Why geotagged, timestamped photos matter on inspection jobs
When a client asks which roof section a photo shows, or when it was taken, the answer is usually inside the image file itself. Most cameras and phones store this as EXIF metadata: the date and time, the camera settings and often GPS coordinates.
Why it matters
- It proves where and when a photo was taken, which helps if a finding is questioned.
- It lets you match photos to the right job without guessing.
- It saves you from labelling images by hand afterward.
How the data gets lost
The metadata is fragile. Many messaging apps and social platforms remove it when you share a photo. Screenshots and some export or compression tools drop it too. A photo that was geotagged on the drone can arrive at the client with nothing attached.
Habits that protect it
- Keep the original files and work from copies.
- Do not send photos through chat apps when the location data matters. Use a link or a report.
- Check that location is switched on for your camera or controller app before the flight.
- Keep photos grouped by job from the moment they are captured, not sorted later.
RotorRun captures photos inside the app, records GPS and a timestamp with each one, and keeps them attached to the job so they go straight into the report.
RotorRun handles drone job tracking, checklists, geotagged photos and client-ready reports. Free for 14 days; a card is required but is not charged until the trial ends, then $19.95 CAD per month. Cancel anytime.
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Further reading: Exif on Wikipedia for how image metadata is stored. The practical advice here was written by RotorRun.