Demystifying DashWare

Towards the end of our field season in 2022, my colleague and I began searching for an application to add annotations to our extensive video footage. After exploring various options, we concluded that DashWare, an open-source software, was the best tool* for our needs. This blog aims to explain how to use DashWare and share my insights on its application in our conservation work.

View of a drone controller while on a mission.

Our work extensively relies on the use of off-the-shelf drones for field operations. In addition to capturing photos and videos, drones collect vital data such as distance from launch, geographical coordinates, flight time, battery status, and more. This information is indispensable for research and gaining a better understanding of wildlife and ecosystems.

However, once we retrieve the video footage from the devices, this valuable flight data is missing visually in the video playback. Not all drones generate subtitle files, and even when they do, these subtitles are often presented as plain text in the media player. Unfortunately, this text-based representation does not effectively convey the data we collect during these flights alongside the aerial footage. This led us to search for an application that could help us annotate our aerial footage. We had specific criteria in mind: the tool had to be open-source, user-friendly, and require minimal setup and learning.

Litchi - drone controller view (image from https://flylitchi.com/help)

Screengrab from playback of drone footage.

Using open-source software like Dashware can also be a valuable tool for conservationists who use drones to monitor wildlife and their natural habitats. It allows the addition of telemetry data to drone videos, providing context on flight path and animal behaviour, complementing traditional field practices. Dashware helps synchronise the telemetry data with the video footage, allowing users to display the data in real-time as the video plays. In addition to displaying data such as speed, altitude, and GPS coordinates, it offers customization options like font, colour, position of text, and data points selection.

(A) GETTING STARTED: 

1. Installing DashWare

   The open-source application can be accessed for free at the Dashware website: http://www.dashware.net/dashware-download/  or elsewhere from the web.

2. Video Processing

   There is a known issue with DashWare 1.9.1 caused by source videos without an audio track which prevents a useful export of the final output. DJI drones cannot record sounds without an external sensor set for this purpose. This can be relatively easily resolved by adding an audio track to the video. We used DaVinci Resolve to add a free audio file to our video footage. 

3. File Format

   Overlaying telemetry data from an UAV onto a video can be done by using a CSV file. Acquire the CSV file by exporting the data from the UAV's flight controller or other telemetry source. 

   Edit the CSV to match the start of the video footage by checking its properties. Open the CSV file using spreadsheet software and navigate to the column labelled 'is Video.' Select all the rows before the value 1 that is 0 in the 'is Video' column, and delete those rows.

Screengrab of a CSV file with 'isVideo' column highlighted.

(B) DASHWARE PROJECT: 

Launch DashWare from the start menu or desktop shortcut.

1. Click the ‘File’ button in the top left corner of the main window.

2. Select ‘New Project’ and enter a name for your project in the ‘Project Name’ field.

3. In the same dialog box select ‘<None>’

4. Click on ‘Ok’ to save these changes.

5. DashWare will open the new project and display the main window.

6. Click on the ‘+ (Plus)’ icon next to the ‘Video’ title in the tab. Browse and select the pre-processed video.04

7. Click on the ‘+ (Plus)’ icon next to this title in the tab, to view the ‘Add Data File’ dialog box. Click on the ‘Browse’ button under the title ‘Data logger file’, locate and select the .csv file containing all of the data from the selected drone flight video.

8. Click on the downward arrow under the title ‘Choose a data profile’ and select ‘Flytrex’. Click on the ‘Add’ button to confirm choices.

When one starts a new project in Dashware, the main window displays a blank video screen on the LHS with the Dashware logo and some gauges, while the RHS displays the primary workspace.

The ‘Project’ tab is the central location for managing and configuring any project. It includes several sub-tabs that allow access to different types of information and settings related to the project. 

1. Click on the ‘+ (Plus)’ icon next to the ‘Video’ title in the tab. Browse and select the pre-processed video.04

2. Click on the ‘+ (Plus)’ icon next to this title in the tab, to view the ‘Add Data File’ dialog box. Click on the ‘Browse’ button under the title ‘Data logger file’, locate and select the .csv file containing all of the data from the selected drone flight video.

3. Click on the downward arrow under the title ‘Choose a data profile’ and select ‘Flytrex’. Click on the ‘Add’ button to confirm choices.

