TOPODRONE Post Processing


TOPODRONE Post Processing software installer

TOPODRONE Post Processing software installer

TOPODRONE Post Processing software installer

Download TOPODRONE Post Processing software installer

About the TOPODRONE Post Processing software installer

TOPODRONE Post Processing software installer is a compact application designed primarily to automate the process of downloading TOPODRONE Post Processing software distributions. This application greatly simplifies the management of software updates and versions, providing users with access to the latest versions and enhancements.

In addition to the basic download function, the program has the following features:

1. Downloading current software versions: The downloader provides the ability to download new versions of TOPODRONE Post Processing that have been released during the upgrade license period. This allows users to stay on the cutting edge of technology and utilize the latest enhancements and patches.

2. View Change Records (Changelog): The built-in Change Viewer provides users with information on all updates released as part of new distributions. This provides a quick overview of innovations, bug fixes, and functionality improvements, which is especially useful for assessing the impact of updates on workflows.

3. Upgrade License Renewal: The software installer offers an easy and affordable way to extend the validity of license key upgrade control, allowing users to continue using the latest software features without a service interruption.

4. Software Version Upgrade: the software installer also provides functionality to perform upgrades to more advanced versions of the software: PRO or Expert. These versions offer advanced features and tools for deeper analysis and data processing.

Download TOPODRONE Post Processing with license key

Software initialization: when the software installer is launched, a loader window opens where the user can start the installation and activation process.

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Entering the license key: If you have a valid license key, you must enter it in the designated field marked "Enter the license key". Then click Activate to view the available versions of TOPODRONE Post Processing.

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The license key consists of 36 characters and has the following format: ********-****-****-****-************. If your key consists of 19 characters and is presented in the form ****-****-****-****-****, it indicates that it belongs to the previous licensing system and is not suitable for current software versions. To get a new license key, it is recommended to use the “Support mail” button or send a request to e-mail, specifying the name of the equipment used and the name of your organization.

Displaying available versions: After successfully entering the license key, the right side of the program interface will display information about the software versions available for download. Versions available for download and installation within the current license key validity period are highlighted in blue, while versions that require license extension are highlighted in gray.

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Software update: To update the TOPODRONE Post Processing software, select the appropriate line in the list of available versions, which will be highlighted in green color, then click the “Download” button and specify the path to the folder to save the downloaded file.

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Download Progress Display: The bottom of the window will display the download progress percentage, allowing the user to track the process.

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Installation Process: After the download is complete, install the software. In the installer window that opens, follow the standard procedures to complete the TOPODRONE Post Processing software installation.

Activation and deactivation of TOPODRONE Post Processing program

After successful installation, launch the program and click "Get Started". The program will be activated and ready for use, allowing you to successfully perform tasks related to post-processing data and implementing the functionality provided by the TOPODRONE system.

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These steps provide a clear understanding of the software installation and activation process, making it much easier for users to interact with the product.

To deactivate the software, click on the “Revoke” button. Only after this action you will be able to activate another device.

When you run the program for the first time, the following message may appear: “To run this application, you must install .NET Core. Would you like to download it now?” It is necessary to download and install this library.

Sending a License Renewal Request

During software installation, the user is provided with information about the current version of the program and available versions for updating. 

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 Available version

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 Selected version

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 Versions are not available for the current key, renewal is required

If the current version of the software cannot be updated, you must initiate the license renewal process. To do this, the user is asked to select a new target version and request an invoice for payment by filling out the feedback form.

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If you have a license key, enter it in the designated field for activation and click "Activate".

After successful verification of the license key, information about available license modifications will be displayed, including the possibility of purchasing a new version or upgrading the current version of TOPODRONE Post Processing to a more advanced one.

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In the left panel, the user must select one of the options: "Buy a new one" or" Improve the current one " to get acquainted with the update capabilities. As a result of this action, information about software versions will be displayed with a list of available modules for each version.

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At the next stage, select the appropriate " Buy " action and fill out the feedback form.

The TOPODRONE Post Processing loader also contains up-to-date information about all available modules in the program. Each version includes a specific set of modules grouped under three licenses: Basic, Pro, and Expert.

To get detailed information about each module, you can click on its name, which will redirect you to the corresponding section of the TOPODRONE knowledge base with a full description of its characteristics and functionality.

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Feedback from TOPODRONE is available through all specified communication channels to resolve any issues that arise.

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TOPODRONE Post Processing software installer

Starting the program and entering the key

Program Initialization: When you start the software, the bootloader window opens, where the user can start the installation and activation process.

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Entering the license key: If you have a valid license key, you must enter it in the designated field marked "Enter the license key".

The license key consists of 36 characters and has the format: ********-****-****-****-************. If your key consists of 19 characters and is presented in the form ****-****-****-****, this indicates that it belongs to the previous licensing system and is not suitable for current versions of the software. To get a new license key, it is recommended to use the "Support Mail" button or send a request to the email address support@topodrone.com, specifying the name of the equipment used and the name of your organization.

Display of available versions: After successfully entering the license key, information about available software versions will appear in the right part of the program interface. Versions that are available for download and installation within the current license key validity period are highlighted in blue, while gray indicates versions that require a license renewal to be used.

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Software Update: To update the TOPODRONE Post Processing software, select the appropriate line in the list of available versions, which will be highlighted in green, then click the "Download" button and specify the folder path to save the downloaded file.

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Displaying the download progress: The download progress percentage will be displayed at the bottom of the window, which allows the user to track the process.

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Installation Process: After the download is complete, the installer window will automatically open, where you must follow the standard procedures to complete the installation of TOPODRONE Post Processing software.

Activating the program: After successful installation, run TOPODRONE Post Processing. On the registration screen, enter your license key in the appropriate field for the serial number and click "Activate".

Ready to work: The program will be activated and ready for use, allowing you to successfully perform tasks related to post-processing data and implementing the functionality provided by the TOPODRONE system. 

These steps provide a clear understanding of the software installation and activation process, making it much easier for users to interact with the product.

TOPODRONE Post Processing software installer

License renewal request

TOPODRONE Post Processing software installer

Software running w/o Internet connection

If there is no internet connection, the TPP software downloader will not be able to connect to the server. When you start the TPP software downloader, the following window will open with “Server is unavailable or no network connection” at the bottom. 

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After connecting to the Internet, the TPP software downloader must be restarted.

Downloading installation files


Downloading installation files

Changes in licensing of the software "TOPODRONE Post Processing"

TOPODRONE announces significant changes to the licensing system for its TOPODRONE Post Processing software from 01.06.2023. As part of these changes, licenses will now be issued as activation keys, which will significantly simplify the process of obtaining and activating the software.

With the introduction of the new system, customers will no longer be required to use their personal account to activate the program. TOPODRONE Post Processing is now activated by entering the key in the appropriate field on the screen. This activation method makes the process more convenient for users, as it allows them to avoid additional steps related to account management.

However, successful activation of the software will still require access to the Internet. This is necessary to verify the validity of the entered key and to confirm the license, which ensures licensing compliance and protects the software from unauthorized use.

TOPODRONE is confident that these changes will not only improve the user experience, but will also make the activation process more intuitive and faster. We want users to be able to focus on their tasks, not the hassle of managing licenses. With the new activation system, TOPODRONE Post Processing will be easier to use and communication with the program will be more efficient.

Now all distributions are in TOPODRONE Software Distributor

Downloading installation files

TPP v.1.5.2.1 updated 27.07.2025

If the paid technical support period ended before 27.07.2025, then this distribution will not work for the user. He will need to either pay for support or download previous distributions, the release date of which is earlier than the paid support period ended.

Get the distribution: TOPODRONE Software Distributor

Added: Fixed bugs, improved security, accelerated operation, added new functionality compared to the previous version.

PPK Post Processing:

Added support for SWIR camera.

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RTK Post Processing:

The photographic centers are adjusted to the offsets from the MRK file.


The utility "Merge RINEX files" is now available under the "PRO" license

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The release date can now be seen on the license information page:


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Updated antenna file -> igs20_2353.atx

New utility for transforming point clouds from local/wgs84 to local/wgs84 coordinate systems:

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DJI Mavic 3 Multispectral Support:

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PPK Post Processing/RTK Post Processing/LiDAR Post Processing:

A log file is generated in the output folder for processing analysis or transfer to the technical support service.

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PPK Post Processing/RTK Post Processing:

Accelerated display of markers on maps (photography center/GNSS marks/information).

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Lidar Cloud Generation:

The calculation of calibration angles has been accelerated. Now the calculation time on the entire track or its part is performed equally in time. Calculated offsets are used for overflights. The lasinfo utility from the LAStools library has been integrated to check the correctness of LAS/LAZ headers. The PRJ information of the coordinate system in which the cloud is calculated is also added to the LAZ/LAS header.

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Общее:

Speeded up loading of PRJ (about 6000 files) when starting the program.

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Added the ability to disable GPS grouping when calculating GNSS. Frequency trimming (L1/L2...) has been removed from the interface. All frequencies are included in the calculation.

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Downloading installation files

TPP v.1.5.1.4 updated 07.03.2025

If the paid technical support period ended before 25.01.2025, then this distribution will not work for the user. He will need to either pay for support or download previous distributions, the release date of which is earlier than the paid support period ended.

Get the distribution: TOPODRONE Software Distributor

Added: Fixed bugs, improved security, accelerated operation, added new functionality compared to the previous version.

PPK Post Processing:

Added support for new UNICORE GNSS chips for all TOPODRONE models.
Added GNSS antenna offset presets for TOPODRONE P24 New + PPK + DJI Matrice 350.
Added automatic detection of typical offsets based on image tag data. 
Implemented processing of data from TOPODRONE Q.FLY. 
Antenna offset parameters are hidden from display

RTK Post Processing:

Implemented automatic loading of navigation files for each flight. 
Fixed display of the "Plot" window in batch processing.

LiDAR Post Processing:

Fixed display of the "Plot" window in batch processing.
LiDAR Cloud Generation:
Added the ability to obtain point clouds along trajectories in local rectangular coordinates.

AQUMAPPER:  

Improved automation of processes by implementing a filter for automatic removal of points with zero depth values.Added division of the TOPODRONE AQUAMAPPER Next dual-frequency sensor by frequencies in the *.LAZ format 200 kHz - 2 reflections, 450 kHz - 1 reflection.Added rounding of rectangular coordinates, heights and depths to three decimal places in *.CSV files.Reworked algorithm, allowing more accurate calculation of temperature for each measurement.

Downloading installation files

TPP v.1.5.1.3 updated 25.01.2025

If the paid technical support period ended before 25.01.2025, then this distribution will not work for the user. He will need to either pay for support or download previous distributions, the release date of which is earlier than the paid support period ended.

Get the distribution: TOPODRONE Software Distributor

Added: Bugs fixed, security improved, work accelerated, new functionality added in comparison with the previous version.

Fixed: LPP, PPK, RTK - The "Coordinate System", "Logs" and "Map" windows in the specified modules became the same size.

Fixed: RTK - When loading data into PPK Post Processing, the globe button for viewing the "Plot" window is not displayed, including during batch processing.

Added: LPP - Automatic check for missing IMU measurements with a trimming warning with the following text: "IMR file has time gaps, use the "IMR Trim" tool."

Added: PPK, RTK, LPP - Automatic check for rover and base station recording times. If the base station operating time does NOT include the rover operating time, then the message is displayed: "The base station operating time does not match the rover operating time.", if the base station operating time includes the rover operating time, then standard processing is performed. In the case of batch processing, all rover files are checked with the base station file.

Downloading installation files

TPP v.1.5.1.2 updated 28.12.2024

If the paid technical support period ended before 12/28/2024, then this distribution will not work for the user. He will need to either pay for support or download previous distributions, the release date of which was earlier than the paid support period ended.

