopoFlight.
TopoFlight is currently in use in 19 countries including the United States, Germany, Brazil, Mexico, Canada, Austria, Italy and others.