How much ground does your drone photo cover?
Choose your drone camera and a flying height, and the calculator shows the width and height of the area in the frame, its size in hectares, the view angle and how much detail you get on the ground. Enter the size of your subject to see how high you need to fly to fit it in.
How to use it
The area in a drone photo grows in direct proportion to height. Doubling the height doubles the width and height of the frame, and makes the area four times bigger. At the same time, each pixel covers more ground, so detail falls.
To frame a building, a field or a lake, enter its longest side in metres. The tool gives the height at which it fits with a little room around the edges. If you plan to crop later, fly a bit lower.
In the UK the normal ceiling for most drone flying is 120 m (400 ft) above the ground. The calculator warns above that, but always check the current rules for your flight.
Questions
How accurate is this?
The camera numbers come from published specifications and the maths assumes the camera points straight down, so treat the results as close estimates.
What does cm per pixel mean?
It is the size of ground that one pixel covers. Smaller numbers mean more detail. It is the same idea as ground sample distance in mapping.
Can I use another drone?
Yes. Choose the custom option and enter the 35 mm equivalent focal length, the aspect ratio and the image width in pixels.
More drone tools: Drone Panorama Planner · Drone Flight Check