Add pre-processed .csv and .mp4 files using the data logger.

 (C) PROJECT GAUGES: 

In DashWare, project gauges are graphical elements that overlay data onto videos. They can display various types of information, such as GPS coordinates or telemetry data. The Gauge Toolbox is a feature that allows one to add, create, and customize these gauges in a project. It also provides tools and options to design and adjust the appearance of data overlays.

The 'Filter' selection in the Gauge Toolbox is useful for searching and narrowing down to a specific gauge. One can also start listing the required attributes, such as speed, altitude, distance from launch, sea level, etc.

Gauge Toolbox search for the keyword 'altitude'.

Using the Gauge Toolbox, select the relevant gauges that correspond to these attributes. Make sure that each gauge is set to the same metric system as the data in the CSV file, such as kilometers per hour for speed or meters for altitude.

After selecting the appropriate gauges, add them to the project by pressing the gauge button or by clicking and dragging them onto the video screen. The gauge can then be further adjusted by clicking and dragging it to the preferred location.Here's the revised version with grammar corrections:

Gauges can also be modified as needed, such as this compact DashWare gauge above that displays speed, sea level, altitude, vertical speed, heading, takeoff distance, and traveled distance. To learn more about modifying and creating gauges, read the following blog. Modified gauges for displaying telemetry on UAV footage can be downloaded from our satellite drone imagery workflow page.

(D) DATA SYNCHRONISATION: 

Play the video in the workspace to cross-check if the data is in sync with the video footage. In case, the gauge overlay is not in sync with the video footage, cross-check the following information:

1. Check the unit system to the units in the flight log.

   The values do not automatically convert to the gauge selected. Therefore it is pertinent to choose gauges with the unit system as in the flight log.

2. Check if the gauge has a data value mapped to it correspondingly. 

   (a) To do so, change tabs to ‘Project’ in the primary workspace in Dashware.

   (b) Locate the gauge in the ‘Project Gauges’ sub-tab and double click on the gauge name. 

   (c) An editable dialogue box title ‘Gauge Input Mapper’ will be displayed, with two input options. (i) Data File and (ii) Data Value.

   (d) Review both data fields for appropriate entry, in case of modification use the downward arrow to select appropriate value from the list. Click on the ‘OK’ button to save changes.

Gauge Input Mapper with input options: (i) Data File and (ii) Data Value.

To sync the footage with the CSV file, navigate to the ‘Synchronization’ tab.

1. Uncheck the ‘Sync with video’ option in (b.) the bottom right-hand corner.

2. Then, drag the pointer to the start (c.) of the synchronization map.

3. Next, click and drag the video player to the start of the (a.) timeline at 0:00:000.

4. Once this done, re-check the ‘Sync with video’ option in (b.)

To synchronize the footage with the CSV file, use the 'Synchronization' tab.

E. Export Project

For the final step of the project, once all attributes and data have been mapped, we can export the file.

1. Click the 'File' button in the top left corner of the main window.

2. Select 'Create Video' and use the 'Browse' button to choose the location for the final file.

3. Uncheck 'Auto' near the Quality option in export to manually choose the quality of the export. Once decided, click on 'Create Video,' and the export will be ready shortly.

'Create Video' dialogue box.

In conclusion, DashWare has proven to be a valuable tool for integrating telemetry data with aerial footage in our conservation work. By allowing us to annotate videos with critical flight information, it enhances our ability to analyse and present data collected during drone missions. We hope this guide helps other conservationists and drone enthusiasts streamline their video processing workflows, making it easier to visualise and share the insights gathered from their aerial surveys.

*Note: This a tutorial for using dashware based on my experience on adapting footage from for DJI Mini/Mavic video footage.

Here Comes the Drone

Field notes from Bihar, 2023.

As the sun set after another day of fieldwork, we returned to our accommodations. I recounted the day's events while transferring media. We spent the morning in the field, followed by a quick lunch, and then returned to the field. Later in the evening, we prepared for an upcoming workshop with the forest department. Our days in sunny Bihar this February had been exciting.

