Map Pilot Pro

I have been utilizing aerial photogrammetry for almost 8 years and have still yet to find a better all around app to get the job done than Maps Made Easy. Not only is it user friendly for experienced users and new, the outputs provided by the stitching engine is second to NONE. My usual method now involved a proprietary manual mapping method combined with MME’s automated terrain following grids combined. This includes DJI and Autel models, with the engine capable of stitching both. Most recently, asked to create the 3D environment for Guardians of the Galaxy 3 final scene, I utilized both Maps Made Easy flight planning as well as it’s stitching engine for the final deliverable product to MCU for use in the film. Look nowhere else, Maps Made Easy is your solution!

I was trying this app out as a potential replacement for another vendor’s app which seems to be no longer maintained. This app announced support for my drone recently so I thought I’d give it a try. At first I was confused by the interface. Not much made sense and I had to make an account on the help site (which was a trial in and of itself — no reason for the problems with their zendesk integration) and ask simple questions like “what does this error mean” and “how do I turn it on”. My first mission the images were blurry. Okay, my fault, there’s a speed slider that I should have lowered. There’s also a hidden checkbox that I could only get to come up half the time to tell the drone to stop when taking pictures. Neat. Also, the drone’s return to home was ten feet from where it took off — I may be spoiled but the other app reliably lands within an inch or two. My second mission the drone went up and started following the mission plan but didn’t take any pictures. I told it to return home, which it did a little better than the first time. I closed the app, opened it again, and restarted the mission — still not taking pictures. So I again told it to return home. I tried a different mission. Still not taking pictures! This time when it tried to return home, it hovered about three feet over the pad — and then flew off back onto the mission on its own! I unplugged the phone and hit the RTH button on my remote controller, and the drone came back. After I post this review, I’m uninstalling the software. It might work for others, but it certainly was no good for me. One more thing: there’s no functionality for stuff like per-mission-plan camera settings — you have to fix them when you start the actual mission so don’t forget.

Gave only 5 stars since 6 stars is not available. By far the best Phantom 4 mapping software available on the market. Been using this package since early 2017 during the Oroville Dam Spillway Emergency. Having the terrain following was a must when mapping with large terrain relief across the site. Only issues we have had in 5 years is when DJI makes updates, sometimes these updates make this software a little glitchy but MPP developers always seem on the ball to address these glitches and get their software running trouble free soon thereafter. Thanks for keeping us in the air.