FAQ
What file formats does DroneDB support?
DroneDB supports a wide range of geospatial file formats:
| Category | Formats |
|---|---|
| Images | JPG, JPEG, DNG, TIF, TIFF, PNG, GIF, WEBP |
| Videos | MP4, MOV |
| Point Clouds | LAS, LAZ, PLY* |
| 3D Models | OBJ, GLTF, GLB, PLY* |
| Vector Data | GeoJSON, DXF, DWG, SHP, SHZ, FGB, TopoJSON, KML, KMZ, GPKG |
| Rasters | GeoTIFF (orthophotos, DEMs) |
| Other | Markdown (README.md), PDF |
*PLY files are automatically classified as point clouds or 3D models based on their content.
What is the difference between DroneDB Desktop and Registry?
DroneDB Desktop is a desktop application for browsing and inspecting aerial data locally on your computer. It's ideal for:
- Checking data quality after a drone flight
- Organizing files on your local drives
- Quick sharing to Hub
Registry is a web-based platform for hosting and sharing datasets. It's ideal for:
- Collaboration with team members
- Sharing data with clients
- Self-hosting your own data infrastructure
- Public data distribution with STAC compliance
What is STAC and why should I care?
STAC (SpatioTemporal Asset Catalog) is an open standard for describing geospatial data. Registry implements STAC to:
- Make your public datasets discoverable
- Enable interoperability with other geospatial tools
- Provide standardized metadata for your assets
How do I make a dataset public?
You can change dataset visibility in several ways:
Via Web UI:
- Go to your dataset
- Open settings
- Change visibility to "Public"
Via CLI:
ddb chattr +public
Can I self-host Registry?
Yes! Registry is open source and can be self-hosted using Docker or natively. See the Registry documentation for detailed instructions.
What databases does Registry support?
Registry supports:
- SQLite (default, for development and small deployments)
- MySQL/MariaDB (recommended for production)
- Microsoft SQL Server (no automatic migrations)
Where can I buy a license for DroneDB Desktop?
How do I get commercial support?
Commercial support is available. Get in touch.