2.1 cm/px
Drone GSD and mapping calculator
Plan photogrammetry and mapping flights. Pick your drone or enter camera specs and flight height to get the ground sampling distance (how many centimetres each pixel covers), the ground area of each photo, spacing between photos and flight lines for your overlap, photos per hectare, and the fastest speed that still gives sharp photos. Or work backwards from the GSD you need.
Private: your files never leave your device.
Presets are approximate; check your drone’s specifications for exact values.
- Ground sampling distance
- 2.13 cm/px
- Photo footprint
- 112.6 × 84.4 m
- Distance between photos
- 21.1 m
- Distance between flight lines
- 39.4 m
- Photos per hectare
- 12
- Max speed for sharp photos
- 76.8 km/h
Or: height for a target GSD
Fly at 75 m
How to use GSD & mapping calculator
Step 1: Choose your drone or type the sensor size, focal length and image size.
Step 2: Set the flight height, overlaps and shutter speed.
Step 3: Read GSD, footprint and spacing — or enter a target GSD to get the height to fly.
Frequently asked questions
What is GSD?
Ground sampling distance: the real-world size of one pixel. At 2 cm/px, each pixel covers a 2 × 2 cm patch of ground. Lower is more detailed.
What overlap should I use?
For photogrammetry, 75% front and 65–70% side overlap is a good default; use more over forests, water or uniform surfaces.
How is the maximum speed calculated?
It’s the speed at which the drone moves one GSD during the exposure, so motion blur stays within one pixel.