Common capture mistakes that hurt results

When a reconstruction comes out weak or fails, the cause is almost always in the capture, not the processing. These are the usual suspects.

• Too little overlap. Gaps between photos leave holes the software can't bridge. When in doubt, add overlap.
• Wrong camera angle. Nadir-only won't build good building sides; oblique-only won't build a clean map. Match the flight to the deliverable (see nadir vs oblique).
• Changing light. Flying through moving cloud shadow or into low sun creates exposure and shadow shifts that break matching.
• Featureless surfaces. Large expanses of water, fresh snow, or uniform sand give the software nothing to lock onto. More overlap and some angled passes help.
• Motion blur. Flying too fast for the shutter, especially in low light, softens every photo. Slow down or raise the light.
• Clipping the edges. Ending the flight exactly at the boundary leaves the edges thin. Fly a little past the area of interest.