I’m wondering if there’s a way to modify the orthomosaic in Pix4DMatic. I have sections where things like the transformers on hydro poles and tree edges look weird and I’d like to be able to fix them.
Thanks for the help
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We do not have a way just yet, but we’re looking into adding the possibility to “mask” parts of the orthomosaic, so that it gets fixed. Would you have some example screenshots of results you’d like to see fixed? This could be a nice input for validating the development on our side. Thanks!
Thanks!
Hello, thank you for your feedback. I am Andrea, and I am coordinating the efforts about this feature Pierangelo was mentioning. I would like to understand better your use-case, and in particular the effectiveness of the solution we are investigating.
In the screenshot you attached, I see the artifact. Can you elaborate on what is the possible cause of the artifact? Is this due to objects in the original input images like transformers and hydro poles that are incorrectly “added” to the ortho?
Hi Andrea, the software seems to have the ability to “see” the wires but the imagery seems to be blocked out at the wires. In reality, I don’t need to see the wires, I’d rather see the driveway properly
Thank you for the details. So I understand the artifact is due to “wires”. Wires are very thin, so we need to verify our solution could actually work with such thin structures. Would it be possible to share one of the input images that show the affected area? Thank you
I agree, the ability to edit the orthomosaic similar to how you can in mapper would be very helpful.
Separate from the deghosting feature, being able to edit the ortho by choosing snapshots from multiple images would be great(just like in mapper).
Hello Pix4D gurus,
The ortho editor within Mapper is a great tool, and I feel it should be included in Matic.
I have used the “deghosting” tool in Matic with great success, but it is not perfect and occasionally misses a few things.
The example I have included is a small area of a larger scene.
The deghosting feature within Matic removed moving automobiles from the scene and the shadow effect of most utility poles but failed to remove the shadowing of a neighboring pole.
In the past, I quickly removed shadow changes, ghosting, overhead wire anomalies, and other artifacts with Mapper’s editor, both ortho projections and planar projections.
Matic’s algorithm is very good, but there are still times when I need to manually adjust an ortho.
In the past, I have overcome this behavior by removing the offending input images, which creates these types of issues, but I prefer to adjust them with Mapper’s mosaic editor so I may retain the “good” data within the offending image.
As you know, photogrammetry software must include the ability to adjust the final output of the ortho.
Regards,
Michael.
Hello Michael, have you tried the “masks” workflow for this use case? If shadows are clearly visible in few images, you can create masks and use them to improve the DSM / ortho.
More details here in the “Improve DSM and Orthomosaic” section of this page: Masks - PIX4Dmatic
I have found the following to work when I have had similar issues with Power Lines.
1.) In the point cloud, using the polygon selection tool, you can remove the points for wires before continued with your mesh.
2.) After generating the point cloud, use the Region of Interest tool and constrain the project leaving the wires outside of the region. I have found it easiest to start this process in 2D and finalize the selection in 3D before moving to the next step.
Hello,
@tmixon indeed this is a way of proceeding.
I would be very interested to hear if the “mask” workflow works for thin structures like Power Lines. I expect that to be less effective because of the small dimensions, but feedback would be really appreciated.
Thanks,
Andrea
Hello Andrea,
I have not had to use the “Mask” function in the projects I have rendered. I used the function on some old projects I had to see if it would work and had a very difficult time trying to select specific wires. When trying to select them, the surrounding points would also get highlighted. I found it much quicker to simply remove the points with the Polygon Selection Tool after processing the point cloud. Keep in mind these wires were very close together and near other objects within the project. When trying to mask the Power Lines in a separate project, I had no issue using this function.
Also, it may make this process easier if you have several photos of the object you want to remove at a relatively close distance, the clearer the image of said object, the better. Also try capturing the object from multiple angles so the software can better recognize the object. This will take some pre-planning before capturing your scene.
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Please add the good old Mapper function for orthomosaic editing into Matic. Please!!
It was working fine, wasn’t it? So why you need a new workflow, where we users (again) have to wait months for it? We need a working software, also in these details, no try and error over months…
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Hi Tmixon,
your described workflow will leed to no wires at all in the orthomosaic, at the end, right? Or is this a cleaning approach for “cleaner wires” in the ortho? 
Thanks for discussion mate! 
Hi Maal,
Using the polygon selection tool in the point cloud to select the wires “points” will highlight them pink. You can then delete the wires from the point cloud if you wish to. I have done this many times when I have had issues with overhead wires blending into the grounds surface when processing the Mesh.
Hi Tylor, thanks for your quick reply! Ok. But in the workflow you described, are these wires completely missing in the orthomosaic? Or not?
I thought the user would want to see the wires in their ortho, in the correct space, but cleaner and without these artefacts around them. My question was about this workflow, how to have more realistic and cleaner wires in the ortho.
Maybe the wires are the main theme of our flight, so cleaning them out completely wouldn’t help to solve the job. 
Back to the topic, the ortho editor from Pix4Dmapper is simply missing in Matic, let’s say it loud and clear 
Heard and noted. The ortho editor is on our radar and we’re working towards that.
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Thank you for taking action here, @Pierangelo_Rothenbuhler