OpenDroneMap Photogrammetry Stack Guide

Problem definition

How do I configure and run OpenDroneMap (ODM) for automated drone photogrammetry, orthophoto generation, and 3D point cloud reconstruction from aerial geotagged images?

Steps

1. Prepare Geotagged Imagery Dataset

   Organize geotagged JPEG image files in an images directory. Verify EXIF metadata contains GPS latitude, longitude, and altitude.

2. Configure ODM Processing Parameters

   Define processing options via command line or task config: --orthophoto-resolution 2.5 --dsm --dtm --feature-quality high.

3. Execute ODM Container Run

   Launch ODM via Docker container: docker run -ti --rm -v $(pwd)/images:/code/images -v $(pwd)/odm_orthophoto:/code/odm_orthophoto opendronemap/odm.

4. Inspect Output GeoTIFF and Point Cloud

   Verify generated orthophoto GeoTIFF in QGIS or ODM viewer; check ground sampling distance (GSD) and coordinate reference system (CRS).

Guide

Judgment criteria

• Generated GeoTIFF orthophoto successfully loads with spatial reference system aligned to input EXIF coordinates.
• Dense point cloud file (LAS/LAZ) generated without camera pose optimization failure.

Common risks

• Insufficient image overlap (<75% frontal, <60% side overlap) causing SfM bundle adjustment collapse.
• Missing camera calibration EXIF data forcing incorrect focal length initialization.

Checklist