Our day was indeed full of action, conducting aerial transects to estimate gharials at our field sites along the riverbanks of the Gandak. We scanned the waters intently, hoping to catch a glimpse of life beneath the surface. The splashes and movements in the water kept us on edge, wondering if it was a dolphin or something else entirely. Moving to another site on the north bank, we got started on our drone transects, and that's when things took an unexpected turn – a buffalo nearly charged us! The adrenaline rush was real, but we pushed through, even laughing, completing our tasks and moving on to another location to observe dolphins. During our time on this site, we counted four gharials and a solitary dolphin, while also spotting an enigmatic stork.

Evading a curious buffalo on field-site.

After wrapping up our fieldwork, we returned to charge our drones and have a quick lunch. Our tasks for the day weren't done yet – we were headed to another site near our accommodations for mapping and conducting bathymetry tests soon after. Bathymetry tests involve measuring the depth of water bodies, in this case, of the river. By initiating the flying of the drones over the same river channel, our objective was to ascertain whether RGB drones could provide any information regarding the river’s bathymetry.

Once the media we had gathered were transferred, we set off for our next site. Though the plan didn't unfold exactly as anticipated, the unexpected offered new opportunities. The survey boat was unable to go around the sandbar as intended. Instead, we flew the drone following the boat's path to take pictures at frequent intervals along the same route. This was a way to conduct simultaneous surveys using two different techniques: not only exploring the presence of dolphins but also comparing methods used.

Survey boat as seen from the aerial drone.

The integration of drone technology has repeatedly demonstrated its potential in conservation efforts. Drones' capabilities to swiftly and comprehensively survey areas can reshape how researchers and conservationists approach their work. High-resolution imagery captured by drones works to bridge the gap between traditional survey methods and modern technology, enhancing data accuracy and efficiency. For those of us fortunate enough to witness the impact of drones on conservation firsthand, tangible feelings of excitement and curiosity emerge.

It was during this flight that the true excitement around drones became evident. As the drone took to the sky, a group of children gathered around, captivated by the spectacle. Their excitement was contagious, as they curiously identified the drone and spun imaginative stories about its purpose, whilst mistaking my hand-held camera for a CCTV! In a sense these robotic ‘toys’ facilitated a more accessible dialogue about wildlife.

Children taking turns viewing from a pair of binoculars, whilst the project team conducts a mapping mission from the banks of the river.

The stunning illustrations of local wildlife prepared by the GCA and Madras Crocodile Bank shared by Tarun Nair as part of his presentation to the forest department.

The evening was one of light chatter and marvelling at the rich diversity of this region. A glimpse of the stunning illustrations of local wildlife, compiled by Tarun Nair as part of his presentation to the forest department, served as a reminder of the beauty we were working to protect.

The excitement and curiosity surrounding drone technology for conservation are undeniable. With each passing day, more researchers and conservationists turn to drones, gaining insights into our natural world. Being a part of this field is a privilege, and I'm excited about the future and the positive impact drones can have on conservation.

2023 at TfW

As we step into the new year, we reflect on the progress, challenges, and collaborations that have defined our journey in 2023. The loss of our founder-director, Shashank Srinivasan, has been a profound moment for our organisation. Despite the challenges, we remain committed to our mission of amplifying conservation impact and express gratitude to our collaborators, donors, and well-wishers for their continued support.

TfW core-team in discussion, Jan 2023.

We commenced the year with an in-person team meeting to discuss our objectives and goals for the first quarter.

At the end of the week, we made simultaneous in-person presentations. One was at Ganpat Parsekar College, Arambol as part of a state-level workshop supported by the Directorate of Higher Education, Goa. We spoke to students about the use of technology for conservation. The other was a presentation on the transmission line through Mollem at the inaugural meeting of the Goa Development Group at a seminar on Goa's economy and society, hosted by the Goa Institute of Management.

Nandini Mehrotra presenting on the use of conservation technology.

TfW with Dr. Nandini Velho in Mollem National Park.

In the following week, we undertook our first field trip of the year to Bhagwan Mahaveer Sanctuary and Mollem National Park. We looked at linear infrastructure features cutting through the park.

Alex identifying boundaries of the forest land in Mhadei.

TfW mentoring students of Srishti for a studio. Picture courtesy of Himanshi Parmar.

In mid-January, we visited Alex Carpenter and Cristina Toledo near Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary in Goa, where they focus on restoring private forest land. Here we initiated our collaboration of experimenting with a combination of ground, UAV and satellite-based data to aid restoration activities.

