GPS World

Tag: aerial imagery

  • High-quality aerial imagery brings city added $60K; webinar shows how

    Located in low, gently rolling hills just north of Indianapolis, Carmel, Indiana is one of the fastest-growing communities in the country. It has nearly tripled in population since 2000 and now numbers 91,000 inhabitants.

    Considering the growth expected for 2017 and 2018, the City of Carmel needed a visual tool better able to manage the city’s expansion projects across several government departments.

    After years of using low-resolution aerial imagery provided by the county, the City of Carmel realized it needed something better for analyzing and displaying accurate information.

    The Carmel Storm Water Department turned to Nearmap to provide high-quality aerial images that are frequently updated to integrate with its existing applications, including ArcMap and ArcGIS.

    Nearmap now supplies the city with high-resolution imagery that aids data accuracy, verifies customer claims, educates developers, enforces compliance, and prepares presentations for internal government meetings. As an unexpected bonus, since implementing Nearmap, the department has collected $60,000 more in revenue in 2017.

    Shane Burnham, a GIS technician, and John Thomas, storm water administrator, both with the City of Carmel Engineering Department, will give a presentation on the city’s use of aerial imagery in a webinar on Thursday, January 18.  The webinar is free, but attendees must pre-register.

    Burnham provides GIS services for City of Carmel’s Engineering and Planning departments. He serves as departmental Cityworks Administrator and asset management specialist and has published custom GIS web applications during his career. Thomas focuses on impervious surface analysis using aerial imagery and GIS data in support of storm water administration and billing.

    “Truth on the Ground is Best Seen from the Air: How aerial imagery is propelling government and commercial organizations to higher levels of operational efficiency” will also feature speakers from Black & Veatch, an engineering, consulting and construction company with more than 100 offices worldwide, specializing in infrastructure development in power, oil and gas, water, telecommunications, government, mining, data centers, smart cities and banking and finance markets; and from Nearmap, an international provider of high resolution aerial imagery.

    Carmel Courthouse. (Photo: City of Carmel, Indiana.)
    Carmel Courthouse. (Photo: City of Carmel, Indiana.)

    Carmel was named Number 1 among Niche’s “Best Places to Live in 2017”. Niche is a website that analyzes public data sets and reviews to produce rankings, report cards, and profiles for every K-12 school, college, and neighborhood in the U.S.

    More about the free webinar:

    Advances in aerial imagery including high-resolution maps and a streamlined process to capture, manage and deliver imagery in the cloud is transforming the way governments and businesses operate. In this webinar, you will:

    • Learn about the latest advances in aerial imagery including how imagery is supporting a variety of government and business applications today.
    • See real-world use cases of imagery in telecommunication, engineering and city government to improve operational efficiency.
    • Understand how imagery can be used standalone and within GIS and CAD products.
    • See the latest demos of Nearmap imagery including vertical, panorama and oblique views.
  • Phase One Industrial introduces 190MP aerial system

    Phase One Industrial introduces 190MP aerial system

    Phase One Industrial has launched the 190MP Aerial System, built on dual CMOS sensors and the dual-lens iXU-RS1900 camera, which is capable of capturing images at 190 megapixels, according to the company.

    An alternative to traditionally expensive large-format cameras, the system was designed with input from engineers and experts in photogrammetry to address challenging aerial applications such as remote sensing, monitoring, inspection and disaster management.

    The system is equipped with an Applanix’ POS AV system, enabling direct geo-referencing of aerial images. It is also compatible with other GNSS/IMU systems. By integrating precision GNSS with inertial technology, POS AV enables precise determination of position and attitude, as well as the completion of geospatial projects in a more efficient and cost-effective manner.

    The system’s accurate large image coverage, light weight and low power consumption make it compatible with most light aviation vehicles, including those that previously could not manage a large format system.

    The iXU-RS1900 camera and 190MP aerial camera system will be presented at Intergeo 2017, to be held in Berlin, Germany, from Sept. 26-28. Phase One Industrial’s booth is in Hall 4.1, stand B4.002. Applanix is exhibiting in Hall 4.1, stand C4.050.

