3D Robotics, Inc. (3DR), makers of Site Scan, have released 3DR GCP, an Android app enabled by the Trimble® Catalyst™ on-demand Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) service that makes it simpler than ever before for Site Scan users to capture and use ground control points (GCPs) on commercial drone projects.

Now, instead of having to export ground control point data files and manually upload them into Site Scan, 3DR customers can use 3DR GCP to quickly capture ground control points and automatically transfer them to their corresponding projects in the Site Scan cloud for georeferencing and processing. This makes it easy for any Site Scan user to create accurate drone maps and models of their projects.

3DR GCP is enabled by Trimble Catalyst, a software-defined GNSS receiver and on-demand positioning service for Android phones and tablets. Developed by Trimble, a global leader in geospatial positioning solutions, the service uses a small, lightweight, plug-and-play digital antenna to deliver high-quality satellite data to the 3DR GCP app running on the user's Android device. The service is available as a monthly subscription, which unlocks a range of precision levels from meter to only a few centimeters. Customers simply go on-site, plug the Catalyst DA1 antenna into their Android device, launch 3DR GCP, and capture ground control points at the level of accuracy enabled by their Catalyst subscription.

Chris Anderson, the CEO of 3DR, said that with this app,the company has closed the loop on ground control points by making one simple, connected workflow from start to finish.

3DR GCP can be purchased along with Site Scan subscriptions, and will require a Trimble DA1 antenna and Catalyst subscription.