Dataset size estimate

An estimate of how much storage a mapping job needs: the raw images, the orthomosaic (uncompressed and over a compression range), and a lidar point cloud as and .

Planning and education aid. Not for primary navigation. Full disclaimer

Experimental: not yet fully verified. How results are checked

Computing your own values needs JavaScript and WebAssembly. The worked example below was computed when this page was built, and the documentation under "How we got this" applies.

7.5GB

The orthomosaic is about 7.5 GB uncompressed, 0.75 to 3.75 GB compressed.

Orthomosaic at the least compression
Orthomosaic at the most compression
Assumptions

Provenance

Computed by: drone.sensors.dataset-size 1.0.1, core 0.1.0
Model: Orthomosaic bytes = area ÷ GSD² × bands × bits ÷ 8, then divided by an assumed compression range; raw = images × MB each; LAS = 375 + points × the LAS 1.4 record size of the chosen point format; LAZ = LAS ÷ an assumed ratio. 1 GB = 10⁹ bytes
Accuracy: An estimate: compression depends on the content, and processing software adds overviews and tiles. The ratios shown are assumptions you can change, not measurements
Notes: 1 shown with the answer
Cites: American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing, LAS Specification 1.4 R15

Something look off?

Your values

Showing an example. Change anything.

Mapped areaoptional For the orthomosaic, like 1 km2 · plain numbers mean km² Ground sample distanceoptional Like 2 cm · plain numbers mean cm Imagesoptional For the raw capture, like 850 Size of each imageoptional In MB, like 25 · plain numbers mean MB Lidar pointsoptional Like 250000000

More options 6

Bandsoptional 3 for RGB (the default), 4 with near infrared Bits per bandoptional 8 (the default) or 16 Least compressionoptional Assumed ratio, like 2 for lossless (the default) Most compressionoptional Assumed ratio, like 10 for JPEG-style (the default) LAS point formatoptional 0 to 10; 6 (the default) is the LAS 1.4 base format LAZ compressionoptional Assumed ratio to LAS, like 7 (the default)

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How we got thisFormula, worked example, sources, and proof

Model: Orthomosaic bytes = area ÷ GSD² × bands × bits ÷ 8, then divided by an assumed compression range; raw = images × MB each; LAS = 375 + points × the LAS 1.4 record size of the chosen point format; LAZ = LAS ÷ an assumed ratio. 1 GB = 10⁹ bytes

Show your work

Pixels in the mosaic
area ÷ GSD²
1,000,000 m² ÷ (0.02 m)² = 2,500,000,000
Orthomosaic, uncompressed
pixels × bands × bits ÷ 8
2,500,000,000 × 3 × 8 ÷ 8 = 7.5 GB

The same steps an agent gets from the MCP server with explain: true.

Accuracy: An estimate: compression depends on the content, and processing software adds overviews and tiles. The ratios shown are assumptions you can change, not measurements

Worked example: 1 km² at 2 cm GSD, RGB 8-bit. Source: add-practitioner-essentials orthomosaic scenario: 7.5 GB uncompressed, with a compressed range at the assumed ratios. It is golden test vector v001, and every build checks the tool still gives its answer within its tolerance.

You enter

Mapped area: 1 km2
Ground sample distance: 2 cm

You get

Orthomosaic, uncompressed: 7.5 GB
Orthomosaic at the least compression: 3.75 GB
Orthomosaic at the most compression: 0.75 GB
Assumptions: orthomosaic 3 bands of 8 bits, compressed 2:1 to 10:1 (assumed); 1 GB = 10⁹ bytes; an estimate, not a measurement

Review: Not yet independently reviewed by a Part 107 remote pilot.

Last verified: 2026-09-22, when a maintainer last confirmed this tool's sources at the issuer. See the sources ledger.

Status: version 1.0.1, core 0.1.0. See this tool in the verification report.

Changes

2026-09-23, fixed: Plain-number results in a fixed unit now show that unit: the battery current reads 9.7 A where it read 9.7, and decibels, gigabytes, pulses per square meter, grams per kilogram, nautical miles per gallon, hours, nanoteslas, and minutes now carry their units too. The numbers themselves do not change. Each tool's patch version went up. Changelog

Checked against: 9 golden test vectors (download the test vectors, each with its source and tolerance). See how results are checked and every source.

Sources

LAS Specification 1.4 R15, American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing, 1.4 R15 (2019-07-09). Public header block (375 bytes) and the minimum point data record sizes for formats 0 to 10.

Terms

LAS: LASer file format: The ASPRS standard file format for lidar point clouds: a header, then one fixed-size record per point. Source: LAS Specification 1.4 R15
LAZ: compressed LAS: A losslessly compressed LAS file, usually several times smaller. Source: LAS Specification 1.4 R15

Experimental means this tool has not yet met the stable bar: at least 20 golden vectors, differential tests, and an independent worked example.

LAS — LASer file format

The ASPRS standard file format for lidar point clouds: a header, then one fixed-size record per point.

Source: LAS Specification 1.4 R15

LAZ — compressed LAS

A losslessly compressed LAS file, usually several times smaller.