RCPano 1.9.1

RCPano is a tool designed to capture 360° aerial panoramas using various DJI drones, including Phantom, Mavic, Inspire, and Spark models. Users can position their aircraft at the desired location, and RCPano manages the image acquisition process. For ground-based panoramas, the application supports OSMO Standard and OSMO+ devices.

Important considerations include:

• RCPano requires the latest firmware versions for compatibility.
• The software does not perform image stitching; this must be completed with external stitching software.
• Supported devices currently include Phantom 3 (Professional / Advanced), Phantom 4 (Standard / Advanced / Professional / Pro 2.0), Mavic Pro, Mavic Air, Mavic 2 (Pro / Zoom), Inspire (1 / 2), Spark, OSMO Standard, and OSMO+. Other OSMO models may work but have not been officially tested.
• Initial setup necessitates an internet connection to register with DJI's servers.

Advanced positioning features allow RCPano to monitor altitude, pitch, roll, and yaw ten times per second, optimizing the drone's stability and minimizing drifting or stitching errors.

The application employs a rotation technique around the camera's nodal point by using pitch and roll commands, rather than traditional yaw movements, to ensure more accurate image alignment.

Users can customize the number of rows and columns for image capture, with the nadir (downward-facing) image always taken. Optionally, the number of images can be reduced when the camera faces downward towards the ground or toward the sun (sun availability depends on device). This feature helps decrease processing time and post-production workload.

RCPano offers multiple camera modes: Manual (M), Program (P), and Shutter Priority (TV). It also provides options for setting white balance and AEB shot count; in AEB mode, EV values up to ±3.0 are supported. Camera settings such as picture style are configured via the DJI GO app and remain unchanged during operation. Real-time parameters like ISO, shutter speed, and EV are displayed within RCPano and can be adjusted as needed.

The application provides exposure control depending on row position and sun angle—manual mode allows increasing exposure when moving toward the ground and decreasing when facing the sun (note: sun-based adjustments are not available for OSMO).

For ground-based panoramas with OSMO devices, RCPano facilitates capturing zenith images with the DJI OSMO, enabling comprehensive 360-degree panoramas when combined with aerial imagery.

Nadir support is also available for ground panoramas using OSMO or OSMO+ devices.

While RCPano supports a range of DJI drones and accessories, it emphasizes that image stitching must be performed externally. The software generates Papywizard XML files to assist in the stitching process.