Carlson Photocapture

Bridge the Gap Between Drones and CAD

Carlson PhotoCapture is a powerful drone photogrammetry and aerial surveying software designed to turn flyover imagery into accurate, actionable site data. As drone-based surveying becomes an essential part of modern workflows, PhotoCapture helps surveyors, engineers, and construction professionals boost efficiency, reduce costs, and minimize time spent in the field.

Using proprietary processing technology, PhotoCapture transforms aerial imagery into interactive 3D maps, point clouds, orthophotos, and other critical deliverables. The software seamlessly integrates LiDAR data from aerial or ground-based sources, enabling comprehensive site analysis within a single platform.

PhotoCapture is available as both a cloud-based service and a standalone desktop application, providing flexibility for teams of all sizes.

Project Creation

• Polygon selection tools to remove unwanted images with a single click
• Project splitting using polygon selection for large datasets
• Visualize project areas before processing
• Ground Control Point (GCP) import via LandXML, CSV, and TXT
• Manual GCP entry and validation
• Support for metric, feet, and US survey feet
• Global and local coordinate system support with thousands of projections

Project Processing

• Nadir and oblique imagery support
• Self-calibration with automatic camera IOP and EOP determination
• Fixed calibration using user-defined camera parameters
• Automated bundle adjustment
• Automated point cloud densification
• Automated DEM generation
• Automatic contour generation
• Automatic mesh generation
• Automatic orthomosaic generation
• Accuracy report generation.

Project Outputs

• Orthomosaics in GeoTIFF, JPG, and PNG formats
• DEM outputs in GeoTIFF, JPG, and PNG formats
• 3D point clouds in LAS, XYZ, and PLY formats
• 3D meshes in PLY, OBJ, and GLB formats
• Contours in DXF and GeoTIFF formats
• Accuracy reports in PDF format
• In-browser volume calculations

Collaboration and Sharing

• Web-based visualization of all project outputs
• View 2D maps and 3D models in any web browser
• Cesium 3D Tiles integration
• Instant measurement of distances and surfaces
• Share annotated projects via a simple link
• Embed project outputs directly into webpages
• Visualize site changes over time in 2D and 3D using the project timeline

The Survey Canvas

Available in PhotoCapture Web and PhotoCapture Standalone Advanced, the Survey Canvas is a 3D workspace for analysis and annotation, offering powerful tools such as:

• Creation of 3D points, polylines, and polygons
• Distance, area, and volume measurements
• Grid, TIN, contour, and profile creation

How it fits into your workflow

Use Carlson PhotoCapture to convert drone imagery into accurate, shareable site data that integrates directly with CAD and surveying workflows. The platform enables faster decision-making, improved collaboration, and reduced field time across surveying, construction, and engineering projects.