I've been flying everything at 80% frontal / 80% side overlap since I started drone surveying. Recently read that 75/65 is sufficient for most work and would significantly reduce my flight times.
Has anyone done controlled tests comparing different overlap settings on the same site? At what point does reducing overlap actually impact accuracy?
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Sign inDid this test last year. Same 5-acre site, flown at 80/80, 75/70, and 70/65.
Results:
The jump from 75/70 to 70/65 is where quality drops noticeably. I fly 75/70 as my standard now. The time savings are real - about 30% fewer images to process too.
Depends on the terrain. Flat open sites? 75/65 is fine. Complex terrain with elevation changes? 80/75 minimum. Structures? 80/80 with oblique shots.
There's no universal answer. Match your overlap to the complexity of the site.