Also in January, we mentored students at Srishti Institute of Art, Design and Technology for a studio on environmental design taught by Himanshi Parmar.

 Nandini Mehrotra in discussion with the CILS5 cohort. Picture courtesy of Pakhi Das.

In February, we took part in the Fifth Central Indian Landscape Symposium (CILS5) near Kanha National Park. Hosted by the Network for Conserving Central India (NCCI), this acts as a platform for stakeholders to discuss conservation challenges in the region. Nandini Mehrotra, our Programme Manager, attended the conference and held an interactive session on the use of technology for wildlife and environmental conservation.

TfW conducting field-work in Bihar.

We have been working with Wildlife Conservation Trust, India (WCT) exploring the use of UAVs for the study and conservation of Gangetic river dolphins and gharials. In February, we successfully completed our second field trip to Bihar with WCT, conducting aerial surveys of behaviour and population estimation of these vulnerable species.

Introducing Bihar FD to the use of UAVs for conservation.

Following the field surveys, both organisations jointly organised a comprehensive day-long training workshop for the Bihar Forest Department. The workshop, centred on monitoring threats to river-floodplain wildlife in the Gandak River, served to enhance the skills and knowledge of frontline forest staff.

Team viewing live-stream of olive ridleys through the drone-controller.

Each year, hundreds of thousands of olive ridley turtles nest on the beaches of Odisha before returning to the sea. In March, we conducted fieldwork in Odisha to assess the feasibility of using drones for studying near-shore olive ridley turtle aggregations, as part of a three-way collaboration with WWF-India and Dakshin Foundation.

During a joint field survey we captured aerial footage revealing these turtles as small white dots off the coast of the Rushikulya mass nesting beach. Additionally, we gathered aerial video-transects of near-shore turtle aggregations and generated orthomosaic maps of nesting beaches.

During the first weeks of March, Goa's Western Ghats experienced intense fires. We created burn scar maps to identify affected forest areas, to inform future restoration projects. Our conservation geographer, Sravanthi Mopati, detailed the steps to create these maps in a blog as well.

In March, we also crafted a story map explaining the linear infrastructure projects proposed through Mollem in 2020 and summarising updates on the proposed projects since then.

Aditi Ramchiary presenting to high school students on TfW’s work.

We also spoke to high school students about our work and the use of technology for conservation on an educational trip organised by Journeys with Meaning.

Towards the end of March, the core-team gathered in person to review the first quarter, assess ongoing tasks, and plan for the upcoming months.

Also during this month, we unveiled the illustration created by Aashti Miller for TfW. Highlighting some of the different species that we have had the privilege to work with, the illustration conveys the nature of our work towards creating meaningful impact, by the use of appropriate technology for the conservation of wildlife and the environment.

We conducted phase one of an internal capacity building workshop on the use of vector design tools for cartography, and refined our spatial analysis workflow.

In April, we made the most of our time away from the field by analysing data, documenting methodologies, and creating communication material from our field work.

Illustration by Aashti Miller.

Artwork by Svabhu Kohli.

On 22nd April, 2023 we faced an unexpected and heart-wrenching loss with the sudden passing of our founder-director, Shashank Srinivasan. His vision for conservation, with his leadership, passion, and conviction are the driving forces behind this organisation's existence. While in this profound grief, the outpouring of support from all quarters helped us regain stability in the ensuing months.

TfW in Mhadei, May 2023.

TfW core-team, June 2023. Picture courtesy of Supriya Roychoudhury.

For our final field trip before the monsoon, we revisited Alex and Cristina's restoration project near Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary. We used our UAVs to look at the effects of recent forest fires, the detrimental impact of invasive species and map parts of their plot as pilot sites for targeted assisted regeneration as well as control sites.

Later in May, we gathered in person at a co-working space in Goa to work together as a team on alternative days of the week. We also completed the second phase of our counter-mapping work with our collaborators for NID Ahmedabad.

Map output from the counter-mapping exercise.

Through the summer, from April till July, we produced 21 maps for 10 stories as part of our collaboration with Mongabay-India to use cartography to broaden conservation communication for environmental journalism. August marked the completion of our two-year commitment with them. Read more the stories we have worked on together here and explore our blog-posts for the process of visualising them. 