Get the distribution: TOPODRONE Software Distributor

Added: Bugs fixed, security improved, work accelerated, new functionality added in comparison with the previous version.

Added: License information window, with the ability to launch the license management manager from the TPP interface.

Added: AQUAMAPPER: Support for dual-frequency echo sounder (200 kHz + 450 kHz). The low-frequency signal has a greater penetration depth, but poor detail, and vice versa, the high-frequency signal is more susceptible to scattering in water, but provides higher clarity and detail. Using a dual-frequency echo sounder increases the depth of signal penetration and the ability to separate weak reflected signals to obtain greater detail.

Added: PPK: Automatically converts shutter response time to a single format, which avoids doubling of marks. Finds gaps in shutter response marks and adds them to the stream through approximation.

Fixed: RTK: Adjusted the parameters of the "Dynamic" function. Previously, some data sets could not be calculated correctly.

Added: Updated RTKlib library (j->k)

Added: LCG Calculation of calibration angles A new algorithm has been developed with the introduction of a multiplier depending on the speed of movement (Accelerating the time to find corrections).

Added: AQUAMAPPER displays the trajectory in the Plot window

Downloading installation files

TPP v.1.4.5.0 updated 12.11.2024

If the paid technical support period ended before 11.12.2024, then this distribution will not work for the user. He will need to either pay for support or download previous distributions, the release date of which is earlier than the paid support period ended.

Get the distribution: TOPODRONE Software Distributor

+ Fixed bugs, improved security, increased speed and accuracy of calculations compared to the previous version.

+ Added: Support for GNSS receivers from Unicore (PPK module).

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+ Fixed: In the RTK module bin is correctly converted to obs and nav.

+ Fixed: Improved generation of georeferencing file for photogrammetry.

+ Added: The program is updated via the TOPODRONE distribution servers.

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Downloading installation files

TPP v.1.4.4.4 updated 04.11.2024

If paid support expired before 04.11.2024, this TPP version will not work for a user. It is necessary to either pay for support or download previous version distributive, the release date of which is earlier than the expiration date of paid support.

Get the distribution: TOPODRONE Software Distributor

+ Fixed: correct conversion of *.bin to RINEX in RTK Post Processing module
+ Added: LiDAR Post Processing: Rinex.24O is converted to Rinex.obs before sending to IE.
+ Added: Camera calibration utility (Fix radial and tangential distortion in photos):
+ Added: PPK Post Processing module: additionally creates shutter time file (For LAZ coloring utility)
+ Added: LAZ coloring utility for photos


Downloading installation files

TPP v.1.4.4.2 updated 02.10.2024

If paid support expired before 02.10.2024, this TPP version will not work for a user. It is necessary to either pay for support or download previous version distributive, the release date of which is earlier than the expiration date of paid support.

Get the distribution: TOPODRONE Software Distributor

+ Fixed: AQUAMAPPER GNSS time has a day transition or batch post-processing of datasets taken over several weeks.
+ Fixed: SPP single vector/SPP network equalization/PPP: Updated links for downloading ephemeris from the server (University of California, San Diego [UCSD]), because NASA server does not have ephemeris for every day.
+ Fixed: LCG: During calculation of angles can make a large number of passes. Limit the number of passes = 10.
+ Added: “Clear logs” button in all modules.
+ Added: PRJ: Moved to the Server. Now they can be loades the same way as Geoids.
+ Fixed: PPK/RTK configuration files.

Downloading installation files

TPP v.1.4.4.1 updated 10.09.2024

If paid support expired before 10.09.2024, this TPP version will not work for a user. It is necessary to either pay for support or download previous version distributive, the release date of which is earlier than the expiration date of paid support.

Get the distribution: TOPODRONE Software Distributor

+ Added: when generating several clouds from the same trajectory, the trajectory is replaced in the Local Coordinate System (LSC). If 3 different clouds needs to be generated from one pcap file and from one trajectory after LiDAR Post Ptocessing module, TPP will generate 3 clouds and one trajectory for the last generated cloud. The trajectory in LSC have an additional prefix _CHMSS.
+ Fixed: during the LiDAR calibration angles calculation TPP can make a large number of passes. The algorithm for finding calibration angles is supplemented with automatic calculation of the scaling factor of the headings (depending on the velocity of motion). There should not be a large number of passes
+ Fixed: PPK/RTK modules: drone speeds in output catalogs are now taken from event.pos. Previously they were read from pos.stat, which in some situations were zeros.
+ Fixed: During processing of data from cameras without navigation centers of photos, after processing of trajectories the view was reset to coordinates 0;0. For all these cameras now the view on the screen does not change.
+ Added: LPP: it is now possible to enter the base station phase center coordinates in LSC, including taking into account the geoid model.
+ Added: AQUAMAPPER: In batch processing, simultaneous loading of UBX data is now available.
+ Fixed PPK: after TOPODRONE PT61 post-processing data if another data from any other camera that does not have a thermal imaging sensor post processing starts, a previews of the thermal imaging images are still generated.
+ Added: IMR Viewer: the vibration graph starts on 0
+ Fixed: Adjusted parsing of lidar file MID-360

Downloading installation files

TPP v.1.4.4.0 updated 13.08.2024

If paid support expired before 13.09.2024, this TOPODRONE Post Processing version will not work for a user. It is necessary to either pay for support or download previous version distributive, the release date of which is earlier than the expiration date of paid support.

Get the distribution: TOPODRONE Software Distributor

+ Fixed: Datum parameters refinement (we wrote our own code completely. Before third-party library used).
+ Fixed: Track stitching does not work correctly, the header is not correct.
+ Added: “Open catalog” button to calibration added.
+ Added: a “Slope Treatment” checkbox has been added to Land Classification.
+ Fixed: When exporting photo center catalog for Agisoft Metashape/3DSurvey, correct column formation is done.
+ Fixed: previews for thermal imager TOPODRONE PT61 were not generated correctly. There are different sensor sizes: 320 and 640 pixels.
+ Fixed: when the number of TOPODRONE PT61 photos and tags is different, the manual matching window does not exit and as a result the catalog of photo centers is not formed.
+ Added: the IMR viewer displays vibration graphs.
+ Fixed: the “Mark Time Correction” field in the photogrammetry settings returned.

Downloading installation files

TPP v.1.4.3.0 updated 30.07.2024

If paid support expired before 30.07.2024, this TOPODRONE Post Processing version will not work for a user. It is necessary to either pay for support or download previous version distributive, the release date of which is earlier than the expiration date of paid support.

Get the distribution: TOPODRONE Software Distributor

+ Added: processing settings of the AQUAMAPPER module are displayed in the UI. Added roll/pitch/bottom of water body infographics.
+ Added: forest inventory utility

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Downloading installation files

TPP v.1.4.2.0 updated 20.06.2024

If paid support expired before 20.06.2024, this TOPODRONE Post Processing version will not work for a user. It is necessary to either pay for support or download previous version distributive, the release date of which is earlier than the expiration date of paid support.

Get the distribution: TOPODRONE Software Distributor

+ Added: multispectral  + infrared camera support.

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+ Updated: built-in viewer updated 1.7->2.1.

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Downloading installation files

TPP v.1.3.3.4 updated 23.04.2024

If paid support expired before 23.04.2024, this TOPODRONE Post Processing version will not work for a user. It is necessary to either pay for support or download previous version distributive, the release date of which is earlier than the expiration date of paid support.

Get the distribution: TOPODRONE Software Distributor

+ Added: utility for trimming IMR file without GNSS. Used to trim an IMR file containing measurement omissions.

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Downloading installation files

TPP v.1.3.3.0 updated 05.04.2024

If paid support expired before 05.04.2024, this TOPODRONE Post Processing version will not work for a user. It is necessary to either pay for support or download previous version distributive, the release date of which is earlier than the expiration date of paid support.

Get the distribution: TOPODRONE Software Distributor

+ Added: New algorithm for calculating calibration angles of lidar installation.
+ Fixed: length trimming works correctly for Hesai lidars.
+ Added: At group calculation of high-precision track 10 times less track points are displayed on maps (the program froze during rendering).
+ Added: In TopoSLAM, the return of the cloud to the track is accomplished by calibration.

Downloading installation files

TPP v.1.3.2.2 updated 17.03.2024

If paid support expired before 10.10.2024, this TOPODRONE Post Processing version will not work for a user. It is necessary to either pay for support or download previous version distributive, the release date of which is earlier than the expiration date of paid support.

Get the distribution: TOPODRONE Software Distributor

+ Added: AQAMAPPER module integrated
+ Added: LiDAR Calibration angles are now calculated and applied on a per-gal basis. It is used when specifying track inclination angles.
+ Added: WinPcap and .NET Core 3.1 Desktop Runtime are installed automatically.

Downloading installation files

TPP v.1.2.0.1 updated 23.11.2023

If paid support expired before 10.10.2024, this TOPODRONE Post Processing version will not work for a user. It is necessary to either pay for support or download previous version distributive, the release date of which is earlier than the expiration date of paid support.

Get the distribution: TOPODRONE Software Distributor

+ Added: switch in the settings to standard/expert modes. Expert mode allows the user to specify the IMU and lidar model. Standard mode performs automatic equipment detection.

Downloading installation files

TPP v.1.2.0.0 updated 20.11.2023

If paid support expired before 20.11.2023, this TOPODRONE Post Processing version will not work for a user. It is necessary to either pay for support or download previous version distributive, the release date of which is earlier than the expiration date of paid support.

Get the distribution: TOPODRONE Software Distributor

+ Added: Type of lidar survey is determined automatically (Aeral/Terrestrial)
+ Added: LiDAR firing direction is determined automatically (Forward/Backward)
+ Added: alternative calculation of track coordinates (algorithm of complex processing of GNSS angular positioning system information).


Downloading installation files

TPP v.1.1.17.0 updated 13.11.2023

If paid support expired before 13.11.2024, this TOPODRONE Post Processing version will not work for a user. It is necessary to either pay for support or download previous version distributive, the release date of which is earlier than the expiration date of paid support.

Get the distribution: TOPODRONE Software Distributor

+ Added: Static Post Processing: automatic addition of coordinates from GNSS files
+ Added: Lidar Cloud Generation: automatic UTM projection selection (if user has not specified a projection)

Downloading installation files

TPP v.1.1.16.1 updated 1.11.2023

If paid support expired before 01.11.2023, this TOPODRONE Post Processing version will not work for a user. It is necessary to either pay for support or download previous version distributive, the release date of which is earlier than the expiration date of paid support.

Get the distribution: TOPODRONE Software Distributor

+ Added: combined Kalman filter enabled by default, improves accuracy of GNSS calculations (in PPK/SPPP/PPP modules).

Downloading installation files

TPP v.1.1.16.0 updated 30.10.2023

If paid support expired before 10.10.2024, this TOPODRONE Post Processing version will not work for a user. It is necessary to either pay for support or download previous version distributive, the release date of which is earlier than the expiration date of paid support.

Get the distribution: TOPODRONE Software Distributor

+ Added: new algorithm for calibration angles calculation (used ICP for finding angles).
+ Added: MID-360 support

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Downloading installation files

TPP v.1.1.15.0 updated 04.10.2023

If paid support expired before 04.10.2023, this TOPODRONE Post Processing version will not work for a user. It is necessary to either pay for support or download previous version distributive, the release date of which is earlier than the expiration date of paid support.

Get the distribution: TOPODRONE Software Distributor

+ Added: “Datum Refinement” utility
+ Updated: antenna directory for PPK, RTK modules

Downloading installation files

TPP v.1.1.14.0 updated 20.09.2023

If paid support expired before 20.09.2023, this TOPODRONE Post Processing version will not work for a user. It is necessary to either pay for support or download previous version distributive, the release date of which is earlier than the expiration date of paid support.

Get the distribution: TOPODRONE Software Distributor

+ Added: lidar rotation option relative to IMU (roll/pitch/heading)
+ Added: PRJ Editor utility allowing to correct PRJ parameters.

