Subject: Water Bodies Not Stitching in Pix4D Mapper & Fields – No Detectable Features / Tie Points

PIX4Dmapper
1

Hi everyone,

We’re using Pix4D Fields and Pix4D Mapper for aerial surveys, and we’re consistently facing an issue with water bodies (e.g., ponds, reservoirs) not being stitched properly. We understand that this is likely due to the lack of distinct, static features on the water surface, which makes it hard for the software to detect matching points.

However, we are also finding that:
The software does not detect any features over water to generate automatic keypoints.
Manual Tie Points (MTPs) cannot be placed effectively either, because there are no visible reference features across images to match manually.
Are there any recommended practices for mapping water bodies in Pix4D Mapper or Fields?

2

Hi tushar,

Water is the most difficult surface to map for all the reasons you mentioned. We always suggest flying the drone as high as you can, and try to capture some shoreline. Basically, try to limit the number of images that only contain water. It can also be beneficial to avoid flying the drone at midday when the sun is overhead. The strong reflectance can adversely impact the calibration. Early or later in the day is best.