Colorfinder

Welcome to Colorfinder, your second set of eyes for any search and rescue (SAR) mission. Colorfinder is Nova’s automated anomaly detection tool. Choose the colors you’re looking for, and Colorfinder will flag every match across your scene in a fraction of the time it would take to search manually.

Before You Start

Turning On Graphics Acceleration

If no videos or photos appear in the ColorFinder viewport, turn on graphics acceleration in Chrome, click the link for a walkthrough. Enable Telemetry Data

1. Open Chrome and go to Settings.

2. Select System.

3. Turn on Use graphics acceleration when available.

4. Select Relaunch to restart Chrome, then reopen ColorFinder.

Uploading MP4 and Telemetry Data

Telemetry data is required for ColorFinder to place points on the map, which show where each color anomaly is located. Make sure telemetry recording is turned on for your drone before you fly. Follow the links below to ensure it’s enabled correctly.

1. Select Colorfinder, Import your MP4 and telemetry data, then select Process.

   

2. ColorFinder is the only feature in Nova that can process data locally. Once processing is finished, select View Color Data.

   

3. If your data was processed locally, the Commenting tab won’t be available until the data is uploaded to the cloud. See the comparison below.

ColorFinder Dashboard

Anomaly Identifiers

Anomaly Timeline

The timeline automatically flags key anomalies throughout your video, with no manual searching required.

Anomaly Frame

Select an anomaly on the timeline, and the frame at the bottom of the screen will show exactly where it appears in the scene.

Anomaly Tools

Turn the anomaly filter on or off, and adjust its opacity and sensitivity. Lowering the sensitivity may cause more colors to be identified, so adjust it with caution.

Color Identifiers

Color Timeline

The Color Timeline displays every frame on a linear graph and identifies all the colored pixels in each one. Zoom into the timeline to jump to an exact frame.

For videos, press Play to move through the timeline. For images, use your keyboard to step through each frame.

RGB Frame

The RGB Frame displays your images or video as you play or scroll through the timeline.

Color Wheel

The Color Wheel plots the pixels in the current frame on a wheel diagram.

Color Wheel Anomalies

When the Color Wheel spikes toward its outer edge, it’s signaling that an anomaly has entered the frame.

Color Wheel Tools

Lasso Tool

Use the Lasso Tool to select specific pixels or anomalies on the Color Wheel. You can select multiple areas at once.

Undo, Redo, and Reset

Undo, redo, or reset your selections on the Color Wheel at any time.

Import Image

Import an image from social media or your camera to target specific colors, then fine-tune them by adjusting hue, saturation, and brightness. For example, upload a photo of a missing person’s clothing to search for that exact color.

Color Views

Once colors are selected, the Color Timeline masks out everything except those colors, and the RGB Frame places a bounding box around each match.

Use your mouse to zoom into the frame, and select Reset Zoom to return to the full view. Select the frame to turn the mask off.

Pins & Coordinates

Pin Tool

Select the Pin tool at the top of the screen, then select the anomaly in the RGB Frame or Anomaly Frame to drop a pin.

Pin Settings

Change the pin’s name, icon pack, or symbol in Pin Settings.

Coordinates

In the Activity panel, select a pin’s coordinates to copy them, then paste them into your controller or the map view.

Pin Timeline

Once a pin is placed, it appears on the timeline so you can jump back to it.

Images to Pins

To upload multiple images into pins, go back to the map view select the pin and and import a photo.

Activity Panel

The Activity panel appears once your video has been uploaded to the cloud and displays all pins and comments.

Comments

Write a comment and set its tag based on what you’ve identified.

Threads

Select a comment to open a thread and discuss the pin with your team.

ColorFinder Views

Map: The map in the bottom left corner shows the drone’s position and flight path.

Changing Views: Use the view options in the top right corner of the screen to switch between layouts.

Settings

Source: Change the video quality.

Anomaly Filter: Turn the anomaly filter on or off.

Map: Adjust your map settings and change the base map layer.