Photogrammetry Add-on: From Drone Imagery to 3D Model and Orthofoto for Solar Expert

What is the Photogrammetry Add-on?

The Photogrammetry Add-on is a paid add-on for Solar Expert that gives you seamless access to Airclip — a professional photogrammetry platform. You fly a drone over a building, upload the images to Airclip, and receive a dimensionally accurate 3D model in return, that you can import into the 3D Panel Layout in Solar Expert. This allows you to plan your PV system with exact roof heights and geometries — no manual roof measurements needed.

• Accurate roof heights — the drone captures exact geometry in a single flight, replacing tape measures and follow-up measuring visits
• Precise roof geometry — complex shapes, dormers, and set-backs are captured exactly
• Fast turnaround — Airclip delivers your high-quality model on average in under one hour

Haven't purchased the add-on yet? See How to purchase the Photogrammetry Add-on at the bottom of this article.

Step 1 – Capture your drone images on site

The quality of your finished 3D model depends entirely on the quality of your drone images. Before you fly, make sure you understand the requirements.

Flight guidance

Airclip provides video tutorials for specific drone models (DJI Matrice 4E/T, Mavic 3E/T/M, Mini 5 Pro, Mini 4 Pro, and others):

• Airclip – How to Fly (English)

Key image requirements

• Flight altitude: approximately 35 m above ground level is recommended for most buildings. For maximum accuracy, fly at 25 m above the object. For larger areas, use 50–60 m or higher
• Image overlap: sufficient overlap between images is critical — flying too close to the object reduces overlap and can cause the survey to fail entirely
• Gimbal tilt: use 60–70° tilt (90° = straight down) when capturing facades
• Image format: photos only — no video files
• Coverage: all roof details must be clearly visible; the photos must cover every part of the building you want to include in the model

Pre-flight checklist

• Images saved as photos (not video)?
• All roof details clearly visible?
• Photos sharp and not blurry?
• Full coverage of all areas to be included in the model?
• Facades captured if facade reconstruction is needed?

Tip: Getting the capture right the first time avoids the need to return to the site or consume an additional project from your quota for a reshoot.

Step 2 – Upload your images in Airclip

Once you have your images, log in to the Airclip Cloud platform and create a new project:

1. Go to my.airclip.de and log in with your credentials
2. Click New Project
3. Enter a recognisable project name — use the building address or a clear identifier, as this name is used to match the project to you and helps support teams locate it if needed
4. Upload your drone images
5. Airclip runs basic input validation before processing begins — check for any error messages and resolve them before proceeding
6. Submit the project for processing

Processing typically takes a few minutes up to approximately one hour, depending on the number of images and the complexity of the building. You will receive an email from Airclip when your model is ready.

Important: Each submitted project counts as one project from your quota, even if the output does not meet your expectations. Always verify your images are high quality before submitting.

Step 3 – Download your output from Airclip

When Airclip sends you the completion email, open it and download both output files:

• .glb file — the 3D model you will import into Solar Expert. This is the primary file for planning.
• Orthophoto — a high-resolution aerial image you can use as a visual reference

Save both files to a location you can easily find. You will need the .glb file in the next step.

Step 4 – Import the 3D model into Solar Expert

Open your project in Solar Expert and navigate to 3D Panel Layout.

Upload and align the model

1. In the toolbar, click the File Upload button and select your .glb file
2. The textured 3D model (your Airclip output) appears on the map
3. Drag the textured 3D model so that it aligns precisely with the satellite imagery underneath

Draw the roof outlines

1. Select the Roof Tool from the toolbar
2. Trace the building on top of the textured 3D model:
   • First draw the outer building edges (the floor plan), closing the shape with a double-click
   • Then draw the inner roof edges — ridges, valleys, and any internal roof lines
3. Draw all edges carefully — missing edges will produce incorrect results in the next step

Tip: Use the snap functions (90° angles, parallel lines, midpoint detection) to draw symmetrically and precisely. A well-drawn floor plan makes the projection step fast and accurate.

Add height to the outlines automatically

1. Switch to the Height Tool in the toolbar
2. Click the Project roof on textured 3D model button
3. Solar Expert automatically snaps the editable 3D model to the Airclip model, defining all roof heights and slopes instantly — no manual height adjustment needed

This is the key benefit of photogrammetry: instead of estimating or measuring roof heights manually, the projection function reads exact geometry directly from your drone-captured model.

Add panel fields

1. Switch to the Panel Field Tool
2. Double-click a roof area to automatically cover it with panels
3. Repeat for each roof area you want to include in the design

Your PV system layout is now based on the exact roof geometry from your drone survey. Continue with obstacles, margins, string design, and documents as usual.

Managing your quota

The Photogrammetry Add-on is sold in project packages (sizes S, M, L). Each package gives you a set number of Airclip projects valid for one year from activation. Each submitted and processed batch of images counts as one project. 
 

• Pricing: https://eturnity.com/photogrammetry-add-on
• Validity: 1 year from activation — unused projects expire at the end of this period
• At approximately 80% usage: Eturnity notifies you so you have time to purchase additional capacity before your account is blocked
• At 100% usage: no new projects can be submitted until you purchase a top-up
• Top-up or renewal: contact support@eturnity.com

Your current quota consumption is visible in your Airclip account at my.airclip.de.

Invite your colleagues to use Airclip

If colleagues at your company also need access to process projects in Airclip, you can invite them as members once you are logged in. Open my.airclip.de/account/members and send invitations from there.

Note: All members share the same project quota. Each project submitted by any team member counts against your company's quota.

Getting support

Responsibility for support is split between Eturnity and Airclip depending on the type of issue:

• Contact Eturnity at support@eturnity.com for:
  • Billing, subscription, or package questions
  • Quota top-up requests
  • Questions about importing the .glb file into Solar Expert
• Contact Airclip at cloud@airclip.de for:
  • Processing errors or unexpected model output
  • Account access or login issues
  • Platform-specific questions

When contacting support about a processing issue, include your project name, and a description of the problem.

How to purchase the Photogrammetry Add-on

To sign up for the Photogrammetry Add-on follow these steps:

1. Visit: https://eturnity.com/photogrammetry-add-on
2. Fill out the sign-up form with your:
   • Company Name 
   • Eturnity User ID (This is your username/email address when logging into Eturnity.)
   • Preferred package size
3. Submit the form — Eturnity validates your eligibility and sets up your subscription
4. You receive two emails:
   • From Airclip: a password reset link to activate your account at my.airclip.de
   • From Eturnity: a welcome message with your onboarding instructions
5. Follow the Airclip password reset link and set your password to complete account activation