TIL my $250 drone survey of a field near Tulsa was a total waste

I paid for a high-res aerial map hoping to spot crop marks for a potential dig site, but the data was just a blurry mess with zero useful detail. The company said 'atmospheric conditions' ruined the images, but they still kept my money. Has anyone else had a drone survey completely fail to show what you needed?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_jesse1mo ago

Wait, did they fly at the wrong time of day? @susan_nguyen is right about haze, but a total blur often means they flew when the sun was low, causing huge shadows and glare that wrecks the contrast you need for crop marks. That's a basic planning mistake, not just weather.

susan_nguyen1mo ago

Ugh, that's so frustrating. I mean, atmospheric haze can mess with images, but a total blur usually means their gear or settings were wrong. They really should have offered a reshoot or refund for that.