# Survey Patterns

Different patterns can be used to insert surveys and scans into a mission plan. Patterns provide a much easier and more flexible approach for defining a survey/scan than manually specifying a flight path and camera triggering using individual waypoints.

{% hint style="info" %}
Surveys/scans provide a simpler and more flexible way to define a survey over an arbitrary region than manually adding waypoints.
{% endhint %}

The tools are accessed from the [Plan Toolbar](/vehicle-operation/auterion-mission-control/ui-breakdown/plan/plan-tools.md) as shown.

![](/files/hXs45WSt3ShsFBkCVIwu)

After an option is selected, a basic pattern of the selected type is added to the map and to the mission editor. This can be edited to the desired shape:

| **Pattern**                                                                                                                    | **Description**                                                                                                                                                                     |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| [**Survey**](/vehicle-operation/auterion-mission-control/ui-breakdown/plan/plan-tools/survey-patterns/survey.md)               | A survey pattern that captures an arbitrarily complex polygonal region. This allows you to specify the polygon, grid and camera settings appropriate for creating geotagged images. |
| [**Corridor Scan**](/vehicle-operation/auterion-mission-control/ui-breakdown/plan/plan-tools/survey-patterns/corridor-scan.md) | A survey pattern that follows a poly-line (for example, to survey a road).                                                                                                          |


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