Downloading installation files

TPP v.1.1.13.0 updated 29.08.2023

If paid support expired before 29.08.2023, this TOPODRONE Post Processing version will not work for a user. It is necessary to either pay for support or download previous version distributive, the release date of which is earlier than the expiration date of paid support.

Get the distribution: TOPODRONE Software Distributor

+ Added: automated download of geoids from TOPODRONE server (199 geoids). Now geoids are not included in the distribution (reducing the size of the distribution), but are downloaded by users as needed.
+ Added: orthophoto generation module (Photogrammetry)

Downloading installation files

TPP v.1.1.12.0 updated 22.08.2023

If paid support expired before 22.08.2023, this TOPODRONE Post Processing version will not work for a user. It is necessary to either pay for support or download previous version distributive, the release date of which is earlier than the expiration date of paid support.

Get the distribution: TOPODRONE Software Distributor

+ Added: new version of high-precision track calculation with support for current TOPODRONE equipment is integrated
+ Added: filters for quality improvement: SOR and NOISE.
+ Updated: LAS/LAZ library (support for 1.3/1.4 formats)
+ Added:  a utility to automatically “terrain” classify

Downloading installation files

TPP v.1.1.11.1 updated 08.08.2023

If paid support expired before 08.08.2023, this TOPODRONE Post Processing version will not work for a user. It is necessary to either pay for support or download previous version distributive, the release date of which is earlier than the expiration date of paid support.

Get the distribution: TOPODRONE Software Distributor

+ Added: HESAI lidars use calibration angles for installation


Downloading installation files

TPP v.1.1.9.1 updated 24.06.2023

If paid support expired before 24.06.2023, this TOPODRONE Post Processing version will not work for a user. It is necessary to either pay for support or download previous version distributive, the release date of which is earlier than the expiration date of paid support. 

Get the distribution: TOPODRONE Software Distributor

+ Added: New PRJ filtering. Progressive full-text search is used. The search result is displayed line by line by full PRJ path.

Downloading installation files

TPP v.1.1.9.0 updated 04.06.2023

If paid support expired before 24.06.2023, this TOPODRONE Post Processing version will not work for a user. It is necessary to either pay for support or download previous version distributive, the release date of which is earlier than the expiration date of paid support.

Get the distribution: TOPODRONE Software Distributor

+ Added: Satellite filtering utility accelerated by 50 times
+ Added: A “ruler” for measuring distances has been added to all maps. You need to click twice on the map and the distance between these points will be written in the logs (in feet or meters depending on the “Feet” checkbox state).
+ Added: A new TOPOSLAM algorithm consisting of three stages has been added. At the first stage, the clouds are sequentially overlapped by generation time. The second stage is the mutual overlap of the clouds closest in distance. The third stage, using calibration, returns the position of the matched clouds to the track. 

About

TOPODRONE Post Processing is a software, designed for processing RAW data acquired by TOPODRONE equipment. The application implements algorithms to perform trajectory calculation based on GNSS data, calculate high-precision coordinates of the image centers, joint processing of GNSS receiver and inertial system data, LiDAR point cloud generation and static data processing.

Convenience and universality of the interface allows the user to quickly master the TOPODRONE Post Processing. The software has three versions: Free, PRO and Expert.

Free - this version allows to calculate high-precision image centers acquired with TOPODRONE equipment, generate LiDAR point clouds (if you own a TOPODRONE LiDAR solution), process bathymetric data (if you own a TOPODRONE Aquamapper) and use various tools.

PRO - includes all the features of the Free version and adds the ability to calculate data using the PPP method and calculate accurate image centers from aircrafts equipped with a standard camera and RTK GNSS receiver.

Expert is the complete version of TOPODRONE Post Processing software and includes the whole complex of tools with joint processing of GNSS receiver and inertial system.

Module
 Free PRO Expert
PPK Post Processing + + +
RTK Post Processing
+ +
LiDAR Post Processing

+
LiDAR Cloud Generation + + +
Static Post Processing
+ +
Precise Point Positioning
+ +
AQUAMAPPER + + +
TOOLS + + +

System Requirements

Minimal

 

Windows 10 or later (64 bit)

Intel Core 2 Duo CPU

8 GB of RAM

Dispaly resolution 1440×900

Recommended

 

Windows 10 or later (64 bit)
Intel Core i7 CPU
16 GB of RAM
Dispaly resolution 1920×1080

Additional requirements: discrete graphics card, internet access to activate the software, mouse or other cursor control device, keyboard. For full installation of the program you need about 700 Mb on your hard disk.

Installation, activation and deactivation of the TOPODRONE Post Processing software

TOPODRONE Post Processing software can be downloaded from the official website of the developer https://topodrone.com/. To install it - run the *.exe file and follow the instructions. After successful installation, run the application. To change the language, press "Settings", then "General", select the necessary option and restart the software. Enter your serial number and click on the "Activate" button.

1.png

After successful activation, you will see the relevant information about the type of serial number, user Company name, software version, license validity period and the latest software update.

634.png

To deactivate the application on a current machine, click on the "Revoke" button. Only after this action you will be able to activate another device.

At the first run, you may get the following message: "To run this application, you must install .NET Core. Would you like to download it now?" It is necessary to download and install this library.

Preparation of initial data

After completion of the field works, prior to RAW data processing, it is necessary to organize the achieved dataset:

  1. Download the data to your computer. Photos from the camera and  GNSS files from the PPK module of the aircraft; Data from the TOPODRONE LiDAR;
    *.pcap – LiDAR sensor file
    *.imr –file from the LiDAR IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit)
    *.ubx – raw measurement file from the PPK Upgrade kit or built-in LiDAR PPK (GNSS) receiver
    log.txt – LiDAR system log data, doesn't take part in processing stage, but necessary for diagnostics
    *.raw – LiDAR system diagnostics data, not included in processing
    Screenshot_3.jpg
    Sample of the TOPODRONE LiDAR single dataset.
    *.ubx/.obs/.YYo/etc. - Static observation files from the base station;
    *.txt/.csv/etc. - Catalog of control point coordinates.
  2. Distribute the data to a separate directories with an appropriate names. If you have had multiple flights and/or passes, each dataset shall be copied to a separate folder, accrodingly.
  3. Images dataset shall be separated according to the flights, as well as the *.ubx files from these flights, which are on a microSD flash card installed in TOPODRONE PPK Upgrade Kit on the aircraft.

    Please note that the photos should be separated exactly by flight. In DJI aircraft, photos are named with a numerical designation from 1 to 999 (For example, DJI_0001.jpg and DJI_0999.jpg), if you have more than 1000 files, the system will start writing the images to a new folder named DJI_0001.jpg

  4. Be sure to convert the static observation file from the base station to RINEX format and move it to a separate folder, for example "Base".

Untitled Workspace.png
Example of data storage organization.

PPK Post Processing

This module allows automatic processing of GNSS measurements, where a U-blox chip receiver acts as a rover. To perform processing in this module, perform the following procedure:

1. Run the TOPODRONE Post Processing.PPK Post Processing_1.jpg

2. Select a folder with photos. The "Output folder" with final results of processing will be automatically created, if necessary it can be changed. If there is a *.ubx file from this flight in the folder with photos, data conversion to *.obs will take place. Otherwise it is necessary to select *.ubx file from this flight separately.

PPK Post Processing_2.jpg

3. By pressing the button embedded-image-FHQpququ.png you can analyze the quality of the data. For more information about data quality analysis, see Appendix B.

PPK_3.png

4. From the drop-down list select "Drone Model" to take into account the offset of the GNSS antenna and the center of the camera sensor. If necessary, you can add your own data to the drop-down list by clicking the "Presets" button and entering the necessary offsets.

PPK Post Processing_3.jpg

5. Select the file from the base station (*.ubx, *.obs, *.rnx, *.YYo). For files in *.rnx and *.ubx formats, it will automatically start the conversion process to *.obs format

The "Logs" window displays information about actions performed by the program, it is necessary to pay attention to the time of file recording from the rover and from the base station. The base station file must overlap the rover files.

PPK Post Processing_4.jpg

The TOPODRONE Post Processing will automatically load base station coordinates and base antenna height from the Rinex file, taking into account that it was entered during measurement

6. In case your coordinate system is different from WGS-84, you need to click the "Projection" button and select your coordinate system from the proposed list or enter the coordinate system name in the search bar.

PPK Post Processing_5.jpg


7. If your coordinate system is not in the list, you can add it to the TOPODRONE Post Processing program. When you select a coordinate system, it will be converted from WGS-84 to the selected projection. If necessary, correct the coordinates of the base station.

The height of the antenna includes the height of the milestone or tripod from the point of known coordinates to the bottom of the receiver mount and the height from the bottom of the receiver mount to the phase center.

PPK Post Processing_6.jpg

8. Change the type of height used, if you select any of the types, the height is automatically converted.

PPK Post Processing_7.jpg

9. TOPODRONE Post Processing program allows to perform batch processing of many flights from one base station within one observation session. To start batch processing it is necessary to press the "Add (0)" button, in the opened window add additional folders with photos, *.ubx files and press "OK"

PPK Post Processing_8.jpg

10. Just press the "Start" button to start the machining process. Data processing takes place simultaneously in forward and reverse directions and the type of solution is displayed in the form of the letter "Q" with the addition of a number, where Q1 - fixed solution, Q2 - floating solution and Q5 - no solution.

PPK Post Processing_9.jpg

11. At the end of processing a window will be displayed, where you can see the trajectory of the rover, the number of photos, the number of marks, the number of matches and the accuracy of the obtained centers of photos, where green marks are marks obtained with a fixed solution, and yellow marks are marks obtained with a floating solution.

PPK Post Processing_10.jpg

12. In the output folder, a catalog of coordinates of the exact photo centers is saved.

PPK Post Processing_11.jpg

RTK Post Processing

This module allows automatic processing of GNSS measurements from many aircraft, including DJI Phantom 4 RTK, DJI Matrice 300 RTK, DJI Mavic 3 Enterprise + RTK, Autel Evo II Dual RTK. To perform processing in this module, perform the following procedure:

  1. Start the TOPODRONE Post Processing program and go to the tab RTK Post Processing.

    RTK Post Processing_1.jpg

  2. Select the folder with the data collected during the flight. This folder should contain the following files: all photos without renaming or deleting, *.bin, *.obs, *.nav, and *.MRK. A folder with processed results will be automatically created, which can be modified if necessary.

    RTK Post Processing_2.jpg

  3. Select the *.nav file from the drone.

    RTK Post Processing_3.jpg

  4. Select the file from the base station (*.ubx, *.obs, *.rnx, *.o). For *.rnx and *.ubx files, it will automatically start the conversion process to *.obs format.

    The "Logs" window displays information about actions performed by the program, it is necessary to pay attention to the time of file recording from the rover and from the base station. The base station file must overlap the rover files.

    RTK Post Processing_4.jpg

    The program will automatically load base station coordinates and base antenna height from the Rinex file, taking into account that it was entered during measurement.

  5. By pressing the embedded-image-fhqpququ.png button you can analyze the quality of the data. For more information about data quality analysis, see Appendix B.

    08_RTK.jpg

  6. In case your coordinate system is different from WGS-84, you need to click the "Projection" button and select your coordinate system from the proposed list or enter the coordinate system name in the search bar. When you select the coordinate system, the conversion from WGS-84 to the selected projection will take place.


    RTK Post Processing_5.jpg

  7. If necessary, select the "Elevation Type" for your coordinate system.

    RTK Post Processing_6.jpg

    If your coordinate system or geoid model is not in the list, you can add it to the TOPODRONE Post Processing program.
  8. If necessary, correct the coordinates of the base station.