    At the system’s heart is the IXU-RS1900 camera. It features two CMOS sensors and two 90mm lenses for capturing RGB information. Key imaging attributes include:

    • a small pixel size (4.6 µ)
    • large image area (16,470 x 11,540)
    • high image-capture rate of 0.6 second and exposure time of up to 1/2000 second.

    An optional four-band configuration, adding a 50-mm lens for capturing near infrared (NIR) information, provides four-band (RGB, NIR) or color-infrared (CIR) imagery.

    Integrated iX Capture software automatically generates distortion-free images and automatically performs an accurate matching of the NIR and RGB images.

    The iXU-RS1900 can also be a  standalone camera for photogrammetric work, as a component for lidar systems, or as part of a multiple camera array, such as a nadir camera for oblique systems.

    “Introducing the Phase One 190MP aerial system demonstrates our continuing commitment to the aerial photography market,” said Dov Kalinski, general manager of Phase One Industrial. “The cooperation with leading partners in mount design, GNSS, and Flight Managements Systems enables Phase One to offer an innovative system at affordable pricing, and enables our customers to execute projects faster and at lower cost.”

    190MP Aerial System Features

    The entire system comprises many elements including:

    iX Controller MK III: This is the central hub of the system. It controls the camera, the gyro-stabilizing mount and the GNSS/IMU system, and runs the capture application and the flight management system. The iX Controller supports dual monitors, so both the pilot and the operator are able to monitor and observe different views of the setup in parallel.

    iX Capture: iX Capture is an aerial capture, control and image processing software with an intuitive interface that displays key information such as exposure settings, histogram, GPS data and frame count. It provides the operator with real-time feedback and ensures confidence that each image has been captured correctly.

    Gyro Stabilized Camera Mount – Somag DSM400: Designed specifically for Phase One 190MP Aerial System, this mount has a low weight of 14 kg and high payload of 35 kg. It provides optimal stabilization of the system pod and allows highly efficient and precise image capturing under most flight conditions.

    GNSS/IMU system: The Phase One 190MP Aerial System is equipped with an Applanix’ POS AV system, enabling direct geo-referencing of aerial images. It is also compatible with other GNSS/IMU systems. By integrating precision GNSS with inertial technology, POS AV enables precise determination of position and attitude, as well as the completion of geospatial projects in a more efficient and cost effective manner.

    Flight Management System: Controlled and operated with ease, TopoFlight flight management system, integrated into the Phase One 190MP Aerial Camera System, enables the planning, positioning and sensors’ management – reducing aerial survey operational costs and increasing productivity. The 190MP Aerial System is also compatible with other flight management systems.

    Availability and Pricing: The iXU-RS1900 camera and 190MP Aerial Systems are available now from Phase One Industrial partners worldwide. The iXU-RS1900 camera pricing starts at US$150,000; the 190MP Phase One Aerial System pricing starts at U.S. $280,000; and the190MP Four-Band Aerial System pricing starts at US$365,000.

  • In Hurricane Irma’s wake, EagleView captures imagery of property damage

    Post-Irma hurricane damage is captured in aerial imagery by EagleView.
    Post-Irma hurricane damage is captured in aerial imagery by EagleView.

    EagleView Technologies has captured post event aerial imagery of two million properties in the state of Florida following Hurricane Irma.

    EagleView is a provider of aerial imagery and property data analytics for government agencies, insurance carriers and other private-sector organizations,

    With an image library dating back to 2002 in the state of Florida, EagleView is able to provide emergency services, public safety agencies, property assessors and county GIS departments with ample imagery from before and after Hurricane Irma occurred. Combining high-resolution imagery and advanced machine learning capabilities, EagleView can identify the severity of property damage following a hurricane or other extreme weather event.

    “Hurricane Irma inflicted severe damage on properties all over Florida and affected millions of people throughout the state,” said EagleView President Rishi Daga. “With a view of more than two million properties in Florida, we are assisting the agencies that use our imagery with their efforts, so they can continue to help all of those who have been affected.”

