The Edge1 system by Skycatch is a combination GNSS base station and drone data-processing unit that delivers high-accuracy maps and point clouds in minutes.
The high-performance built-in Nvidia TX2 Mobile GPU enables both maps and point-cloud processing locally within 30 minutes, as well as running artificial intelligence (AI) tasks in real time.
The base station of the Edge1 uses a Swift Navigation dual-frequency GNSS real-time kinematic (RTK) receiver. The receiver supports signals from GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou and Galileo, enabling reliably fast centimeter-level accuracy globally even in remote locations, with reliable 5-centimeter accuracy.
Users of the Edge1 system can process and receive their maps in the field, without the need for internet connectivity to process data. The system automatically generates 2D maps and 3D data, with the capability to download and use them in Skycatch’s Data Hub, as well as commonly used programs like Civil 3D, BIM360 and others.
Komatsu Australia and Skycatch Inc. are partnering to boost the efficiency of construction, mining and quarry sites across Oceana with the High Precision Package.
The High Precision Package is also known as Komatsu’s Everyday Drone Solution, a key component to the Smart Construction workflow.
The Everyday Drone contains the Explore1 high-precision UAV, the Edge1 integrated GNSS base station and edge compute module, and the Viewer, an online data visualization and analysis tool, packaged into a commercial-grade kit.
High-precision package. (Photo: Skycatch)
The Everyday Drone allows a user to experience time to data without needing ground control points (GCP), and the ability to seamlessly integrate precision aerial data into their Smart Construction Workflow.
In common construction workflows, the time to data using traditional surveying methods could take weeks until project stakeholders can view or analyze their job site data. With the Edge1, customers are able to leverage a seamless GCP free workflow that consistently delivers sub 50-mm accurate data, in arbitrary or local coordinate systems within 30 minutes, saving countless hours and labor costs.
“We are now using the Everyday Drone at the start of projects to collect whole site information for pre-tender and bidding capability, comparing against 3D design surface to provide fleet and project managers real, accurate information viewed in the Smart Construction Application,” said Aaron Marsh, national technology solution expert manager, Smart Centre, Komatsu Australia. “This allows them to work out their cut and fill volumes with accuracy from the beginning, and enables the project tender team to select the right machines for the project optimising fleet recommendation and empowering the team to make the right, data-based decisions from the start.”
“Skycatch is proud to offer a better way of accessing precision data on-site. With traditional methods, the solutions are piecemeal, cumbersome, and time-consuming,” said Christian Sanz, Skycatch founder and CEO. “Now, customers are able to make informed decisions about changes to what was planned and what is actually happening on site in near real-time, ultimately providing greater productivity, increased profit and reducing project risk from beginning to end,”
Customers tested the receptiveness of the Everyday Drone Solution, said James Mackenzie, national remote support manager at Komatsu Australia. They first tested in civil construction, and then quickly expanded into quarry sites. Mackenzie was able to survey six quarries in five days for different customers, post-processed in the cloud, receiving the data back the next day.
“Compared to a traditional survey, this is 100% more productive and efficient,” Mackenzie said. “By using the Everyday Drone, customers are no longer putting themselves in harm’s way, surveying around heavy machinery or climbing up unstable stockpiles at risk of twisting an ankle.”
He also noted that customers appreciated the fast turn-around time, the ease of use, and the ruggedness of the products.
“Skycatch’s ability to provide near real-time data throughout the entire project is vital, and being able to deliver that to the customer, supervisor and give project teams the ability to make decisions throughout the project easily with usable, accurate data is key to the success of the project as a whole, not just in siloed environments is priceless,” Marsh said.
Skycatch has announced an on-premise data processing and GNSS base station, the Skycatch Edge1, manufactured in partnership with DJI and now available worldwide.
Edge1 base station. (Photo: Skycatch)
Tested and optimized for the Skycatch Explore1 and DJI Phantom 4 RTK drones, the self-positioning Edge1 allows commercial drone users the ability to process and receive data without the need for internet or cellular connectivity, the company said.
Field teams can fly their drone, process the data and receive centimeter-level data outputs in 30 minutes or less, directly to a tablet. 2D maps and 3D point clouds are available for viewing and sharing directly from the tablet.
The Edge1 concept began as a companion to the Skycatch Explore 1 drone. Now, a new generation of the Edge1 will support all DJI drones, including the recently released DJI Phantom 4 RTK, and will process any 2D geotagged images.
In addition to a survey-grade GNSS base station, the Edge1 includes built-in WiFi, LTE, reliable sub-5-centimeter accuracy, and delivers high-quality data outputs, the company added. Built around a state-of-the-art compute module, the Edge1 is also capable of running deep learning algorithms to extract more insights from collected data in near real time.
“It’s truly a revolutionary product that we’re excited to make available to the DJI community, and the construction and mining industry at large,” said Christian Sanz, founder & CEO of Skycatch. “With the partnership and support of DJI, the Edge1 will be assembled with precision execution in their world-class manufacturing facility, and will be available faster to the customer.”
“As the commercial drone industry has grown, the amount of data collected by our enterprise users is unprecedented,” said Jan Gasparic, director of strategic partnerships at DJI. “We are glad to work with Skycatch to manufacture the Skycatch Edge1 GNSS base receiver, enabling enterprise customers, especially those in the construction industry, to process data from their DJI drones on-site and in real-time.”
Skycatch is an industrial data collection and analytics company focused on indexing and extracting critical information from the physical world, using a combination of hardware, software and artificial intelligence. Built for enterprise, its turnkey solutions are deployed across global project sites with largest construction, mining and energy companies.