    RTK Post Processing_7.jpg

    Antenna height includes the height of the milestone or tripod from the point with known coordinates to the bottom of the receiver mount and the height from the bottom of the receiver mount to the phase center

  9. TOPODRONE Post Processing program allows to perform batch processing of many flights from one base station within one observation session. To start batch processing it is necessary to press the "Add (0)" button, in the opened window add additional folders with other flights and press "OK"

    RTK Post Processing_8.jpg

  10. To start the machining process, simply press the "Start" button. Data processing takes place simultaneously in forward and reverse directions and the type of solution is displayed in the form of the letter "Q" with the addition of a number, where Q1 - fixed solution, Q2 - floating solution and Q5 - no solution.

    RTK Post Processing_9.jpg

  11. At the end of processing a window will be displayed, where you can see the trajectory of the rover, the number of photos, the number of marks, the number of matches and the accuracy of the obtained centers of photos, where green marks are marks obtained with a fixed solution, and yellow marks are marks obtained with a floating solution.

    RTK Post Processing_10.jpg

  12. The output folder stores a directory of coordinates of the exact centers of photography.

    RTK Post Processing_11.jpg

LiDAR Post Processing

This module allows to calculate the trajectory of the laser scanner together with the inertial system data on the server solution of TOPODRONE company, thus not burdening the user's computer.

  1. In order to start processing it is necessary to start the TOPODRONE Post Processing program and go to the LiDAR Post Processing tab.

    LiDAR Post Processing_1.jpg


  2. Specify the installation type and path to the laser scanner files in the "GNSS file" field. Inertial data file will be loaded automatically in the "IMU file" field. Also by default the data will be saved to the source folder, but you can change the saving location in the "Output folder" field.

    LiDAR Post Processing_2.jpg

    The "Logs" window displays all information on the downloaded files: type of scanner used, type of inertial system used, start/end time of file recording on the scanner and base station, as well as all information on data processing.

    LiDAR Post Processing_3.jpg


  3. By pressing the embedded-image-fhqpququ.png button you can analyze the quality of the data. For more information about data quality analysis, see Appendix B.

    ppk-3.png

  4. Select your equipment model from the drop-down list.

    LiDAR Post Processing_4.jpg

    The offsets will be loaded from the library automatically. Note that if you have selected the AERIAL setting type, the presets for TERRESTRIAL are not displayed.

  5. If your offsets differ from the standard ones, you should click the "Add" button and enter your values.

    LiDAR Post Processing_5.jpg

  6. If the IMU center is located behind, below and to the right of the GNSS antenna in the direction of travel, then at the post-processing stage the offset values are specified in TOPODRONE Post Processing software as positive values (without sign -) in meters. If the IMU center is located in front, above and to the left of the GNSS antenna in the course of movement, then at the post-processing stage the offset values are specified in TOPODRONE Post Processing software as negative values (with sign -) in meters. in meters.


    The PARENT parameter is responsible for allowing the program to understand how the sensor was positioned during the scan. DJI Matrice 300 - sensor forward, P24/P61 + DJI Matrice 300 - sensor backward.

    LiDAR Post Processing_6.jpg

  7. Load the base station file in the "Base station" window in the "GNSS file" field.

    LiDAR Post Processing_7.jpg

    When you download the measurement file of the base station in RINEX format, ephemeris will be automatically downloaded, you can download ephemeris from the TOPODRONE receiver that is installed in your laser scanner or downloaded separately.
  8. From the drop-down list of receivers it is necessary to select the one that supports TOPODRONE Post Processing

    TOPODRONE Post Processing program supports downloading data from different types of receivers, and if your receiver is not in the list, you can always convert the file to the universal RINEX format.

    LiDAR Post Processing_7_2.jpg


  9. Specify the high-precision coordinates of the base station.

    Coordinates of the base station should be specified in the format latitude, longitude, height above the ellipsoid of the WGS 84 system.

    LiDAR Post Processing_8.jpg


  10. Start processing by clicking the "Start Online" button.

    LiDAR Post Processing_9.jpg

    Once processing starts, the data is uploaded to our server, where the trajectory is jointly processed using GNSS and IMU data. For correct processing you must have stable internet without interruptions, if there is a failure at the data upload stage, the processing stage will need to be restarted.

    The "Alternative GNSS" checkbox allows you to get additionally the trajectory processed on your computer, possibly with a better solution quality.

  11. At the end of processing the file with the high precision trajectory will be downloaded to your computer and in the map window you will be able to see the trajectory and the accuracy with which it was obtained. Green color means that the trajectory was processed with a fixed solution, yellow with a floating solution, and red color will tell us that with an offline solution. The trajectory file itself will be located in the default folder or in the folder you specified.


    LiDAR Post Processing_10.jpg

LiDAR Cloud Generation

To start this module, you need to go to the LiDAR Cloud Generation tab.

LiDAR Cloud Generation_1.jpg
Specify the path to the data from the laser scanner *.pcap in the "Drone Files" window in the "Lidar File" field, in the "Track File" field specify the track_*.pos trajectory file, which was obtained as a result of processing in the LiDAR Post Processing module. By default, the data will be saved to the source folder.LiDAR Cloud Generation_2.jpg

Click the "Trim" button and specify the start and end point of the trajectory to generate a point cloud.

LiDAR Cloud Generation_3.jpg


LiDAR Cloud Generation_4.jpg
If necessary, you can divide the trajectory into separate transects by clicking on the "Trajectory trim area" button Click "Accept" to trim the unselected part of the trajectory and "OK" to save.

LiDAR Cloud Generation_5.jpg

LiDAR Cloud Generation_6.jpg

Roll, Pitch and Heading calibration angles should be set to "0", in case you have already calculated the angles and they remain stable, you can select your preset from the drop-down list. X/Y/Z should be used to correct the position of the clouds in the X, Y and Z axes in case of discrepancies between passes. Dynamics is the dynamic correction of Angle, Roll, Pitch and Heading across passes, i.e. each individual cloud segment will have its own angle values. If this function is used, the entire cloud must be used.

LiDAR Cloud Generation_7.jpg
In the "Misalignment correction" field, you must select a value to calculate the angles. It is optimal to select at least two tack with a fixed trajectory with the presence of vertical objects.

LiDAR Cloud Generation_8.jpg
To select a coordinate system you should press the "Coordinate system" button and choose your coordinate system from the proposed list or enter the name of the coordinate system in the search line. If your coordinate system is not in the list, you can add it to the TOPODRONE Post Processing program.LiDAR Cloud Generation_9.jpg

Change the type of elevation used. If your geoid model is not in the list, you can add it to the TOPODRONE Post Processing program yourself.

LiDAR Cloud Generation_10.jpg

Next, click on the "Start" button to start the Angle Calculation or point cloud generation process.

LiDAR Cloud Generation_11.jpg
In the process of calculating the angles, the program will perform several passes, which will result in the calculated values of Roll, Pitch and Heading angles.

LiDAR Cloud Generation_12.jpg
When the calculation is complete, the program will inform you that you can save the calculated calibration parameters into presets for further selection of values from the drop-down list.

LiDAR Cloud Generation_13.jpg

LiDAR Cloud Generation_14.jpg
When completed, a cloud will be generated in LAS/LAZ format in the source data folder.

LiDAR Cloud Generation_15.jpg

Static Post Processing

Module for processing GNSS data in static mode, consists of two parts:

  1. One vector
  2. Grid equalization

One vector calculates rover coordinates from base station by one vector. The measurement requires rover and base station files as well as a navigation file. Supported observation file formats: *.ubx, *.obs, *.rnx and *.*O.
For more accurate results also upload your own or download an accurate ephemeris file from NASA server. Supported formats of navigation ephemeris files: *.nav, *.rnx, *.n, *.p, *.g, *.h, *.q, *.c and *.l. Supported formats of precision ephemeris files: *.eph, *.sp3.
The distance from the base station to the rover, using accurate ephemeris and NASA navigation file, is practically unlimited, daily rinex files give RMS of about 5 centimeters at a distance of 5 thousand km.
In the module it is possible to perform measurement in the selected projection at once.

Static Post Processing

One vector

  1. To start this module it is necessary to open the TOPODRONE Post Processing program, go to the Static Post Processing tab and click on the "One vector" button.

    One vector_01.jpg

  2. Load measurement data from the rover.

    One vector_02.jpg

  3. Download airborne ephemeris data.

    One vector_03.jpg

  4. If necessary, download files of accurate ephemeris.
    One vector_04.jpg
  5. Enter the height of the rover antenna.

    The height of the antenna includes the height of the milestone or tripod from the measuring point to the bottom of the receiver mount and the height from the bottom of the receiver mount to the phase center.

    One vector_05.jpg

  6. Download measurement data from the base station.

    One vector_06.jpg

  7. After the files are uploaded, pressing the embedded-image-fhqpququ.png button allows you to analyze the quality of the data. For more information about data quality analysis, see Appendix B.PPK_3.png
  8. The program will automatically load the coordinates and height of the base antenna from the Rinex file, taking into account that it was entered during measurement and display the location on the map.

    One vector_07.jpg

  9. In case your coordinate system is different from WGS-84, you need to click "Projection" button and select your coordinate system from the list or enter the coordinate system name in the search line, if necessary, select the geoid model. If your coordinate system is not in the list, you can add it to TOPODRONE Post Processing program.

    One vector_08.jpg

  10. Selecting a coordinate system will convert from WGS-84 to the projection of your choice. If necessary, correct the coordinates of the base station.

    The height of the antenna includes the height of the milestone or tripod from the point of known coordinates to the bottom of the receiver mount and the height from the bottom of the receiver mount to the phase center.


    One vector_09.jpg

    After pressing the "Start" button, the program will proceed to calculations.

    One vector_10.jpg

  11. Upon completion of calculations the program will display a window with coordinates of base station and rover in WGS-84 coordinate system and local coordinate system and will offer to save these data to observation files for further use of these data. Also in the output data folder the file with the calculation results will be saved.
    Caption

    One vector_11.jpg

    PRJ: World-WGS 84-UTM-zone 38N (m) EPSG 32638
    Elevation type: GEOID (EGM2008)

    Base:

    -------- WGS-84 ---------
    Latitude:           41.38612811 degrees
    Longitude:         45.03686622 degrees
    Altitude:           328.865 meters


    ---------- PRJ -----------
    North:               4581623.0424 meters
    East:                503082.3404 meters
    Height:              313.5479 meters

    Rover:

    -------- WGS-84 ---------
    Latitude:            42.4438271 degrees
    Longitude:          44.49065247 degrees
    Altitude:            1869.817 meters


    ------- Accuracy --------
    Accuracy Latitude    0.0493 meters
    Accuracy Longitude: 0.0124 meters
    Accuracy Altitude:   0.0688 meters


    ---------- PRJ -----------
    North:               4699181.4077 meters
    East:                458111.3929 meters
    Height:              1849.2161 meters
Static Post Processing

Grid equalization

  1. To start this module, go to the Static Post Processing tab and click on the Network Equalization button.

    Network equalization_01.jpg


  2. To display the points where observations were made, the map window must be open at the time of file upload.

    Network equalization_02.jpg


  3. The bottom panel has a number of tools: open or create a new project, open the source point catalog, add or delete source point files, add or delete measured point files, remove projection distortions, stop processing, and calculate.

    Network equalization_03.jpg


  4. The first thing to do is to select the required projection and the type of elevation to be used.

    Network equalization_04.jpg

  5. When we click on the "Add Point" button next to the "Start Table" item, we need to load the data for the starting points.

    Network equalization_05.jpg


    GNSS file - a GNSS receiver measurement file in *.obs, *.rnx or *.*o formats.
    Navigation file - navigation file of measurements in *.nav, *.rnx, *.n, *.p, *.g, *.h, *.q, *.c and *.l format.
    Ephemeris file - file of final ephemeris in *.sp3, *.eph format, you can also upload a file of accurate flight clock *.clk. When you click on the Download button, if the data are available on the NASA server, the program will automatically download these data.

