description: Discover how to detect objects with rotation for higher precision using YOLOv8 OBB models. Learn, train, validate, and export OBB models effortlessly.
keywords: Oriented Bounding Boxes, OBB, Object Detection, YOLOv8, Ultralytics, DOTAv1, Model Training, Model Export, AI, Machine Learning
Oriented object detection goes a step further than object detection and introduce an extra angle to locate objects more accurate in an image.
The output of an oriented object detector is a set of rotated bounding boxes that exactly enclose the objects in the image, along with class labels and confidence scores for each box. Object detection is a good choice when you need to identify objects of interest in a scene, but don't need to know exactly where the object is or its exact shape.
YOLOv8 OBB models use the `-obb` suffix, i.e. `yolov8n-obb.pt` and are pretrained on [DOTAv1](https://github.com/ultralytics/ultralytics/blob/main/ultralytics/cfg/datasets/DOTAv1.yaml).
YOLOv8 pretrained OBB models are shown here, which are pretrained on the [DOTAv1](https://github.com/ultralytics/ultralytics/blob/main/ultralytics/cfg/datasets/DOTAv1.yaml) dataset.
[Models](https://github.com/ultralytics/ultralytics/tree/main/ultralytics/cfg/models) download automatically from the latest Ultralytics [release](https://github.com/ultralytics/assets/releases) on first use.
- **mAP<sup>test</sup>** values are for single-model multiscale on [DOTAv1 test](https://captain-whu.github.io/DOTA/index.html) dataset. <br>Reproduce by `yolo val obb data=DOTAv1.yaml device=0 split=test` and submit merged results to [DOTA evaluation](https://captain-whu.github.io/DOTA/evaluation.html).
- **Speed** averaged over DOTAv1 val images using an [Amazon EC2 P4d](https://aws.amazon.com/ec2/instance-types/p4/) instance. <br>Reproduce by `yolo val obb data=DOTAv1.yaml batch=1 device=0|cpu`
Train YOLOv8n-obb on the `dota8.yaml` dataset for 100 epochs at image size 640. For a full list of available arguments see the [Configuration](../usage/cfg.md) page.
Available YOLOv8-obb export formats are in the table below. You can export to any format using the `format` argument, i.e. `format='onnx'` or `format='engine'`. You can predict or validate directly on exported models, i.e. `yolo predict model=yolov8n-obb.onnx`. Usage examples are shown for your model after export completes.
### What are Oriented Bounding Boxes (OBB) and how do they differ from regular bounding boxes?
Oriented Bounding Boxes (OBB) include an additional angle to enhance object localization accuracy in images. Unlike regular bounding boxes, which are axis-aligned rectangles, OBBs can rotate to fit the orientation of the object better. This is particularly useful for applications requiring precise object placement, such as aerial or satellite imagery ([Dataset Guide](../datasets/obb/index.md)).
### How do I train a YOLOv8n-obb model using a custom dataset?
To train a YOLOv8n-obb model with a custom dataset, follow the example below using Python or CLI:
For more training arguments, check the [Configuration](../usage/cfg.md) section.
### What datasets can I use for training YOLOv8-OBB models?
YOLOv8-OBB models are pretrained on datasets like [DOTAv1](https://github.com/ultralytics/ultralytics/blob/main/ultralytics/cfg/datasets/DOTAv1.yaml) but you can use any dataset formatted for OBB. Detailed information on OBB dataset formats can be found in the [Dataset Guide](../datasets/obb/index.md).
### How can I export a YOLOv8-OBB model to ONNX format?
Exporting a YOLOv8-OBB model to ONNX format is straightforward using either Python or CLI:
!!! Example
=== "Python"
```python
from ultralytics import YOLO
# Load a model
model = YOLO("yolov8n-obb.pt")
# Export the model
model.export(format="onnx")
```
=== "CLI"
```bash
yolo export model=yolov8n-obb.pt format=onnx
```
For more export formats and details, refer to the [Export](../modes/export.md) page.
### How do I validate the accuracy of a YOLOv8n-obb model?
To validate a YOLOv8n-obb model, you can use Python or CLI commands as shown below:
!!! Example
=== "Python"
```python
from ultralytics import YOLO
# Load a model
model = YOLO("yolov8n-obb.pt")
# Validate the model
metrics = model.val(data="dota8.yaml")
```
=== "CLI"
```bash
yolo obb val model=yolov8n-obb.pt data=dota8.yaml
```
See full validation details in the [Val](../modes/val.md) section.
