When I was young, my bicycle was my world. It was a heavy, clunky thing that I bought for five pounds from a friend. It only had five gears, and I think it might have been made of lead, but it was my primary mode of transport for a couple of years. Every day, I’d push that bike up hills and across long distances. It was tough, but in the process, I built incredibly strong legs that have served me well my whole life. The limitation of my “inferior” bike forced me to become a stronger cyclist.
This experience, and others like it, has taught me a valuable lesson: having to use lower-quality tools, or even do without them, can teach you to do things better than those who rely on technology. This is a lesson that has stuck with me throughout my life, and it’s something I was reminded of recently.
I recently released a video that showed how to do precision mapping using a DJI Mini 4 Pro, a drone that is not typically considered an “enterprise-level” tool for this kind of work. You can see that video here: Precision Drone Mapping on a Budget | DJI Mini 4 Pro + Litchi + WebODM Tutorial.
Several people commented that this was not an appropriate tool for the job. And they were right, in a sense. There are certainly more expensive, specialized drones out there that can do the job more easily, and maybe clients will not be impressed if you pull that out of your bag. But that was precisely the point. By using a “lesser” tool, I was forced to learn the fundamentals of precision mapping at a much deeper level.
In the video, I detail the meticulous process of using ground control points (GCPs), specialized software, and careful planning to achieve “survey grade” accuracy with a consumer-grade drone. The drone’s limitations required a more thorough understanding of the entire mapping process. I couldn’t just press a button and let the technology do all the work. I had to understand the why behind every step.
This gets to the heart of a concept in learning theory called “desirable difficulty.” The idea is that introducing certain difficulties into the learning process can, in the long run, lead to better retention and a deeper understanding of the subject. When a task is too easy, we don’t engage with it on a meaningful level. But when we have to struggle a bit, our brains work harder to make connections and build a more robust mental model.
This is also closely related to the idea that limitations foster creativity. When we have unlimited resources, it can be paralyzing. But when we’re constrained, we’re forced to think outside the box and come up with innovative solutions. We have to be resourceful and find new ways of using the tools at our disposal.
The person who learns to map with a budget drone and a deep understanding of GCPs will have a significant advantage over someone who has only ever used a high-end, automated system. When the person with the deeper knowledge eventually gets their hands on the better tools, they’ll be able to use them to a level that many never achieve. They’ll understand the underlying principles and be able to troubleshoot problems and push the technology to its limits.
The same is true for the cyclist with the strong legs who finally gets a lightweight, high-performance bike. They’ll be able to climb faster and ride longer than someone who has only ever known the ease of a top-of-the-line machine.
So, the next time you find yourself with a less-than-ideal tool, don’t be discouraged. Embrace the challenge. See it as an opportunity to learn the fundamentals of your craft at a deeper level. You might just find that the “heavy bicycle” you’re pushing today is building the strength and expertise you’ll need to excel tomorrow.