    When processing the Grid Equation, the program uses the method of obtaining Precise Point Positioning (PPP) coordinates of the terrain using global navigation satellite systems by obtaining corrections to the orbital ephemeris and on-board clocks of all visible spacecraft. For the best calculation it is recommended to add daily measurements from the nearest reference base station or IGS.

    Antenna height is the height from the center of the point to the phase center of the GNSS receiver.
    Type Accuracy of orbits and clocks Accessibility Note
    Broadcast ~100 см
    ~5 ns RMS
    ~2.5 ns σ    		 In real time GLONASS (.YYg) and GPS (.YYn) on-board ephemeris for a day in RINEX format summarized in the TsUP
    UltraRapid
    		 ~3 см
    ~150 ns RMS
    ~50 ns σ    		 In 3-9 hours Refined ephemeris and corrections of airborne clocks
    Rapid ~2.5 см
    ~75 ns RMS
    ~25 ns σ    		 After 17-41 hours Ephemeris and corrections of onboard clocks obtained on the interval of last days
    Final ~2.5 см
    ~75 ns RMS
    ~20 ns σ    		 After 12-18 days Final ephemeris and flight clock corrections

  6. When adding initial data to the program, a window will appear on entering coordinates of the point from the loaded file, click the "Yes" button. 

    Network equalization_06.jpg

  7. Then, if necessary, load the coordinate catalog of the source points or enter the coordinates and their accuracy manually.

    Network equalization_07.jpg

    If you do not know with what accuracy they have been determined, you should provide the following recommended accuracies:

    •    FAGS 20 mm north/east, 30 mm high;
    •    HCV 30mm north/east, 40mm high;
    •    AGS and GHS 40mm north/east, 50mm high;
    •    GGS 60mm north/east, 110mm high.

     

    Network equalization_08.jpg


  8. To load the data for measured points, you must use "Add point" against the item "Measurement table" and perform the loading by analogy with the original points.

    Network equalization_09.jpg


  9. Once all items have been loaded, click on the "Start" button and the program will begin the calculation. The number of operations and the total number of calculations to be performed will be displayed on the bottom left.

    Network equalization_10.jpg

    The calculation of the network follows the following algorithm:
    1) Calculation of coordinates of all points in ITRF2014 coordinate system by Precise Point Positioning - PPP method. After this step in the ITRF-14 window you will see the calculated coordinates and their accuracy.

    Network equalization_11.jpg

    2) In the next step, the program performs Precise Point Positioning and static measurement of all possible vectors, performs point coordinates calculation by precision weighting.
    3) Then, using the coordinate system and coordinates of the initial points, taking into account the weighting accuracies of the points, the program calculates the total displacement from the parameters of the selected projection and creates a grid of residual distortion corrections.
  10. In the DISTORTION OF CS BY SYGNS window you can see the residual distortions of the coordinate system relative to the original points. In the DENSITY WEIGHT window Density of points, it is needed to increase/decrease the weight of distortions, a single point has a higher weight than a point that is next to others.

    Network equalization_12.jpg


  11. As a result of calculations you will get a catalog of coordinates of points in the coordinate system that was specified, accuracy of determination of these coordinates and distortion grid for use in the TOPODRONE Post Processing program. The calibration file can be opened through the "Tools" module, "Calibration" tab. In addition, a report of the processing results will be saved in the document folder.


    Network equalization_13.jpg

  12. When you click the "Correct Distortion" button, the program distributes the errors to the source items and re-runs the processing.

    Network equalization_14.jpg

  13. The table below summarizes the results of processing
    Caption
    Until distortion is eliminated After removing distortion

    Network equalization_15.jpg

    Network equalization_16.jpg

Precise Point Positioning

Precise Point Positioning (PPP) — is a global navigation satellite system positioning method that calculates coordinates with an error of only a few centimeters under good conditions. PPP is a combination of several relatively sophisticated GNSS positioning refinement methods. Unlike the RTK method, which uses a base station, a rover and relatively small distances between them, the PPP method uses a single GNSS receiver.

  1. Click on the Precise Point Positiong tab to use this module and click on the "Select" button to download data from the GNSS receiver. Supported formats: *.ubx, *.obs, *.rnx and *.*o.

    PPP_1.jpg


  2. Next we need to upload the rest of the data.PPP_2.jpg

    Navigation file - navigation file of measurements in *.nav, *.rnx, *.n, *.p, *.g, *.h, *.q, *.c and *.l format. Ephemeris/clock file - final ephemeris file in *.sp3, *.eph format, it is also possible to upload exact on-board clock file *.clk. When you click on the Download button, if the data are available on the NASA server, the program will automatically download these data.
    Output folder - folder with output data, it can be changed if necessary.
  3. Select the coordinate and altitude system in which we need to get the coordinates of the point.

    PPP_3.jpg


  4. Then, if data is available, enter the coordinates of the base station and the antenna height, taking into account the phase center.

    PPP_4.jpg


  5. When you click on the "Start" button, the program will start calculations.PPP_5.jpg

  6. As a result of calculations, a window will appear with the coordinates of the point in the WGS-84 coordinate system, in the selected coordinate system and the accuracy of these coordinates. Also, if you click on the "Yes" button, the program will write the calculated coordinates in the header of the rinex file.

PPP_6.jpg

AQUAMAPPER

This module is designed for processing data obtained using the TOPODRONE AQUAMAPPER bathymetric scanner. To process the data, follow these steps::

  1. Launch the TOPODRONE Post Processing program and go to the AQUAMAPPER tab.

    AQUAMAPPER_1.jpg

  2. Select the .nmea file that you received from the bathymetric scanner during data collection. The file from the GNSS receiver will load automatically, and a path to the folder with the processing results will be created.
    AQUAMAPPER_2.jpg
  3. By clicking on the button embedded-image-fhqpququ.png, you can analyze the data quality. For more information about data quality analysis, see Appendix B.

    PPK_3.png

  4. On the "Drone offsets" tab, if necessary, specify the antenna offset relative to the bathymetric sensor. If necessary, you can add your own data by clicking on the "Presets" button and entering the desired offsets.

    AQUAMAPPER_3.jpg

  5. Select the file from the base station (*. ubx, *obs, *rnx, *YYo). For files in the *rnx and *ubx formats, the conversion process to *obs format will automatically start. The program automatically loads the coordinates of the base station and the height of the base antenna from the Rinex file, if they were specified during the measurement.

    AQUAMAPPER_4.jpg

    The Logs window displays information about the program's actions. Pay attention to the recording time of files from the rover and base station. The base station file must be older than the rover files.

  6. Select a rectangular coordinate system. To do this, click the "Projection" button and select a coordinate system from the list or enter its name in the search bar.  

    AQUAMAPPER_5.jpg

    If the desired coordinate system is not in the list, you can add it to the TOPODRONE Post Processing program. When you select a coordinate system, the conversion from WGS-84 to the selected projection occurs. If necessary, adjust the coordinates of the base station.

    AQUAMAPPER_6.jpg

  7. Change the type of height used. When you select the type, the height will be automatically converted.
  8. Specify the environment type. There are two options: specify the speed of sound for correct calculation, or specify the salinity of the reservoir and its temperature. The temperature can be taken from the bathymetric sensor by checking the box "Use water temperature from NMEA".

    AQUAMAPPER_7.jpg

  9. The TOPODRONE Post Processing program allows you to process multiple data sets from a single base station within a single observation session. For batch processing, click "Add (0)" and add additional files .nmea and click "OK".

    AQUAMAPPER_8.jpg

  10. To start processing, click the "Start" button. Data processing takes place simultaneously in the forward and reverse directions, and the solution type is displayed as the letter " Q " with a number: Q1 — fixed solution, Q2-floating solution, Q5-no solution.

    AQUAMAPPER_9.jpg

  11. As a result of processing, the AQUAMAPPER trajectory will be displayed on the screen and a set of files will be generated. 

    AQUAMAPPER_10.jpg

AQUMAPPER_12.jpg

 Data is written in two formats:*. laz and *. csv. Files with the TRACK prefix contain information about the trajectory, and files with the BOTTOM prefix contain information about the topography of the reservoir bottom.

Two graphs will also be displayed: the upper graph shows the slope of the bathymetric sensor at a certain point in time, and the lower graph shows the depth. AQUAMAPPER_11.jpg

Then, based on the data obtained, you can build a depth map.

AQUMAPPER_13.jpg

Tools

This part of the instructions will cover the various tools that help make the job easier.

Tools

Filters LAS/LAZ

When launching the filters, we are greeted with a startup window.

image.png

Statistical Outlier Removal (SOR) is a method that first calculates the average distance between each point and its neighbors. It then removes points that are more than the average distance plus a few standard deviations. The minimum number of neighboring points is 6 and the standard deviation is 1.

Noise removal is a method that is similar to statistical outlier removal (SOR), but it considers the distance to the main surface rather than neighboring points. It locally fits a plane around each cloud point and removes a point if it is too far from that plane. This filter can be thought of as a low-point filter.

Surface reconstruction is a technique that is used to create complete surface models from heterogeneous data. Sometimes small errors in distance measurements can lead to difficulties in removing anomalies by statistical analysis. In such cases, surface reconstruction uses a resampling algorithm that attempts to reconstruct missing parts of the surface by polynomial interpolation between surrounding data points. This corrects small errors and smooths out artifacts such as "double walls" that occur when multiple scans are recorded simultaneously.

image.png

If you select a file in LAS or LAZ format, the login window will display the information contained in the file: number of points, X, Y, Z offsets, etc.

To process, check the required filters and press the "Start" button. If several filters are selected, they are applied sequentially. All results are saved to the folder with the source file.

Tools

Ground classification

The Ground Classification tool allows you to divide the point cloud into two components: terrain related points and all other points. This method is based on a simplified physical process. Imagine a piece of cloth suspended above the terrain, which then falls down due to gravity. If the fabric is soft enough, it will stick to the surface and the final shape of the fabric will be a digital model of the terrain. However, if the point cloud is first turned upside down and the fabric is made stiff, the final shape will be a digital terrain model. A method called fabric modelling is used to model this process. Based on this method, a cloth modelling filtering (CSF) algorithm has been developed to extract ground points from the point cloud. An overview of the proposed algorithm is shown in Fig. First, the original point cloud is flipped upside down, and then a fabric is dropped on the flipped surface. By analysing the interaction between the fabric nodes and the corresponding points, the final shape of the fabric can be determined and used to classify the original points into terrain points and all other points.

Ground classification_01.jpg

When launching the tool, we are greeted with a startup window.

Ground classification_02.jpg

In the window that opens, click the "Select" button and select the file in the *.las or *.laz format for which you are going to make a classification. The Logs window displays information about the uploaded file.

Ground classification_03.jpg

After that, set parameters that match the characteristics of your point cloud:
The grid step is the size of the grid cell, expressed in point cloud units, that is applied to cover the terrain. Increasing the grid resolution will result in a more detailed surface model, but will increase the computational load.
Number of iterations - the maximum allowable number of iterations performed during surface modelling. For most scenes it is recommended to set this value at 500 iterations, which is sufficient to achieve acceptable accuracy.
Classification tolerance - a parameter used to separate point clouds into ground related points and other points based on distances to the modelled terrain surface. The units of the tolerance must match the units of your point cloud. The recommended value for this parameter is 0.5, which is appropriate for most processing scenarios.
Terrain Type - with this parameter you can set the type of point cloud scene.

For steep slopes, this algorithm can produce relatively large errors because the modelled fabric is above the steep slopes and does not agree well with ground-based measurements due to internal constraints between particles.

Slope handling — the problem described above can be solved by selecting this option. If your scenes don't have steep slopes, just ignore it.

Ground classification_04.jpg

Press the ‘Start’ button and wait for the operation to complete.

