Structure from motion for drone videos

A method comprising:

• obtaining, by a processing system including a processor, data representing a plurality of two-dimensional (2D) video images of an object, the video images captured using an airborne unmanned aircraft system (UAS) operating in a first altitude range;
• constructing, by the processing system, a three-dimensional (3D) model of the object in accordance with the data, the constructing using a first plurality of observations of the object obtained in a second altitude range and a second plurality of observations of the object obtained in a third altitude range, wherein the first altitude range comprises operating altitudes of the UAS above the second altitude range and below the third altitude range;
• and
• dynamically adjusting the 3D model in accordance with updated data representing a new video image captured at a new operating altitude of the UAS.

A machine-readable medium comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processing system including a processor, facilitate performance of operations comprising:

• obtaining data representing a plurality of two-dimensional (2D) video images of an object, the video images captured using an airborne unmanned aircraft system (UAS) operating in a first altitude range;
• constructing a three-dimensional (3D) model of the object in accordance with the data, the constructing using observations of the object obtained in an altitude range outside the first altitude range;
• and
• dynamically adjusting the 3D model in accordance with updated data representing a new video image captured at a new operating altitude of the UAS.