UAV AreaCalc – TIFF + Shapefile Area Calculator

Created by Jakub Ešpandr | FlyCamCzech | Born4Flight

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🛰️ Overview

UAV AreaCalc is a lightweight cross-platform desktop application for calculating the area of non-transparent regions in UAV-acquired GeoTIFFs (with alpha channel) and comparing them to user-defined regions of interest (ROIs) in Shapefiles.

It is designed for fast validation and visualization of aerial image coverage and analysis zones directly from high-resolution raster data, with worldwide geographic support that automatically adapts to any region's coordinate system.

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✨ Features

• Area Calculation

  • Calculates area of visible (non-transparent) regions from alpha-enabled TIFF imagery.
  • Calculates total area from Esri Shapefile polygons (ROI).
  • Supports units in hectares (ha) or square meters (m²).

• 🌍 Worldwide Geographic Support

  • Dynamic Coordinate System Selection: Automatically determines the optimal UTM coordinate system for any geographic location.
  • Global Coverage: Supports all UTM zones (1-60) for both Northern and Southern hemispheres.
  • Accurate Projections: Uses local UTM projections to minimize distortion and ensure precise area calculations.
  • Fallback Protection: Gracefully falls back to Web Mercator if UTM zone calculation fails.
  • Perfect for International Use: Works seamlessly with data from any region worldwide.

• Map Visualization

  • Downsampled TIFF preview with high-speed rendering.
  • Overlays two color-coded semi-transparent polygons:
    • Red: TIFF mask extent
    • Blue: ROI from shapefile
  • Clean map layout for screenshots or reporting (no axis/grid clutter).
  • Dark theme compatible with optimized colors for visibility.

• High-Resolution Export

  • Export high-DPI PNG images.
  • Optional area overlays (TIFF and ROI polygons).
  • Optional measurement overlays (width, height, and area information).
  • Professional-quality outputs suitable for reports and presentations.

• User Interface

  • Intuitive GUI built with PySide6.
  • Interactive file selection dialogs for TIFF and .shp.
  • Real-time area output and unit switcher (radio buttons).
  • Resizable split layout with control panel and map canvas.

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📦 Requirements

PySide6>=6.0.0         # Modern GUI framework
matplotlib==3.9.3      # Map visualization
geopandas==1.0.1       # Shapefile and vector handling
rasterio==1.3.10       # GeoTIFF handling
shapely>=2.0.0         # Geometric operations
pyproj>=3.0.0          # Coordinate reference system handling
Pillow>=9.0.0          # Image processing for high-quality exports

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🚀 Quick Start

# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/Jakub-Espandr/UAVAreaCalc.git
cd UAVAreaCalc

# Install dependencies
pip install -r requirements.txt

# Run the application
python main.py

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🛠️ Usage

1. Launch the app with python main.py
2. Click "Browse GeoTIFF" and select an alpha-enabled .tif
3. Click "Browse Shapefile" to add your ROI
4. Click "Calculate Areas" to process the data
5. The map will display both overlays with measurements
6. Toggle between hectares or square meters in the unit panel
7. Export High-Resolution Images:
   • Select export format (PNG or TIFF)
   • Choose DPI resolution (72-1200 DPI)
   • Enable/disable area overlays and measurements
   • Click "Export High-Resolution Image" to save

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🌐 Coordinate System Intelligence

UAV AreaCalc automatically handles coordinate systems for optimal accuracy:

How It Works

• Automatic Detection: Analyzes the geographic center of your data
• UTM Zone Calculation: Determines the optimal UTM zone using longitude/latitude
• Hemisphere Detection: Selects Northern (EPSG:326xx) or Southern (EPSG:327xx) projection
• Local Optimization: Uses the most accurate projection for your specific location

Supported Regions

• Europe: Zones 28-38 (Czech Republic: 33N, Albania: 34N, Greece: 34N)
• North America: Zones 10-19 (New York: 17N, California: 11N)
• Asia: Zones 42-58 (Beijing: 51N, Tokyo: 54N)
• Australia: Zones 49-56 (Sydney: 55S, Melbourne: 55S)
• South America: Zones 18-25 (São Paulo: 22S, Buenos Aires: 21S)
• Africa: Zones 28-39 (Cape Town: 36S, Cairo: 36N)

Accuracy Benefits

• Minimal Distortion: Local UTM projections provide the most accurate area calculations
• Consistent Results: Same data processed anywhere in the world yields identical results
• Professional Standards: Matches the accuracy of commercial GIS software

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📁 Project Structure

UAVAreaCalc/
├── main.py
├── ui/              # GUI layout and styling
├── core/            # Area calculation logic
├── utils/           # Helper functions (geometry, conversion)
├── assets/
│   └── fonts/       # Custom font definitions
│   └── icons/       # Custom icons definitions
├── requirements.txt
└── CHANGELOG.md

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🔐 License

This project is licensed under the Non-Commercial Public License (NCPL v1.0)
© 2025 Jakub Ešpandr – FlyCamCzech, Born4Flight

See the full LICENSE for terms.

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🙏 Acknowledgments

• Built using open-source geospatial libraries: Rasterio, GeoPandas, PySide6, Pillow, Matplotlib.