Period
Jan 2022 – Jan 2023
Brand
XDynamics
Role
User Interface Design
User Experience Design
Deliverables
User Interview
Competitor Audit
Design Document Specification
Information Architecture
Prototype
Usability Tests
Apart from capturing videos, we also explore the potential of using drones to capture aerial imagery of our local products, which can be utilized to generate maps or surveys of specific areas. This mapping feature can have various applications, including land surveying, urban planning, environmental monitoring, and more.
Using drones with high-resolution cameras to capture images from various angles and elevations is an efficient and affordable way to create accurate 3D maps and models of physical objects or spaces. This method is particularly useful for accessing hard-to-reach or hazardous areas. Drone-based photogrammetry has many applications, including land surveying, urban planning, agriculture, and environmental monitoring, making it an essential tool for many different fields.
Who will be using a product?
Surveyor
What are they going to do?
They need to collect data from the site
What do they want to achieve?
Get the up to date information date to date to ensure everything is on the right track.
We’ll look at four Mapping applications on the market: Dronedeploy, DJIPilot, and DJI AirSense. AirMap, AirHub, Map Pilot Pro and DJI AirSense hese four apps and two safety features provide a range of useful tools and features for drone pilots and operators. From flight planning and execution to real-time data analysis and safety features, these apps can help to ensure safe and responsible drone flights, while also providing users with a range of data analytics and management tools to optimize drone operations.
We also make a table to list out all functions. Detail
” Ensure that the Mapping Function is fast and reliable, while optimizing the limited battery life of the drone “
We met the surveyors who are concerned about the use of drones for photogrammetry requires technical expertise and specialized training to ensure safe and accurate operation. Also they like the size of the drone case it is easy to see.
The majority of users prefer tablets over mobile devices.
After completing the operation, it is necessary to synchronize the files to enable the back officer to check all the files.
Following our analysis of user interviews, we have identified three use cases.
2D Mapping: Only need to see the outline of the road, street, and buildings. No need to know the volume of the object.
3D Mapping: Need to know the height of the buildings but only 1 angle.
3D 360 Mapping: The map should be able to rotate to show the different angles.
1. Site Planning and Design
Create high-resolution 3D models of construction sites for site planning and design, enabling architects and engineers to better visualize and plan construction.
2. Progress Tracking
Tracking construction progress over time and identify issues or delays by capturing data at regular intervals. It can also create 3D models for comparison to original design plans, enabling managers to identify deviations.
3. Quality Control
Creates accurate and detailed models of construction components, which can be compared to original design plans for quality control. This ensures construction is done to required specifications and tolerances.
4. Safety Inspections
Inspects construction sites for safety hazards by creating 3D models and analyzing data. Safety inspectors can identify hazards, such as uneven surfaces or unstable structures, and take measures to address them.
Our goal is to develop a user-friendly, accurate, and transparent system that enables surveyors to capture, manage, and transfer data quickly and easily.
During our brainstorming session for the new feature, we focused on user experiences related to route planning and data transfer. For route planning, we prioritized designing a user-friendly interface to help surveyors select capture areas quickly and easily. As for data transfer, our goal is to enable surveyors to transfer all data over the air (OTA) without the need to physically remove and transfer the SD card.
Our system includes the Flight Control, Camera System, Ground Station, and Cloud Platform. To ensure data capture methods, surveyors create a mission on our user-friendly Ground Station. Once the mission is set up, the Ground Station sends GPS coordinates to the Flight Control, guiding the Evolve2 to the capture point. The Flight Control commands the Camera System to take the image, and upon completion, the Camera System sends a signal to the Evolve2 to move to the next capture point. The Camera System simultaneously generates low-resolution images and sends them to the Ground Station until all capture points are complete.
After landing, all images can be synced to the cloud server with a single button press. The cloud platform automatically generates a map based on the captured images.
We invited two groups of individuals to participate in this test: a team from our partner, and a group of surveyor for User Acceptance Testing (UAT).
The testing was divided into two parts. Firstly, we assigned specific tasks to validate the user interface design and workflow. Secondly, we asked them to create a project for inspecting a construction site to observe any design issues.
Our goals for the Task 1 were to:
1. Evaluate the discoverability of the newly designed notification to ensure it is clear enough for our users.
Our goals for the Task 2 were to:
1. Evaluate the usability of the new function to ensure it meets the daily operational needs of the surveyors.
2. Study the behavior of surveyors, particularly how they approach route and flight settings.
Altitude Setting
Setting the correct altitude is crucial for obtaining good results, and untrained users may struggle to set the appropriate value.
No Obstacle Avoidance
Lack of obstacle avoidance can pose a potential risk of collisions with objects during fully automatic operation. Inexperienced surveyors may not be able to set the appropriate altitude, further increasing the risk.
Flight time
Battery replacement is one of the significant challenges for surveyors, including setting battery limits and resuming the drone mission. Although the maximum flight time is around 25 minutes, the capture process may take more than 35 minutes, which increases the risk of running out of battery during the mission.
Technical Problems That Need To Be Solved By An Engineer:
1. Optimizing the flight path to reduce data capture time
2. Expanding the cloud server capacity.
Instant Reflection
Implementing an instant reflection feature will allow back-office personnel to quickly collect and analyze data, enabling them to communicate any missing or required information to surveyors promptly.
Measurement Analysis
Developing a measurement analysis feature that can directly calibrate volume, length, and height from images in the web platform will greatly improve efficiency and accuracy in data analysis.
