Comparison · Desktop photogrammetry software
SkyeBrowse vs Agisoft Metashape
The short answer
SkyeBrowse is the better fit for agencies that want survey-grade 3D scenes from video without a specialist, a workstation, or ground control points. Metashape fits photogrammetry specialists who want full manual control over still-image processing on their own hardware.
Last checked October 13, 2026.
SkyeBrowse vs Agisoft Metashape at a glance
| Category | SkyeBrowse | Agisoft Metashape |
|---|---|---|
| What you capture | One continuous video (MP4, MOV, INSV, or OSV) from any drone, phone, 360 camera, or body worn camera. Photos attach to a model as annotations. | Processes aerial (nadir and oblique), close-range, and satellite imagery. Source: Metashape Professional features |
| Where it runs | 100% cloud, in the browser at app.skyebrowse.com. The SkyeBrowse Flight App automates Orbit and WideBrowse grid flights on supported DJI and Autel drones. | Sold as a node-locked software license. Source: Agisoft online store |
| Accuracy and ground control | 0.1 inch on Public Safety & Enterprise, survey-grade and court-admissible without ground control points. 0.5 inch on Commercial and Pro models with 8K processing. | Professional edition imports GCPs for georeferencing and control over the accuracy of results. Source: Metashape Professional features |
| Published pricing | Freemium is free. Commercial model $24.99, Pro model $49.99, Public Safety & Enterprise $199 per model per year. No seat fees. | Standard edition $179 and Professional edition $3,499 for a node-locked license. Source: Agisoft online store |
| Exports and integrations | LAZ, GLB, OBJ, USDZ, GeoTIFF, and CAD (DXF or GeoJSON) on Pro and Public Safety & Enterprise models. Axon Evidence.com integration on Public Safety & Enterprise. | Georeferenced orthomosaic in GeoTIFF, plus KML for Google Earth. Source: Metashape Professional features |
Vendor pricing and features change often. Confirm current terms with Agisoft before you buy.
Who should pick which
Pick SkyeBrowse if
- Nobody on the team is a photogrammetry specialist, and the scene still has to hold up in court.
- You want survey-grade accuracy without ground control points.
- You want results in minutes from the cloud and shared by link.
- You need CJIS compliance and chain of custody logging.
Pick Agisoft Metashape if
- You want a one-time software license on your own hardware.
- You process close-range or satellite imagery and want manual control of each step.
Switching from Agisoft Metashape
Metashape projects are built from still images, so they stay in Metashape. Exported meshes saved as GLB or STL can be placed inside a SkyeBrowse model, and new scenes start from video.
- Create a free account at app.skyebrowse.com and use Universal Upload for any MP4, MOV, INSV, or OSV file you already have, including archived drone flights, phone video, and 360 footage.
- Upload the drone's GPS subtitle file (.SRT for DJI, .ASS for Autel) with the video to georeference the model. Video without GPS can be scaled with the Scale tool against a known measurement.
- Upload limits: 2GB per file on Freemium, up to 3 videos of 10GB each on Commercial and Pro, and up to 10 videos of 100GB each on Public Safety & Enterprise.
- SkyeBrowse builds models from video only, so photo-only datasets stay in the tool that made them. Existing meshes saved as GLB or STL can be imported as layers inside a SkyeBrowse model on Pro (3 layers) and Public Safety & Enterprise (5 layers).
- Keep your downstream software: export LAZ point clouds, GLB, OBJ, USDZ, GeoTIFF, and DXF or GeoJSON CAD files into GIS, CAD, and forensics tools. SkyeBrowse produces a DSM, so DTM ground classification still happens in third-party software on the exported LAZ.
- Agencies can apply for the Pilot Program, about two weeks of Public Safety & Enterprise access, to run real scenes side by side before buying. Eligible free accounts can process their first full Commercial model for $5.
Check your aircraft and controller on the supported drones list and see plan details on the pricing page.
Do still photos beat video for 3D mapping?
A common claim is that still photos always produce better 3D models than video. Here is what the validation behind SkyeBrowse videogrammetry shows.
- Photogrammetry uses hundreds or thousands of overlapping still photos. Capture is slower, processing takes hours or days, and survey-grade results usually depend on ground control points, a trained specialist, and post-processing.
- SkyeBrowse videogrammetry uses the frames of one continuous video. It delivers laser-scanner-level accuracy: in an independent QC study by AirBorne Works, SkyeBrowse video models came closest to Leica BLK360 laser-scan ground truth on 8 of 9 measurements, outperforming photo-based Pix4D Mapper and Leica BLK3D. Results are survey-grade and court-admissible without ground control points.
- Cloud processing runs about one minute per minute of video, so a scene flown at the incident can be measured before the road reopens.
Read the method and results in the independent accuracy study.
SkyeBrowse vs Agisoft Metashape FAQ
Is SkyeBrowse as accurate as Metashape?
SkyeBrowse videogrammetry delivers laser-scanner-level accuracy. In an independent QC study by AirBorne Works, SkyeBrowse video models came closest to Leica BLK360 laser-scan ground truth on 8 of 9 measurements, outperforming photo-based Pix4D Mapper and Leica BLK3D. Without ground control points, Public Safety & Enterprise models reach survey-grade 0.1 inch accuracy and Commercial and Pro models reach 0.5 inch.
Do I need a GPU workstation for SkyeBrowse?
No. SkyeBrowse is 100% cloud-based and runs in the browser, with Chrome recommended. Processing takes about one minute per minute of video.
Do still photos beat video for drone mapping accuracy?
No. In an independent QC study by AirBorne Works, SkyeBrowse video models came closest to Leica BLK360 laser-scan ground truth on 8 of 9 measurements, outperforming photo-based Pix4D Mapper and Leica BLK3D. SkyeBrowse reaches survey-grade, court-admissible results without ground control points. Photo-based workflows usually need ground control points, a specialist, and hours of processing to reach survey grade.
Map your first site today
Create a free account, upload one drone or phone video, and open a measurable 3D model in minutes. Agencies that need CJIS compliance and 0.1 inch accuracy can request a quote for Public Safety & Enterprise.