Ground classification_05.jpg

The final result is the files: the ground point cloud and the rest of the points.

Ground classification_06.jpg

Tools

LAS/LAZ Insta 360 Coloring

This module is designed for automatically assigning color characteristics to a Mobile Laser Scanning (MLS) point cloud, coloring it with natural colors using data obtained from TOPODRONE scanning systems.

Operating Principle and Data Requirements:

To obtain a point cloud with reliable RGB information, the following processing sequence must be executed:

  1. Primary Data Processing: Perform standard processing of raw data in the LiDAR Post Processing module to obtain the laser scanner's trajectory.

  2. Point Cloud Generation: Generate the final point cloud in LAS/LAZ format using the LiDAR Cloud Generation module.

  3. Point Cloud Coloring: At the final stage, using the "LAS/LAZ Insta 360 Coloring" tool, RGB values are assigned to the points in the cloud. The algorithm matches each laser reflection point with the corresponding pixel from the panoramic images taken by the Insta 360 camera, based on the precise trajectory and data about the camera's position relative to the laser scanner. This ensures realistic coloring in natural colors.

The point cloud coloring process involves several stages.

Data Preparation

During recording, the Insta 360 camera saves data in its proprietary formats (*.lrv and *.insv). These formats are optimized for working with panoramic video in the manufacturer's software. For further processing, specifically for point cloud coloring, the video stream must be converted to the standard *.mp4 format. To do this, you need to install the Insta360 Studio program.

  1. Launch the Insta360 Studio program.

    2025-11-17 11-42-16 Insta360 Studio.jpg


  2. Import the source files (*.lrv and *.insv) into the project.

    2025-11-17 11-43-52 Insta360 Studio.jpg


  3. Navigate to the "Accessory Layout" tab and set the parameters according to the screenshot below.

    2025-11-17 12-11-52 Insta360 Studio.jpg

  4. In the "Stabilization Type" tab, deactivate the "FlowState Stabilization" option by unchecking the corresponding box.

    2025-11-17 12-12-48 Insta360 Studio.jpg

  5. Initiate the export of the video file using the settings specified below into the folder containing the source *.lrv and *.insv files.

    2025-11-17 12-13-31 Insta360 Studio.jpg

Point Cloud Coloring Process

Navigate to the "Tools" menu and select the "LAS/LAZ Insta 360 Coloring" module.

2025-11-26 15-49-55 COLORING LAZ INSTA 360.jpg


Specify the point cloud file in LAS/LAZ format, generated in the previous processing step in the "LiDAR Cloud Generation" module. This is an uncolored point cloud that contains spatial coordinates (X, Y, Z) and other laser information but lacks color attributes.

2025-11-26 15-51-15 COLORING LAZ INSTA 360.jpg

Select the trajectory file in the appropriate projection, obtained along with the point cloud from the "LiDAR Cloud Generation" module. The trajectory file contains precise coordinates and orientation of the scanning system at each moment in time. This data is critical for the temporal and spatial synchronization of frames with the cloud points.

2025-11-26 15-51-50 COLORING LAZ INSTA 360.jpg

Load the Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) data file.

2025-11-26 15-52-14 COLORING LAZ INSTA 360.jpg

Specify the folder containing all the necessary video materials in *.lrv, *.insv, and *.mp4 formats.

2025-11-26 15-52-33 COLORING LAZ INSTA 360.jpg

 

Click the "Start" button to initiate the coloring algorithm.
The processing progress is displayed in the "Log" text window. This window outputs information messages, warnings, and errors.

2025-11-26 16-52-33 COLORING LAZ INSTA 360.webp

The "Viewer" window displays the process of assigning colors to the point cloud points in real-time, allowing for visual control over the processing accuracy.

2025-11-26 17-38-40 COLORING LAZ INSTA 360.jpg

Upon successful completion of the process, the module will automatically create a new file of the colored point cloud. The file is saved in the same directory as the source cloud. The prefix _RGB is added to the source filename for identification. A folder named "Photo" will be created in the directory containing the video files; this folder will contain panoramic images georeferenced to the WGS-84 coordinate system.

Tools

PRJ editor

PRJ Editor is a tool that allows you to edit the coordinate system knowing the transition parameters. In order to use it you need to select "PRJ Editor" in the Tools panel.

image.png

Currently, a small amount of photogrammetry and laser scanning software supports affine transformations, so this tool does not support affine transformations in the same way.

In the window that opens, click the "Select" button and select the *.prj file you want to edit.

image.png

The table provides a description of the parameters

Projection name
 WGS 84 / UTM zone 35N Projection name
Coordinate system WGS_1984 Name of coordinate system
DATUM WGS_1984 Datum name
SPHEROID WGS 84",6378137,298.257223563 Name of ellipsoid
TOWGS84
7 parameters of transition to WGS84
Delta 0,0,0 Displacement of the intermediate geocentric coordinate along the X, Y, Z axes. It is specified in meters, and the translation direction is indicated by the value sign.
Rotation 0,0,0 The amount of rotation about the X, Y, Z axes that applies to intermediate geocentric coordinates. It is specified in angular seconds, and the direction of translation is indicated by the sign of the value.
Scale 0 A scaling factor that applies to intermediate geocentric coordinates. The value is given in parts per million and is the difference between the actual scaling factor and one.
For example, a scale parameter value of -2.5 gives an actual scale factor of 0.9999985. That is, the actual scale factor used is obtained by multiplying the parameter value by 1.0x10-06 and adding the result (algebraically) to 1.0.
PRIMEM "Greenwich",0 Zero meridian, indicating the offset between the zero meridian of the declared coordinate system and the Greenwich coordinate system.
UNIT "degree",0.01745329251994328 The unit of measure of SC (degrees).
PROJECTION Transverse_Mercator Projection type
PARAMETERS

Latitude of origin 0 Initial latitude
Central meridian 27 Central meridian
Scale factory 0.9996 Scale factor
False easting 500000 Shift east
False northing 0 Shift north
UNIT

metre

 Projection unit

Make all necessary changes to the parameters, click the "Save" button, specify the path to save and the file name.

image.png

The resulting file is shown below.

PROJCS["WGS 84 / UTM zone 35N",
    GEOGCS["WGS 84",
        DATUM["WGS_1984",
            SPHEROID["WGS 84",6378137,298.257223563,
            TOWGS84[0,0,0,0,0,0,0]],
        PRIMEM["Greenwich",0,
        UNIT["degree",0.0174532925199433,
    PROJECTION["Transverse_Mercator"],
    PARAMETER["latitude_of_origin",0],
    PARAMETER["central_meridian",27],
    PARAMETER["scale_factor",0.9996],
    PARAMETER["false_easting",500000],
    PARAMETER["false_northing",0],
    UNIT["metre",1]]
Tools

Viewing the point cloud

This tool is intended for viewing and analyzing the point cloud obtained during processing in TOPODRONE Post Processing software. To start the module, go to the Tools tab, then Viewers and click on the New button. If you need to open a point cloud that has just been closed, select Previous. In the opened tab select the point cloud in *.las or *.laz format. After loading, the point cloud will be displayed in the main window.

image.png

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Tools

Data archive GNSS

This module is a large database with publicly available base stations for downloading observation files.

  1. To start the module, go to the "Tools" tab, then "GNSS Data Archives" and select the database you need.

    image.png


  2. Then download the data from your receiver to have the program select the date and time of the base stations or enter this data manually. Specify the folder where you want to save the result.

    image.png

  3. In the table or on the map, select the base station from which you want to download data and press the "Start" button, the data download will start in the folder you specified.

    image.png


Tools

Track trimming

This tool is designed to trim a trajectory file in *.pos and *.poses format.
To start the tool, select Track Trim in the Tools, Trim/Stitch tab. Then select the track you want to trim.

image.png


There are two sliders at the bottom, by moving them you specify the interval of the trajectory, which will remain and which will be cut. You will see a visual representation of the two colors on the trajectory. Green indicates the area that will be saved after trimming, and red indicates the area that will be trimmed.

image.png


After selecting an area, cut the part you don't want by clicking on "Trim". The trajectory will be saved to a file in the original format.

Tools

Merge track files

The module is designed for trajectory stitching followed by point cloud generation in the LiDAR Cloud Generation module.
To start the tool, select Track File Stitching in the Tools, Trim/Stitch tab. Then through the "Add" button select the trajectories to be merged.

Merge track files_1.jpg
Select the Output folder where to save the merged trajectory and click "Start" to start the process. At the end of the process the program will display a message that everything is ready.

Merge track files_2.jpg

Tools

Trim IMR (+GNSS)

You can use the IMR(+GNSS) Trim IMR(+GNSS) tool to eliminate jumps in inertial navigation system (IMU) data when working in conjunction with satellite navigation data.

This tool is useful if after starting trajectory processing the dataset contains an error message - IMU file contains gaps in measurement points! Use the "Trim IMR(+GNSS)" tool to remove the missing sampling time interval.

image.png


To start the tool, select IMR(+GNSS) Trim in the Tools, Trim/Stitch tab. Then select the file in *.imr format to be trimmed and the GNSS receiver file.

image.png

image.png

The program will pre-process the GNSS and if there were any gaps in the IMU data, you will see this on the screen as vertical lines and the designation (Gap).

image.png


For further correct processing, it is required to exclude outliers from the data.
From the selected file we will need to exclude two skips from processing, therefore the IMU file should be divided into three segments and further processed in three parts. Only one segment is trimmed, so in this case we will need to repeat this procedure three times.

image.png


After selecting the desired segment using the sliders at the bottom of the screen, click "Crop". The IMU file will be saved to the folder in its original format at the interval you specified and will be saved to the original folder.

Tools

Trim IMR

To eliminate jumps in inertial navigation unit (IMU) data when performing work without satellite navigation data, you can use the IMR Trim tool.

This tool is useful if the dataset contains an error message - IMU file contains gaps in measurement points! Use the IMR Trim tool to remove the missing sample time interval.

To start the tool, select IMR Trim in the Tools, Trim/Stitch tab. Then select the file in *.imr format to be trimmed.

image.pngThe program will perform pre-processing and if there were any gaps in the IMU data, you will see this on the screen in the form of vertical lines and the designation (Gap).

image.png

For further correct processing it is necessary to exclude omissions from the data, therefore the IMU file should be divided into two segments and further processed in two parts. Only one segment is trimmed, so in this case we need to repeat this procedure twice.

image.png

After selecting the desired segment using the sliders at the bottom of the screen, click "Crop". The IMU file will be saved to the folder in its original format at the interval you specified and will be saved to the original folder.

Tools

Coordinate converter(One coordinate)

This tool allows to convert data from WGS-84 coordinate system to another one using *.prj file of coordinate system, which is loaded into the program database or using calibration file, which was made before in TOPODRONE Post Processing program. For more details see Calibration.

For example, this tool can help you to convert a base station coordinate from local coordinate system to WGS-84 when processing an area in the LiDAR Post Processing module.

In order to convert one point from WGS-84 coordinate system to any other, you should choose Coordinate Converter in the Tools tab, then One coordinate.

image.png


Select the coordinate format (decimal or degrees, minutes, seconds)

image.png

Next, select the desired height type.


Select the required coordinate system. The required *.prj file can be quickly found using the search bar. The coordinates of the source point must be within the area covered by the *.prj file.

image.png

If you have calibrated in the TOPODRONE Post Processing program, press the "NO" button and select your calibration file.


After that, click on the right arrow, which will change its color to green when you hover your mouse cursor over it. Click on the arrow with the left mouse button.


After that, the converted coordinate values of the source point in meters will appear in the right part.

image.png

Tools

Coordinate Converter(Coordinates from file)

The tool allows you to convert coordinates from one coordinate system to another using the *.prj coordinate system file loaded into the program database or the calibration file created earlier in the TOPODRONE Post Processing program. More details about this process can be found in the "Calibration" section. To convert a coordinate catalog from one coordinate system to another, go to the "Tools" menu and select "Coordinate Converter", then "Coordinates from file".

