White Paper Introduction

3D modeling using UAS platforms is a relatively new field and little research has been done in best practice. Although research done by Stătescu and others have looked into software packages best suited for the job and which UAS platforms work the best, none have come to concrete conclusions. Several studies suggest that Pix4D is the best software to use when 3D modeling structures, however, this can be challenged. 3D modeling using ArcPro may be the most efficient and accurate way of 3D modeling. The question to look into is if ArcPro is an overall better software to use than Pix4D. This will be determined by how long it takes to capture the pictures in the field, how long it takes to process, and the overall end result. 

When comparing software it is important to note that each will have their own problems that need to be considered.  It was found in a study by Arefi and Alidoost, that all software will have errors but it was found that most software experience similar problems.  Software like Pix4D creates larger gaps between surfaces due to the angles that the images were captured in.  The processing time with Pix4D was found to be the most efficient of those compared.  Other software that were included in the study were 3DSurvey, Agisoft Photoscan, and SURE.  Each software processed 300 photographs to create seperate 3D models.  The longest amount of time to process the data was roughly 10 hours by 3DSurvey.  Pix4D was able to process the data with negligible errors in only half the time at 5 hours. 

With the limited amount of research that has been done there are very few ways to get an actuator 3D model of a building to overlay the images in multipatch. These processes take a long time even for someone who has been doing it for months. There is a need and a demand for simple, fast, and effective way to be able to create a CAD model within minutes to be able to work with for a 3D model. One single software has yet to be invented to do all of this so the combination of softwares such as, Scan-To-CAD, AutoCAD, ArcGIS Pro, ect. will need to be used in a synchronized system to accomplish the desired results.

While ArcPro allows for more advanced input, the software also allows for more advanced outputs. Once a multipatch has been created, you can export a multipatch as a COLLADA file. Once exported as a COLLADA file, it can be saved to allow easy building of a scene versus just one building. COLLADA also saves the GPS location of the object created, allowing for drag and drop easiness in creating a scene. In a research article written by Xu, H., Badawi, R., Fan, X., Ren, J., & Zhang, Z, they recommended using ArcScene to add in multiple COLLADA files. That article can be found here, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/253409871_Research_for_3D_visualization_of_Digital_City_based_on_SketchUp_and_ArcGIS. COLLADA files also allow for greater detail to be saved in the file, so looking at the file through Microsoft’s Hollowlens or 3D printing would keep greater detail than the average OBJ file, allowing for more options for practicality.