Create 3D model from Google Earth | Photogrammetry

How to use 3DE model of Google Earth. It may be something everyone thinks of a CG worker. It is an article realized by Photogramer.

Note 1: Since it is a photography machine, it deteriorates more than the original model.

Note 2: Since the model created by the following procedure is a copy of Google Earth, I think that it is good to limit it to personal use only.

The Shinjuku model which I made this time is also trying it personally in exploring the possibility of photography.

Used software

○”GoogleEarth

○”3DF Zephyr”

Trial vertion

○Any desktop capture software
If it is Windows 10, it can capture with the OS standard function.

○Any movie crop software

Windows10 App『Video Editor 10
Easy. However, it is a little uneasy about operation.

iOS App『Perfect Video
Once there is a trouble to transfer to the iPhone, it is high performance and easy to use.

Video editing software『AfterEffects
Adobe users will do this better.

Procedure

1.GoogleEarth

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Launch Google Earth and display the area you want to model.

2.Capture

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In the case of Windows 10, “game bar” is displayed with [Windows key] + [G], so it can be captured from here.

When using the game bar for the first time, let’s check if the picture quality is high
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Settings> Game> Settings can be changed from game DVR

I will record it so that all aspects can be seen evenly with Google Earth.
When the building is high, like peeping in from above.
We changed the height two weeks. I think that there is a true overhead view angle, but it can be roughly covered.

3.Movie cropping

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Crop an unnecessary area from the captured video.

4.Read in 3DF Zephyr

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Create a new project,

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Click [Enter photo from video].
It is not drag and drop.

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The Still Image Cropping setting screen from the movie will be displayed.

Specify a movie from [input file].

[Extract FPS] is based on the speed of the camera when captured, but here it was set to 3.00 (three sheets per second). Smaller values ​​may be used if you slowly move the camera.
We left the other items as default this time.
Pressing the [Extract Frame and Enter Workspace] button starts cutting out still images.

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When it is read [next].

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転生は不要なのでそのまま[次へ]

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Since reincarnation is unnecessary, leave it as it is [next].

[Category] is set to “Aviation”.

First, preserve [preset] as “default”.

Go to the next screen and press the [Execute] button. If as a result there are too many camera position acquisition errors, change the above preset to “deep” and try again
(However, processing takes considerable time)

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Once completed, such a model will be displayed.
The low density point group (temporary point group) and the position of the camera are displayed so as to surround it.

6.Generate high density point cloud

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Because the current point cloud is provisional low density, we generate high density point clouds from the toolbar buttons.]

[Category] is set to “Aviation”.

[Preset] depends on accuracy to be asked. This time I wanted to produce a beautiful model as possible, so I made it “high definition”.

When you press Execute on the next screen, processing begins.
(It may take several hours depending on the number and accuracy of cameras)

7.Generate mesh

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When processing is finished, such high density point clouds are displayed.
We will generate a mesh from here.
Click the mesh generation button on the tool bar.

[Category] is set to “Aviation”.

[Preset] I wanted to generate as beautiful model as possible this time, because the object is a building, I made it “high definition – sharp feature”.
(Although it is not as high density point group generation process, this processing also takes time)

8.Generate texture

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When processing is finished, the mesh represented by such vertex color is displayed.
From the last step of this process, we will create a textured mesh from the toolbar buttons.

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Settings according to your intended use.

If you want to set it to a number that can not be selected from the pulldown, it is possible to specify it by a numerical value by setting [Settings] on the upper right as a custom.

When you finish setting, proceed to the next screen and press Execute.
(This process takes less time to do so)

9.Exporting the model

GoogleEarthPhotogrammetry_16GoogleEarthPhotogrammetry_16 When completed you can export textured model from this button.

10.Import into DCC tool

Load with any DCC tool.
Depending on the software, UV may collapse with fbx, so in that case write out with obj, load with another software, please try.

that’s all!

Here is the completed one