    The two million properties have been photographed via specialized camera rigs in fixed-wing aircraft. The images are taken from an orthogonal (top-down) perspective as well as at oblique angles from all four cardinal directions. Oblique aerial imagery enables insurance claims adjusters to view all sides of a home’s exterior and gives emergency response crews greater insight into the storm’s effects in their communities.

    “Our goal was to begin capturing and processing imagery as soon as possible to assist in recovery efforts, and we have done so at record speed,” said Jay Martin, Senior Vice President of Operations at EagleView. “Our next phase is to put boots on the ground and complete property inspections up close using drones as part of our EagleView OnSite solution.”

    Post-hurricane image capture and processing will continue to take place throughout the upcoming weeks.

    EagleView is completing the phase of image capture via fixed-wing aircraft and will soon move in to completing property inspections with the use of unmanned aerial systems (UAS), bringing post-event data directly to insurance claims adjusters.

    As of Sept. 18, thousands of drone inspections have been scheduled through Friday, Sept. 22.

  • EagleView capturing Hurricane Irma imagery to speed response

    EagleView capturing Hurricane Irma imagery to speed response

    EagleView Technologies is actively flying to acquire post-storm imagery in Florida following Hurricane Irma. With more than 20 planes staged or in the air, EagleView is continuously capturing high-resolution aerial imagery to enable rapid assessment and response to Hurricane Irma relief efforts.

    EagleView is a provider of aerial imagery and property analytics for the government, insurance and commercial sectors.

    Using both fixed-wing aircraft and drones, EagleView imagery supports post-hurricane insurance claims adjusting, property assessment, public safety and land surveying professionals.

    “With these hurricanes affecting so many Americans, we’re putting our planes in the air as soon as possible to begin the image capture process,” said EagleView President Rishi Daga. “From our unique high-resolution post-event imagery to our industry-leading machine learning capabilities, EagleView’s technology can massively accelerate recovery efforts and because of this, we find it crucial to take flight immediately once permitted into the airspace.”

    EagleView’s historical image library, dating back to 2002 in Florida, offers insurance carriers, first responders, non-profit organizations and local government agencies the ability to analyze the impact of the storm on homes, commercial buildings and infrastructure by comparing previously captured imagery with the latest post-event images.

    Image capture and processing post-Hurricane Irma will take place continuously over several weeks, with EagleView making constant updates to its nearly four-petabyte imagery and data library.

    “We have access to an impressive amount of resources in Florida and the surrounding areas, allowing us to provide the largest post-storm image capture capabilities to our clients,” said Jay Martin, senior vice president of operations for EagleView. “Our team is working around the clock to deliver imagery to those who need it most following these devastating weather events.”

    EagleView is capturing varying types of aerial imagery throughout Florida. This includes its ultra-high-resolution (UHR) imagery, also known as Reveal imagery, which is the highest resolution aerial imagery available on the market today.

  • HxIP announces updates to 2017 airborne imagery collection plans

    Latest imagery collection covers U.S., Canada, Europe; plans include territories, cities

    The Hexagon Imagery Program (HxIP) has updated its 2017 airborne imagery collection plans of Wide Area Coverage (WAC) at 30-centimeter accuracy and Urban Area Coverage (UAC) at 15-cm accuracy in North America and Europe.

    By the end of 2017, the HxIP will update its content for more than 3.9 million km² in North America. This includes a refresh of 18 previously captured U.S. states and completes the full coverage of the continental United States, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, the U.S. and British Virgin Islands, and select areas of Alaska.

    The HxIP announces updates to 2017 airborne imagery collection plans of Wide Area Coverage (WAC) at 30-centimetre accuracy and Urban Area Coverage (UAC) at 15 cm accuracy in North America and Europe.
    The HxIP announces updates to 2017 airborne imagery collection plans of Wide Area Coverage (WAC) at 30-centimetre accuracy and Urban Area Coverage (UAC) at 15 cm accuracy in North America and Europe.

