Understand Mobile Mapping data in Orbit

Orbit imports and organizes mobile mapping data into runs, projects and categories.

• A Run is a single import.
• A Project is a combination of one or more Runs used by Orbit Desktop products.
• A Category is a combination of on ore more Projects used by an Orbit Publisher products.

During import Orbit will organize and optimize mobile mapping resources for performance. After import CPU processes are reduced to the absolute minimum for efficient and performant use of huge datasets on any device.

All technical information about supported mobile mapping resources, see Supported Resources for Mobile Mapping.

Prepare for Import

Depending on the mobile mapping system or setup you are using, you will collect point cloud data and/or imagery either 360° images, planar images or both.
Before importing the captured mobile mapping data the standard tools of your system should be used to prepare, correct, process and export the data. Mobile mapping imposes all captured data is correctly post-processed into a single reference frame.

Finally, an Orbit import template needs to be prepared that reflects the vehicle setup and sensors you use.

Import & Organize

• Import
  A run is the result of a single Orbit import, representing one mobile mapping collection effort. You may organize that as you wish, but each run is separated import, see Manage your Mobile Mapping Runs.
• Coordinate System
  Any supported coordinate system can be used.
  It is strongly recommended that all resources of the same run should have the same coordinate system. If required CRS conversion of one ore more mobile mapping resources is possible on import, see import templates.
• Size & Volume
  If runs are imported correctly, the length of trajectory of a single run is irrelevant for the performance in Orbit. There are no limitations on volume nor size of point cloud and imagery.
• Storage
  All files of one run are organized in a single root folder with sub-folders for each resource type. Files are stored in Orbit's optimized native storage formats depending the resource type. There are no limitations on the file size and resolution of imagery, not on the file size and number of points of point cloud data.

Use

• File access
  To import, process and use Runs direct file access is required by the Operating System User for Orbit Desktop products or for the Orbit Service user account for Orbit Publisher. Fast file access is required.
• Permissions
  Runs are only available for administrators, no permissions can be set.
• Viewing
  There are no limitations on image nor point cloud viewing.

Import & Organize

• Create
  Projects are pointers to a list of Runs known by Orbit. Runs can belong to multiple projects, see Manage your Mobile Mapping Projects.
  For example grouping by geographical area, mapping project, date or year, … .
  
• Coordinate System
  Run resources of the same type must have the same coordinate system. Convert CRS on import Run if required.
• Size & Volume
  If Runs are imported correctly, there are no limitation on volume nor size of Projects.
  Theoretically there is no limitation on the number of Runs combined by one Project, however make a wise decisions. Merging and optimizing Runs would be preferred in stead of combining thousands of Runs into one Project.
• Storage
  Projects are just pointer files and do not included data.

Use

• Permissions
  Administrators can set user permission to set an restrict access to mobile mapping projects.
• Data matching
  Images and point clouds of all included Runs will be combined on the fly by resource type into a single master dataset.
  For example the entire combined project point cloud dataset will be used at all time for measuring, viewing or overlaying on images.
  
• Viewing
  There are no limitations on image nor point cloud viewing when direction file access to Runs is guaranteed.
  If desktop user don't have direct file access to Runs viewing mobile mapping Projects is restricted to imagery only. Point cloud overlay and point cloud measurements on images are remain possible.

Import & Organize

• Create
  Categories are part of an Orbit Publication and managed by an administrator via the EOS Console, see EOS Console > Publishers.
• Coordinate System
  Project CRS is inapplicable for Categories, any crs combination is supported.
• Size & Volume
  If runs are imported correctly, there are no limitation on volume nor size of Categories.
  Theoretically there is no limitation on the number of Projects combined by one Category, however make a wise decisions.
• Storage
  Categories are just pointers and do not included data.

Use

• File access
  No direct file access is possible. Categories and its including data are available as services, see Mobile Mapping Publisher.
• Permissions
  No Category permissions can be set. A user can access a Publication and its including Categories if the user has permissions to view at least one of the included Projects. However if a user can acces a Category, the user will only be able to view mobile mapping data of Projects for which permissions have been granted.
• Data matching
  Images of all included Runs will be combined on the fly into a single image dataset. But for point cloud overlay and point cloud measurements on images the point cloud of the according Run of the image will be used.
• Viewing
  Viewing is restricted to spherical imagery only. Point cloud overlay and point cloud measurements on images are possible as well.