Aerial Photogrammetry using Low-Cost RPA and Free Software: A Case Study in Urban Communities of Simões Filho-BA

Abstract

This study evaluates low-cost aerial photogrammetry using open-source software (DTM/ODM) for collaborative mapping in peripheral areas of the municipality of Simões Filho, Bahia, Brazil. Using a DJI Air 3S RPA, image processing was compared between Agisoft Metashape (commercial) and the DTM/ODM platform (open-source), employing the same image dataset. The objective was to validate the methodology for community-based initiatives, focusing on collaborative mapping and democratic access to geoinformation. The results indicated that DTM/ODM is an agile and viable alternative for generating orthomosaics, with positional accuracy consistent with a 1:5000 scale (PEC/PCD), suitable for territorial planning and diagnostic purposes, even without the use of ground control points. The resulting products were made available on OpenAerialMap, expanding public access to geospatial data.