In August and September, we worked on cartography for 'Fish Curry and Rice' - a book detailing Goa's ecology and environment. Written and compiled by the Goa Foundation, it was first published in 1993, and is currently being updated for republication. As the cartographers, our goal for this project is to provide a spatial view of Goa's environmental landscape and create meaningful visuals for readers. We created over 20 outputs for publication- with revisions in October and December.

Screengrab from an internal capacity building workshop.

In September, we conducted the second phase of our internal workshop, focusing on the effective utilisation of vector design tools for cartography. During the same month, we had a meeting with WWF-India in-person in Goa to explore collaboration opportunities based on our joint efforts earlier in the year. 

Also in September, we were profiled to be part of a climate report 'Our Uncommon Future,' created by Dasra and the Observer Research Foundation. The report lists us alongside fellow CSOs championing for creative climate solutions through collaborative, multi-stakeholder methods.

In October, we extended our support to citizens in Assagao on using free and open-source tools to document the forests around them. Simultaneously, we marked the beginning of the final phase of our report on the use of drones for conservation in India, by seeking reviews and feedback from the interviewees. 

A special photo exhibit showcasing Shashank’s work in Ladakh was featured as part of the GDN Conference 2023 by the Global Development Network in Quito, Ecuador, during the first week of November. This exhibit, curated by Supriya Roychoudhury and TfW offers a glimpse of his work in this incredible landscape.

Aerial view of mangroves in Goa.

We have been selected as exhibitors and grantees for Science Gallery Bangalore’s exhibit on Carbon. We began work on the exhibit in the monsoon,continuing to refine our outputs through October and November. Our exhibit revolves around remote sensing methods to estimate carbon sequestered by mangrove ecosystems. We have compiled research and methods conducted over the last two years combining drone and satellite data. For this exhibit, we have also collaborated with visual artists who have interpreted our scientific outputs and analysis through multimedia. The exhibit will be open for the public soon in Bangalore and will also feature a website with digital material.

Aditi Ramchiary at her farewell. Picture courtesy of Nandini Mehrotra.

In November we bid a bittersweet farewell to our core-team member, Aditi Ramchiary, as she embarks on her journey towards an academic career. In her time with us, Aditi had numerous firsts and achievements. She skillfully blended her artistic and technical abilities, resulting in a distinctive aesthetic that made her a highly effective cartographer. In her parting blog, she talks about her experience with TfW which was also her very first job.

In December, we had exciting changes in our core-team. We welcomed Ishan Nangia, who will contribute to computer vision analysis in various projects. Ishan is a coder and a diver and is presently working with us on using computer vision to aid restoration planning. We also welcomed Dr. Madhura Niphadkar as an advisor to the same project.

TfW in discussion with the Asian Flying Labs. Picture courtesy of Anuj Pradhan.

At the beginning of December, our team travelled to attend conferences. In Delhi, we partook in the WeRobotics hosted Asia Retreat for Flying Labs, representing our work in conservation drone technology as co-leads of India Flying Labs. Simultaneously, Nandini Mehrotra, attended Ecological Restoration Alliance’s Restoring Natural Ecologies 2023 retreat in Panchgani, Maharashtra.

Identifying species from aerial footage as part of the workshop on restoration in the Western Ghats.

Mid-December, we conducted a day-long meeting cum workshop to make progress on the restoration project in the Western Ghats. Our team examined samples of our field data with Alex and Cristina- our partners on the ground. We were joined virtually by remote sensing expert Dr. Madhura Niphadkar and Dr. Kartik Teegalapalli, an expert in forest recovery. Based on our discussion on potential methodologies, we are currently testing a combination of computer-vision aided analysis of UAV footage along with satellite data and analysis, based on the input and on-ground expertise that Alex and Cristina provided.

We also began work on a new project with the Sciurid Lab of IISER Tirupati. In a virtual meeting, Dr. Nandini Rajamani and Harsha Kumar talked our team through the research that the lab is currently focusing on, and helped us understand more about the species they work with. We then explored avenues of research and the possibilities of using a combination of computer vision and spatial analysis to further explore data collected through our previous field work with the lab in 2022.

Last team-call of 2023.

As the year drew to a close, we concluded with a team call, summarising the events of the year, sharing personal and work reflections.