Coordinates from file_1.jpg

In the Source section, specify the coordinate catalog file you want to convert, the import start line, and the coordinate separator type.

Coordinates from file_2.jpg
Select the coordinate system and elevation type of the original coordinate catalog.

Coordinates from file_3.jpg

Determine whether the columns match the values.

Coordinates from file_4.jpg
Specify the coordinate system and elevation type of the target coordinate catalog.

Coordinates from file_5.jpg
If you have calibrated in the TOPODRONE Post Processing program, press the "PRJ" button, then press "NO" and select your calibration file.

Coordinates from file_6.jpg

After pressing the "Start" button, the right window will display the coordinate catalog in the selected coordinate system. If necessary, click the "Save" button and save the new file.

Coordinates from file_7.jpg

Coordinates from file_8.jpg

Tools

Maps

The "Maps" module is designed to display loaded static observations and vectors at all stages of data processing. To launch the module, go to the "Tools" tab and click the "Maps" button. Important: for correct display of observation points, the map window should be opened when loading files. If this condition has not been met, you should re-download the data. An additional function of the module is to measure the distance between two points on the map. To do this, press the "Ctrl" key and select two points in the map area with the left mouse button. The value of the measured distance will be displayed in the log window.

Maps.jpg

Tools

GNSS data converter

The module is based on the open source software RTKLIB, this module is designed to convert raw observation files from Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receivers into RINEX format. The module supports data formats from the following GNSS chip manufacturers: U-blox, ComNav, NovAtel, Hemisphere, Javad, Trimble, as well as the common *.YYO format, where YY is the year of observations.
To convert data to *.obs format, perform the following actions: Go to the "Tools" tab and select "GNSS Data Converter" in the RINEX section. Specify the file to be converted to *.obs format.

GNSS Data Converter_01.jpg

The lower part of the window displays the files to be exported.

GNSS Data Converter_02.jpg

If necessary, time-limit the file by specifying the date and range of operation, and change the frequency of the final file write.

GNSS Data Converter_03.jpg

Click on the "Options..." button and select the RINEX version, satellite constellations, operating frequency or specific satellites. Then click on the "OK" button.

GNSS Data Converter_04.jpg

Click on the "Convert" button to have the program convert your file to RINEX format with your parameters.

GNSS Data Converter_05.jpg

After converting the file, click on the "Plot..." button to evaluate the quality of your data. For more information about data quality analysis, see Appendix B.

Tools

RINEX merger

This function is designed to merge measurement files received from different receivers of the global navigation satellite system into one file. It is especially useful when the reference base station provider divides files into time slots when downloading data.
Follow the steps below to merge the files: Go to the Tools tab and select Merge under RINEX.

Merge rinex_01.jpgClick the "Add" button to add measurement files and select the required files in *.rnx, *.**o and *.obs formats.

Merge rinex_02.jpgThe "RINEX files" window will display the downloaded files, and the "Logs" window will display information about the recording time, antenna type, and receiver coordinates that the program reads from your files.

Merge rinex_03.jpgSpecify the path to the folder where you want to save the merged file.

Merge rinex_04.jpgClick on the "Start" button to have the program merge all files and save to the previously specified folder.

Merge rinex_05.jpgAfter the file merge operation is successfully completed, you can use the resulting file for further data processing.

Tools

Satellite filtering

This module allows you to exclude certain satellite constellations or specific satellites from the observation file, which may be necessary to improve data quality.

Follow the steps below to filter satellites: Go to the "Tools" tab and select "Rinex", then "Satellite Filtering".

Satellite filtering_1.jpg

In the upper left part of the RINEX file window click the "Select" button and specify the raw observations file in *.obs format.

Satellite filtering_2.jpg

Click on the icon to view the signal quality embedded-image-fhqpququ.png to open the "Plot" window, which allows you to understand which satellites may be interfering with data processing. For more information about data quality analysis, see Appendix B.

ppk-3.png

Move the sliders left and right if necessary to change the start and end time of the file.

Satellite filtering_3.jpg

Uncheck the required checkboxes if you want to exclude certain satellite constellations (GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO and BEIDOU) or specific satellites.

Satellite filtering_4.jpg

Press the "Start" button. The program will save the new file, excluding the selected satellites from it.

Satellite filtering_5.jpg
Once the satellite filtering operation has been successfully completed, you can use the resulting file for further data processing.

Tools

Calculating the focal length

This tool is not directly related to GNSS data processing, but it helps to calculate the focal length of the camera, which is necessary for data processing in photogrammetric programs.
Instructions for calculating the focal length:

1. Click the Tools tab and select Focal Length Calculation.

2. In the opened window specify the following parameters: flight altitude of your aircraft, previously obtained focal distance in millimeters (from the result of aerotriangulation in photogrammetric software) and error values by height of your control points.

Calculating the focal length_1.jpg

3. Click the "Calculate" button. The program will calculate average height error and focal length, which can be used in photogrammetric programs.

Calculating the focal length_2.jpg

4. If necessary, the new focal length can be written to the EXIF tags of your photos by clicking the "Write to Tags" button. This will help in further photogrammetric data processing.

5. Specify the folder with the photos.

Calculating the focal length_3.jpg

6. The program will write the new focal length to all photos in the specified folder.

The program replaces the focal length in the original files without creating copies of the photos.

Calculating the focal length_4.jpg

Settings


Settings

General

In the general settings of the TOPODRONE Post Processing program, you can perform the following actions:

Change the language of the program interface and output logs during processing.

General_1.jpg

In the "Geoids" window you can add or remove the type of geoid to be used in postprocessing. If necessary, you can import another geoid in *.gtx format. To do this, click the "Add" button and select the required file.

General_2.jpg

If necessary, you can delete a geoid model from the list by clicking the "Delete" button.

It is also possible to download a geoid model from the server. To do this, click the "Download" button, find the required geoid model and click the "Download" button.

General_3.jpg

The "PRJ" window displays a list of available coordinate systems that will be available for selection during postprocessing.

General_4.jpg

You can add or remove the required coordinate system from the list. To add a coordinate system, click the "Add" button and select the desired file. Files in *.prj formats are supported, other coordinate system formats are not supported.

If it is necessary to delete a coordinate system from the list, click the "Delete" button. Complete deletion of imported coordinate systems is possible only after program restart. The "Calibrations" menu displays available calibration parameters, which are used for transition from one coordinate system to another.

General_5.jpg

By default, several calibration files are added for some zones. To add a calibration parameter, click the "Calibrations" button and select the desired file. Files in *.tpc format are supported, other coordinate system formats are not supported.

Settings

Aerial photography

Select the Aerial Photography tab to customize the processing parameters of the PPK Post Processing and RTK Post Processing modules.

Geotagging_1.jpg

In the "Satellites" window you can enable or disable certain satellite constellations from processing, specify the required elevation mask and select the frequencies for which you want to perform processing.

Geotagging_2.jpg

In the Postprocessing Mode window, you can select from Continuous, Fix and hold, or Advanced.

Geotagging_3.jpg

In "Fix and Hold" mode, the program strives to obtain a fixed positioning solution that provides the highest accuracy and reliability. It uses information from the base station and rover to calculate the relative position and then amplifies this solution to achieve a fix. When a fix is achieved, the program holds this solution for as long as possible, even if the signal quality temporarily drops or some satellites are lost.

The purpose of the "Fix and Hold" mode is to provide a stable and reliable fixed solution, which is particularly useful in surveying applications where high accuracy and long-term stability are required. This mode may be preferred when it is important to avoid switching between solutions and to ensure continuity of the fix even in the face of temporal changes (e.g. signal reflections or passing through obstacles).
In "Continuous" mode the algorithm processes data continuously and updates positioning results as new data is received. In contrast to the "Fix and Hold" mode, here the program does not fix the solution, but continuously calculates the rover position based on the current data. When new observations are received, the program updates the position taking into account these data and previous results.
Continuous mode provides more relevant positioning results because it continuously updates the position based on the latest data. It can be useful in applications where relevance and dynamic position changes are more important.

The choice between "Fix and Hold" and "Continuous" modes depends on the specific requirements and conditions of the application. If stability and reliability of solution fixation is important, especially under static conditions, the "Fix and Hold" mode may be preferred. If relevance and dynamic positioning are more important, "Continuous" mode provides a more continuous position update based on the latest data.
The "Advanced" mode is a combination of the previous modes with all their pluses, but data processing takes a little longer.

In the "Coordinate Catalog" window, you should check the "Write File" box to save the catalog of photo centers and select the file format for the program you are using.

Geotagging_4.jpg

In the "Photos" window you can save the coordinates of the photo centers in the EXIF file of the photo, assign a unique name to the photos depending on the time of creation, it is recommended to check the "Manual matching" checkbox for correct matching of photos and marks, the "Shutter correction" checkbox is responsible for shifting the mark by half the shutter time.

Geotagging_5.jpg

In case you checked "Write tags" in the previous window, you should select the format of coordinates saving (LBH - geographic coordinates, XYZ - rectangular coordinates).

Geotagging_6.jpg

The "Geotagging Algorithm" tab contains settings to help the program match photos and tags in the event of a quantity mismatch.
Normal - the alignment is done in the order of the photos taken.
Increase time weighting - matching is based on the time the photos and tags were created.
Increase coordinates weight - Matching is performed by navigation coordinates of photos contained in tags and high-precision coordinates of tags as a result of post-processing in TOPODRONE Post Processing program.

Geotagging_7.jpg

In case of routes where some photos are overlapped with other photos, the coordinate matching algorithm may not work correctly. Example: route on one battery when shooting a small object for 3D reconstruction. In the case of shooting when the camera is pointing at nadir and then immediately shooting when the aircraft is shooting perspective.

The double-tag filter allows you to remove unnecessary tags at the post-processing stage. Default value 0.2 seconds.

Geotagging_8.jpg

Settings

Lidar scanning

In this section of the program you can configure parameters for high-precision trajectory processing, point cloud generation including TOPOSLAM technology.

LiDAR_1.jpg

To do this, go to the "Settings" tab, and then select "Lidar scanning" and in the window that appears, configure the processing parameters.

LiDAR_2.jpg

Exclude points with distance from lidar

Closer is the distance to disregard when generating the point cloud.
Next is the maximum beam length when generating points.

Cut angle:

Specify the start and end angle of the LiDAR scan.
Point cloud format - select in which format the LAS/LAZ point cloud will be generated.

Include return types in the point cloud - select the number of reflections you need or the number that your hardware supports.
•    FIRST – first reflection
•    SECOND –second reflection
•    THIRD – third reflection
Separate point cloud for each laser - generate separate point clouds for each beam separately.
Separate point cloud for each tack - generate a point cloud according to how the user divides the data into transects.

Preview cloud generation - view point cloud generation in real time

Synchronize time by NMEA GPRMC packets -

Expert mode (LiDAR Post Processing) is a mode that allows you to manually specify the type of sensor and IMU to be used.

LiDAR_3.jpg

TOPOSLAM is designed to correct the point cloud when the GPS signal is not good enough. Currently TOPOSLAM only supports ground scanning.

LiDAR_4.jpg

Number of streams. Specify the number of processor threads you would like to utilize to accelerate SLAM processing.

To activate the TOPOSLAM algorithm, you must check the corresponding "Enable" option.

GPS signal quality. Depending on the quality of GPS track you should select the appropriate tab. Low - floating solution more than 70%, Medium - floating solution more than 50%, High - floating solution more than 20%. If the quality is low, the program splits the track into smaller segments for their further mutual comparison.

LiDAR Scanning_4.jpg

Point thinning. Segment skipping function. Off - do not skip, Low - skip one segment after each generated segment, Medium - skip two segments, High - skip four segments. This function is designed to speed up the processing process and in case of RAM shortage for large shootings.

