Planning aid only — not certified flight-planning software or airspace clearance. Always verify results against your own aircraft's manual and check current regulations before flying. Full disclaimer.

Camera

Sensor width (mm)Sensor height (mm)Image width (px)Image height (px)Focal length (mm)

Flight altitude (m)Flight speed (m/s)

Survey area (hectares)Don't know your area? Draw it with the Area Calculator.

Front overlap (%)Side overlap (%)

Fill in every camera field, area and speed to calculate.

How it works

Starting from your camera and altitude (the same GSD math the GSD Calculator uses), this works out your image footprint, then how closely spaced your flight lines and photo captures need to be for your chosen overlap — and from there, roughly how many lines, images, and minutes of flying your survey area will take.

Limitations

The flight-line count assumes a roughly square survey area (since only a total area is entered, not a drawn shape) — a long, thin, or irregular area will need more lines than this estimate for the same total area. Flight time excludes turnaround time between lines, which can be meaningful on a mission with many short lines.

This estimate excludes turnaround time at the end of each flight line (the drone slowing, turning, and accelerating again) — on a mission with many lines, that adds up. It also assumes a square-ish area; an elongated survey area needs more lines than this square approximation predicts.

Planning an actual flight?

Check current weather, wind, gusts and wind at altitude for your exact time and place with UAV Meteo.

Check Flight Window

Coverage Calculator

How it works

Limitations