Drone mapping has become essential across industries—agriculture, mining, construction, power utilities, disaster management, smart cities, and more. If you want to build high-quality 2D/3D maps from drone images without depending on expensive proprietary tools, OpenDroneMap (ODM) is one of the best open-source solutions available today.
In this article, we’ll explore:
- What is OpenDroneMap
- The ODM family (WebODM, NodeODM, CloudODM, etc.)
- How to use ODM for processing drone images
- How to customize ODM for your own business requirements
- Offline vs cloud-based deployment options
- Why Manya Technologies is your ideal partner for custom web-based drone mapping
- Conclusion
What Is OpenDroneMap?
OpenDroneMap (ODM) is an open-source photogrammetry toolkit that transforms aerial images into:
- Orthomosaic maps
- Digital Surface Models (DSM)
- Digital Terrain Models (DTM)
- Dense point clouds
- 3D textured models
- Camera position & quality reports
It is widely used because it’s:
- Completely open-source
- Cost-effective
- Reliable
- Regularly updated
- Developer-friendly
ODM follows a multi-step pipeline to convert images into useful GIS outputs:
- Image Preprocessing
- Feature Extraction
- Structure from Motion (SfM)
- Multi-View Stereo (MVS)
- Dense Point Cloud Generation
- DSM, DTM & Orthomosaic Creation
ODM Family: Components You Need to Know
ODM is not just one tool—it’s an ecosystem. Here’s the ODM family:
✔ 1. ODM (Core Engine)
Command-line engine that does the heavy processing (SfM, DSM, Point Cloud, Ortho).
✔ 2. NodeODM
A lightweight processing server that exposes ODM via API.
Useful for automation, integrations, and scaling.
✔ 3. WebODM
A user-friendly web dashboard built on top of NodeODM.
Features:
- Upload images
- Set processing options
- View 2D/3D outputs
- Generate reports
- Manage projects
✔ 4. CloudODM
Used to send jobs to remote servers or cloud machines.
✔ 5. PyODM
Python bindings to control ODM programmatically.
✔ 6. ClusterODM
Distributed processing for very large datasets (50,000–100,000+ images).
How to Use OpenDroneMap (Step-by-Step)
Step 1: Collect Drone Images
Ensure:
- 70–80% overlap
- 60–70% sidelap
- Proper lighting
- Consistent altitude
- Correct camera angles
Step 2: Use WebODM / NodeODM / CLI
Most beginners use WebODM, which provides a clean interface.
Upload → Select Options → Process → Download Outputs
Step 3: Analyze Processed Results
ODM generates:
- Orthomosaic (GeoTIFF)
- DSM, DTM
- Point cloud (LAS/LAZ)
- Mesh (OBJ)
- Camera positions
- Quality report
Step 4: Export to GIS Tools
Outputs work with:
- QGIS
- ArcGIS
- CesiumJS
- Leaflet
- Potree
- Custom map viewers
How to Customize ODM for Your Requirements
This is where many companies need specialized development. ODM is powerful, but businesses often need:
✔ Custom Processing Options
- Auto-GCP detection
- Accuracy-based processing presets
- Real-time stitching
- Custom photo quality filters
- Auto-detection of blurry or inconsistent images
✔ Custom Web Dashboard
Branding + customized workflows:
- Project management
- User roles
- Automated billing
- API integrations
- Client sharing portal
✔ Integration With Existing Platforms
- UAV flight logs
- Drone telemetry
- ERP or govt systems
- GeoServer / MapServer
- Cesium 3D Tiles processing
✔ Post-Processing Automation
- Auto orthomosaic clipping
- Auto contour generation
- Change detection
- Vegetation/NDVI analysis
- Volume estimation for mining
✔ High-volume Data Support
For 10,000–100,000 images:
- ClusterODM setup
- GPU acceleration
- Distributed workflow
- Parallel task execution
If your business requires any of the above, it’s best handled by an experienced GIS & drone-mapping software development team.
Offline vs Cloud Options
Manya Technologies helps you deploy ODM according to your infrastructure:
✔ Offline / On-Premise
Perfect for government, defense, and confidential commercial work.
- Works with no internet
- Runs on your local servers
- Secure & isolated
- Full control of data
✔ Cloud-Based
Ideal for enterprises that want scalability.
- AWS / Azure / GCP
- Auto-scale for large jobs
- Easy remote access
- Pay-as-you-go infrastructure
✔ Hybrid Deployment
Use on-premise for sensitive projects and cloud for bulk processing.
Why Choose Manya Technologies for Custom Drone Mapping Solutions?
Manya Technologies specializes in GIS + photogrammetry + web mapping solutions. We build high-performance systems based on:
- ODM / WebODM / NodeODM
- CesiumJS 3D
- Leaflet / OpenLayers
- QGIS & PostGIS
- Custom map viewers
- End-to-end drone mapping workflows
We deliver:
✔ Fully customized ODM-based platforms
Tailored for your business or drone operations.
✔ Cost-effective implementation
Much cheaper than Pix4D, DJI Terra, or SiteScan.
✔ Offline or cloud-based processing
Use it anywhere, even in remote field conditions.
✔ Complete 2D & 3D visualization
Orthomosaic, DSM, point cloud, 3D mesh, Cesium globe viewer, NDVI.
✔ Enterprise features
- User authentication
- Secure data management
- Reporting
- Mobile-friendly UI
- Automation
- API integrations
✔ Long-term support & maintenance
We assist with updates, scaling, server infrastructure, and new capabilities.
Conclusion
OpenDroneMap (ODM) is a powerful, open-source alternative for drone mapping—capable of producing professional 2D/3D outputs at a fraction of the cost of commercial products. But businesses often need customized interfaces, automation, integrations, and large-scale processing that ODM does not provide out-of-the-box.
That’s where Manya Technologies comes in.
Whether you need a custom WebODM dashboard, a full drone mapping platform, clustered high-volume processing, or secure offline deployment, we can build a complete solution tailored to your needs.
📞 Interested in building a custom drone mapping solution?
Contact Manya Technologies:
👉 We provide cost-effective, high-quality software tailored for drone companies, GIS teams, government, and defense applications.