LiDAR_5.jpg

Frequency of reference points.

Distance search for pairs.

Forest.

LiDAR_7.jpg

Settings

Laser scanner track file structure

To customize the track file structure, go to the Settings tab, then select Lidar Scanning and select the Track File Structure option from the drop-down list. In the opened window you should specify the trajectory file obtained as a result of postprocessing.

If you have performed processing in TOPODRONE Post Processing software, specify the order of the columns according to the following example:

LiDAR_8.jpg

After filling in all the fields, click the "Save" button.

This procedure only needs to be performed once. If you continue to use the TOPODRONE Post Processing software, you will no longer need to specify the track file structure. However, if you have been processing in any other software, the structure of the track file will be different and you will need to specify the appropriate field order for your track file.

Settings

Laser Scanner Sensor Beam Calibration

To set the laser scanner sensor beam calibration, go to the Settings tab, then select Lidar Scanning and select the Lidar Calibration option from the drop-down list. Then select the model of your laser scanner.
In the window that opens, you will be able to turn off unnecessary beams or adjust the necessary calibration values.

Important Note: Laser scanners manufactured by TOPODRONE are factory calibrated and do not require recalibration during their entire lifetime.

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Use – beam number


Tilt (deg) – beam angle in degrees


Offset (mm) – beam offset relative to the sensor in mm.

 

The number of lidar beams depends on the model of your laser scanner and may vary depending on the type of device.
Settings

AQUAMAPPER

Select the "AQUAMAPPER" tab to configure the processing parameters of AQUAMAPPER modules.

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If necessary, adjust the Roll and Pitch angles. Closer to zero values of these angles will help to increase the share of vertical measurements in the processing process.

The optimal angle values are in the range from -8 to +8 degrees.

Appendix A. Manual matching of photographs and timestamps.

In some cases, the number of photographs does not match the number of time stamps collected during aerial photography. To solve this problem, the TOPODRONE Post Processing program provides an algorithm for manual matching of photos and time stamps.
To activate this mode, you need to check "Manual matching" in the aerial photo settings.

Appendix A_1.jpg

The "Geotagging Algorithm" tab contains parameters that help the program match photos and tags in case of quantity mismatch. There are three options for matching:

Appendix A_2.jpg

During processing, the program displays information about the number of timestamps and the number of snapshots in the "Logs" window. 

Appendix A_3.jpg

If the number of labels and images do not match, an additional window appears with information about the number of images, coordinates in the catalog and the number of matches.If you need to perform manual matching, you should answer "Yes" to the program's question "Match manually?".

Appendix A_4.jpg

Then in the next window, the left side contains information about the photos and the right side contains coordinates. The upper part of the data is presented in tabular form, the lower part - in graphical form.

If your dataset has no navigational coordinates, the left side of the window will remain blank.

Appendix A_5.jpg
To perform a match, you need to select a photo and its corresponding label with the left mouse button while holding down the CTRL key, and then click the "Save" button.

Appendix A_6.jpg

If the matching is successful, you must answer the program's question "Match manually?" with "No".

Appendix A_7.jpg

The program will form a catalog of photo centers and you can proceed to photogrammetric processing.

Appendix B. Analysis of GNSS data.

During GNSS data processing, it is essential to monitor satellite availability, their spatial distribution, and the quality of received signals. Specialized visualization tools are used for this purpose, each providing data for analysis.

Plot_01.webp

The Sat Vis (Satellite Visibility) window displays GNSS satellite visibility in dynamic graphical or tabular format, recording satellite availability for the receiver at specific time points.

Graph Structure:

Each bar corresponds to an individual satellite.
Bar length indicates satellite availability duration.
Gaps represent signal loss periods (e.g., due to obstructions).

Increasing the number of simultaneously tracked satellites can improve geometric diversity, reducing the DOP (Dilution of Precision) value. However, insufficient visible satellites may significantly degrade positioning accuracy.

Plot_02.webp

The Skyplot window visualizes GNSS satellite positions in a polar coordinate system, displaying their location in the celestial sphere relative to the receiver.

Diagram Structure:

The diagram is a circular "top-down" projection where:

The plot allows evaluation of:

Plot_03.webp

The DOP/NSat window provides key metrics for assessing GNSS positioning quality, reflecting both the spatial distribution of satellites and their quantity during measurements.

Key parameters:

DOP classification:

Plot_04.webp

The SNR/MP/El window provides comprehensive diagnostics of key GNSS signal quality parameters. Let's examine the main parameters:

SNR (Signal-to-Noise Ratio) - The ratio of signal power to noise spectral density (dB-Hz).

MP (Multipath) - Phase distortions caused by multipath effects.

El (Elevation Angle) - Satellite's vertical angle relative to local horizon (degrees).

Correlative parameter variations help identify:
Signal obstruction (simultaneous SNR and El drop)
Multipath effect (MP increase with stable SNR)
Atmospheric interference (sporadic SNR fluctuations)

Plot_06.webp

The MP-Skyplot window is a specialized visualization tool that combines multipath effect analysis with spatial satellite distribution in the celestial sphere.

This plot integrates:

Diagram structure features a circular top-down projection where:

Release Notes

Software Operation Conditions After Technical Support Expiration

The operation of the TOPODRONE Post Processing distributor depends on the current technical support status. If the paid support period expires before the release date of a new software version, the user will not be able to use this distributor. The following options are available to continue working:

  1. Renewing technical support – activates access to the latest software versions.
  2. Using compatible distributors – installing versions released before the expiration date of the current active support.

The corresponding distributors are available for download at the following link: TOPODRONE Software Distributor

TPP v.1.5.3.0

November 11, 2025.

General Improvements

PPK Post Processing

New Utilities

TPP v.1.5.2.1

July 27, 2025.

General Improvements

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1-5-2-1-2.webp

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25/07/2025 18:30:15
Dataset №1:

TPP Version: 1.5.2.1(27.07.2025)
License key: 1348DF06-8777-48CF-A6D8-E4239CA973A0

#Images folder: E:\Datasets\Photogrammetry\TOPODRONE P61 21 mm Orsha\Photo RGB
GNSS file: E:\Datasets\Photogrammetry\TOPODRONE P61 21 mm Orsha\Photo RGB\2023-07-05_11-01-12.ubx
Start time: 05/07/2023 11:01:31 UTC
End time:05/07/2023 11:26:52 UTC
Sampling Rate: 0.1 s  (≈ 10 Hz)
Observed measurement types:
  G (GPS): C1C D1C L1C S1C C2X D2X L2X S2X
  R (GLONASS): C1C D1C L1C S1C C2C D2C L2C S2C
  E (Galileo): C1X D1X L1X S1X C7X D7X L7X S7X
  C (BeiDou): C2I D2I L2I S2I C7I D7I L7I S7I
Number of satellites observed:
Min: 29
Average: 40.6
Max: 42
Epochs : 15208 of 15208 expected ( 100.00% complete )
Number of photos: 304
Number of events: 304
Drone model: TOPODRONE P61+PPK+DJI Matrice 300
Forward/backward offset: 0.074
Left/Right offset: 0.022
Antenna height: 0.362

#Coordinate system: World-WGS 84-UTM-zone 35N (m) EPSG 32635
Geoid model: Ellipsoid WGS-84 

#Base station: E:\Datasets\Photogrammetry\TOPODRONE P61 21 mm Orsha\ReachGeoGor_raw_20230705105548.obs
Start time: 05/07/2023 10:56:06 UTC
End time:05/07/2023 12:52:11 UTC
Sampling Rate: 1 s  (≈ 1 Hz)
Observed measurement types:
  G (GPS): C1C D1C L1C S1C C2X D2X L2X S2X
  R (GLONASS): C1C D1C L1C S1C C2C D2C L2C S2C
  E (Galileo): C1X D1X L1X S1X C7X D7X L7X S7X
  S (SBAS): C1C D1C L1C S1C
  C (BeiDou): C2I D2I L2I S2I C7I D7I L7I S7I
Number of satellites observed:
Min: 40
Average: 42.6
Max: 46
Epochs : 6966 of 6966 expected ( 100.00% complete )
North: 6045511.967295254
East: 701922.4288487637
Height: 228.738
Antenna height: 1.834

#Settings
Satellites: GPS GLONASS GALILEO BEIDOU 
Mask angle: 15
Post Processing mode: Continuous / [ ] Combined filter type
Coordinate catalog: [x] Save file: Metashape
Photo: [ ] Burn EXIF
       [x] Shutter correction
       [x] Manual matching
       [ ] Rename Photo
       [ ] Modification of photography centers
EXIF coordinate type: [ ] LBH [x] XYZ
Geotagging algorithm: [x] Ordinary
                      [ ] Increase time weight
                      [ ] Increase weight of coordinates
Time correction: 0 seconds
Filter from double labels: 0.3 seconds

PPK Post Processing

RTK Post Processing

LiDAR Cloud Generation

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TPP v.1.5.1.4

March 07, 2025.

PPK Post Processing

RTK Post Processing

LiDAR Post Processing

LiDAR Cloud Generation

AQUMAPPER

TPP v.1.5.1.3

January 25, 2025.

General Improvements

RTK Post Processing

TPP v.1.5.1.2

December 28, 2024.

General Improvements

PPK Post Processing

RTK Post Processing

LiDAR Cloud Generation

AQUMAPPER

TPP v.1.4.5.0

November 12, 2024.

PPK Post Processing

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RTK Post Processing

TPP v.1.4.4.4

November 04, 2024.

PPK Post Processing

RTK Post Processing

LiDAR Post Processing

New Utilities

TPP v.1.4.4.2

October 02, 2024.

General Improvements

PPK Post Processing / RTK Post Processing

LiDAR Cloud Generation

Static Post Processing / PPP

AQUAMAPPER

TPP v.1.4.4.1

September 10, 2024.

PPK Post Processing / RTK Post Processing

LiDAR Post Processing

LiDAR Cloud Generation

AQUAMAPPER

Utilities

TPP v.1.4.4.0

August 13, 2024.

PPK Post Processing

PPK Post Processing / RTK Post Processing

Tools

TPP v.1.4.3.0

July 30, 2024.

AQUAMAPPER

Tools

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TPP v.1.4.2.0

June 20, 2024.

PPK Post Processing

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Tools

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TPP v.1.3.3.4

April 23, 2024.

Tools

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TPP v.1.3.3.0

April 05, 2024.

LiDAR Post Processing

LiDAR Cloud Generation

TPP v.1.3.2.2

March 17, 2024.

General Improvements

LiDAR Cloud Generation

AQUAMAPPER

TPP v.1.2.0.1

November 23, 2023.

LiDAR Post Processing

TPP v.1.2.0.0

November 20, 2023.

LiDAR Post Processing

LiDAR Cloud Generation

TPP v.1.1.17.0

November 13, 2023.

LiDAR Cloud Generation

Static Post Processing

TPP v.1.1.16.1

November 01, 2023.

PPK Post Post Processing / RTK Post Processing / Static Post Processing / Precise Point Positioning

TPP v.1.1.16.0

October 30, 2023.

LiDAR Cloud Generation

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TPP v.1.1.15.0

October 04, 2023.

PPK Post Processing / RTK Post Processing

Tools

TPP v.1.1.14.0

September 20, 2023.

LiDAR Post Processing Settings

New Utilities

TPP v.1.1.13.0

August 29, 2023.

General Improvements

New Modules

TPP v.1.1.12.0

August 22, 2023.

General Improvements

Laser Scanning Data Processing

New Utilities

TPP v.1.1.11.1

August 08, 2023.

LiDAR Cloud Generation Settings

TPP v.1.1.9.1

June 24, 2023.

PPK Post Processing / RTK Post Processing / LiDAR Cloud Generation

TPP v.1.1.9.0

June 04, 2023.

General Improvements

New Algorithms