QGIS does not recognise coordinates from geotagged images

Question

The issue is that geotagged images from thermal camera Flir Vue Pro R, as TIFF and sRGB, are not recognised by QGIS. The same applies to Parrot Sequoia images. The images are geotagged at shooting time and position and the Flir Tools show the coordinates fine for the TIFF images. The TIFF thermal images hold all the data in their EXIF file, as explained here: FLIR-Interface-Requirements-TIFF.pdf However when inserted in QGIS as layers, they are not recognised either for their reference system (it is manually inserted) or for their geotags. I believe I am missing something about the relation of QGIS and geotagged images.

The Layer Properties shows the following relative information:

The sRGB Flir image properties:

Driver GDAL provider JPEG JPEG JFIF Dataset Description EXIF_ColorSpace=1 EXIF_ComponentsConfiguration=0x1 0x2 0x3 00 EXIF_ExifVersion=0210 EXIF_FlashpixVersion=0100 EXIF_FNumber=(1.25) EXIF_FocalLength=(13) EXIF_GPSAltitude=(231.39) EXIF_GPSAltitudeRef=00 EXIF_GPSLatitude=(37) (59) (3.2057) EXIF_GPSLatitudeRef=N EXIF_GPSLongitude=(23) (54) (22.4398) EXIF_GPSLongitudeRef=E EXIF_GPSSpeed=(4.29497e+06) EXIF_GPSSpeedRef=K EXIF_GPSTimeStamp=(18) (12) (25) EXIF_GPSTrack=(108.75) EXIF_GPSTrackRef=T EXIF_GPSVersionID=0x3 0x2 00 00 EXIF_Make=FLIR EXIF_Model=Vue Pro R 640 13mm EXIF_PixelXDimension=640 EXIF_PixelYDimension=512 EXIF_ResolutionUnit=2 EXIF_Software=22.20.16.1 EXIF_SubjectArea=320 256 640 512 EXIF_XResolution=(72) EXIF_YCbCrPositioning=1 EXIF_YResolution=(72) Band 1 Band 2 Band 3 Dimensions X: 640 Y: 512 Bands: 3 X : 320,Y 256 X : 160,Y 128 No Data Value NoDataValue not set Data Type Byte - Eight bit unsigned integer Pyramid overviews Layer Spatial Reference System +proj=utm +zone=34 +datum=WGS84 +units=m +no_defs Layer Extent (layer original source projection) 0.0000000000000000,-512.0000000000000000 : 640.0000000000000000,0.0000000000000000 Band Band 1 Band No 1 No Stats No stats collected yet Band Band 2 Band No 2 No Stats No stats collected yet Band Band 3 Band No 3 No Stats No stats collected yet

The TIFF Flir image properties

Driver GDAL provider GTiff GeoTIFF Dataset Description

TIFFTAG_RESOLUTIONUNIT=1 (unitless) TIFFTAG_SOFTWARE=22.20.16.1 TIFFTAG_XRESOLUTION=1 TIFFTAG_YRESOLUTION=1 Band 1 STATISTICS_MAXIMUM=8425 STATISTICS_MEAN=8011.738092041 STATISTICS_MINIMUM=7673 STATISTICS_STDDEV=120.76920340018 Dimensions X: 640 Y: 512 Bands: 1 No Data Value NoDataValue not set Data Type UInt16 - Sixteen bit unsigned integer Pyramid overviews Layer Spatial Reference System +proj=utm +zone=34 +datum=WGS84 +units=m +no_defs Layer Extent (layer original source projection) 0.0000000000000000,-512.0000000000000000 : 640.0000000000000000,0.0000000000000000

For the SEQUOIA layer the relative properties are the following, including the coordinates from the EXIF:

Driver GDAL provider JPEG JPEG JFIF Dataset Description

EXIF_ApertureValue=(2.40327) EXIF_ColorSpace=65535 EXIF_ComponentsConfiguration=0x1 0x2 0x3 00 EXIF_Compression=7 EXIF_DateTime=2017:07:07 10:42:33 EXIF_DateTimeDigitized=1970:01:01 00:07:53 EXIF_DateTimeOriginal=2017:07:07 10:42:33 EXIF_ExifVersion=0210 EXIF_ExposureMode=0 EXIF_ExposureTime=(0.000546) EXIF_FlashpixVersion=0100 EXIF_FNumber=(2.3) EXIF_FocalLength=(4.88) EXIF_FocalLengthIn35mmFilm=28 EXIF_FocalPlaneResolutionUnit=4 EXIF_FocalPlaneXResolution=(746.269) EXIF_FocalPlaneYResolution=(746.269) EXIF_GPSAltitude=(440.672) EXIF_GPSAltitudeRef=00 EXIF_GPSDateStamp=2017:07:07 EXIF_GPSLatitude=(39) (8) (51.5586) EXIF_GPSLatitudeRef=N EXIF_GPSLongitude=(22) (21) (35.0292) EXIF_GPSLongitudeRef=E EXIF_GPSMapDatum=WGS-84 EXIF_GPSSpeed=(12.3965) EXIF_GPSSpeedRef=K EXIF_GPSStatus=A EXIF_GPSTimeStamp=(10) (42) (33.758) EXIF_GPSVersionID=0x2 0x2 00 00 EXIF_ImageUniqueID=CE8EF7806111CE6DAA32C6BFDF9CB25D EXIF_ISOSpeedRatings=100 EXIF_Make=Parrot EXIF_MaxApertureValue=(2.40327) EXIF_Model=Sequoia EXIF_Orientation=3 EXIF_PhotometricInterpretation=6 EXIF_PixelXDimension=4608 EXIF_PixelYDimension=3456 EXIF_ResolutionUnit=2 EXIF_ShutterSpeedValue=(10.8388) EXIF_Software=v1.1.0 EXIF_SubSecTime=520049 EXIF_SubSecTime_Digitized=984709 EXIF_SubSecTime_Original=520049 EXIF_WhiteBalance=0 EXIF_XResolution=(72) EXIF_YCbCrPositioning=1 EXIF_YResolution=(72) Band 1 Band 2 Band 3 Dimensions X: 4608 Y: 3456 Bands: 3 X : 2304,Y 1728 X : 1152,Y 864 X : 576,Y 432 No Data Value NoDataValue not set Data Type Byte - Eight bit unsigned integer Pyramid overviews Layer Spatial Reference System +proj=utm +zone=34 +datum=WGS84 +units=m +no_defs Layer Extent (layer original source projection) 0.0000000000000000,-3456.0000000000000000 : 4608.0000000000000000,0.0000000000000000

Answer 1

There are a few terms that need to be understood.

1. Georeferenced Image an image that has a location, scale and rotation such that its location aligns to a true location. These images can be added to your canvas and will automatically appear in your map because the location and true size of every pixel is known. Have a read of the affine geotransform from a GDAL point of view.
2. Geotagged Image an image captured with a device which recorded the location of the device (X, Y and possibly Z) when the image was taken. This is not enough information to locate the image correctly on the ground, it does not record the bearing or azimuth of the camera - you could be taking a photo of an insect on the ground or distant mountains, either way, it's not recorded.
3. Orthorectified Image an image captured with a device with an accurate GPS unit recording the location, tilt and roll of the camera at the time the image was recorded which is then warped to a model of the Eaths' surface to create an image in true (2d) location.

A geotagged image would need to be orthorectified with known coordinates to be added to the map in its true location but not all of the required parameters are recorded. What you can do with a geotagged image is create a point feature class with the location of the camera which the user can click on to see the image at that location - like photos in Google Earth. Read the related post on creating a point feature class from geotagged images.