    In addition to the 30-cm program, the HxIP expands its 15-cm collection by 100 cities for a total of 347 U.S. urban areas covering more than 492,000 km². The HxIP also includes 23 Canadian cities at 30 cm with efforts underway to refresh and expand the Canadian library.

    This year will see the addition of approximately 650,000 km² in Europe bringing, the Western European coverage to more than 2.2 million km². Including countries such as Italy, Germany, Spain, France and Poland, this coverage expands the HxIP on the global stage, making it one of the most comprehensive, imagery programs in the world.

    Hexagon-Europe-W

    “Over the last three years since we launched the program, we have been extensively growing our coverage through adding new imagery acquisition partners and increasing our resources to support the program,” said John Welter, Hexagon Geosystems Content and Engineering Services president. “We are well on track to meet our 2017 goals, and we are continuously improving our offerings to better support our users, including completing coverage and reducing the time it takes to refresh our content.”

    Quality control by experts. Launched in June 2014, the HxIP provides valuable geospatial content and delivers professional-grade airborne images captured with Leica Geosystems’ airborne sensors, including enhanced-resolution, four-band orthos, rasterized point clouds, and stereo imagery.

    Captured by a network of Leica Geosystems airborne users, the data is processed by experienced photogrammetry professionals who ortho rectify, and correct colors and seam lines. Using the latest processing technology, these experts clean the data to be used in various applications, such as corridor mapping, real estate assessments and flood planning.

  • Nearmap delivers new 3-D content and oblique imagery

    Nearmap has announced a national survey program providing true, high-resolution oblique imagery and derivative 3-D products.

    Nearmap provides cloud-based subscription access to up-to-date 2-D orthomosaic aerial imagery. Using its patented HyperCamera2 technology, Nearmap is applying the same access model to the oblique aerial imagery market.

    Because this new camera system provides a high degree of overlap from different angles, Nearmap can reconstruct the real world in stunning detail, producing not only high-resolution orthomosaic and oblique imagery, but also surface and terrain models, natural-color point clouds and textured 3-D meshes.

    “This level of detail and scale of coverage of oblique imagery has never been available as a ready-to-use service for commercial and government needs until now,” said Patrick Quigley, senior vice president and general manager, U.S. of Nearmap. “The HyperCamera2 process maps reality, by capturing the tops, sides and view angles of locations, buildings and objects, providing specific details of what’s exactly on the ground.

    Screen capture from a Nearmap 3D fly-through of Austin, Texas, rendered from Nearmap oblique Imagery.
    Screen capture from a Nearmap 3D fly-through of Austin, Texas, rendered from Nearmap oblique Imagery.

    Users will be able to immerse themselves in 3-D textured mesh models, improving analysis and design activities. They can see different elevations and line of sight using the 3-D information.

    These features become important in many use cases, including airport or utility planning, or to determine the best location for a crane before a construction project. Other applications include wireless telecommunications network modeling, solar panel design, tactical resource deployment, real estate development promotion, property valuation, insurance underwriting and smart cities.

    “3-D brings a whole new aspect of mapping reality to both commercial and government organizations,” said Rob Newman, CEO and managing director of Nearmap. “This new service will help industries plan, design, estimate, communicate and execute their plans — everything from major construction projects to solar installations on homes and businesses.”

    Beginning in April, Nearmap has already surveyed oblique images in Las Vegas; Indianapolis; Austin, Texas; Omaha, Nebraska; Phoenix; Seattle; Denver; Kansas City, Kansas; Chicago and New York, and continues to add new areas.

    By the end of 2017, Nearmap plans to complete surveying the largest urban areas covering more than half of the U.S. population — about 150 million people.

    Nearmap imagery will be refreshed up to three times per year in these coverage areas — with three orthomosaic captures incorporating one oblique capture. Nearmap’s orthomosaic imagery already covers nearly 70 percent of the U.S. population dating back to 2014. “This gives our customers the aerial imagery services they need for their businesses and projects,” Quigley said.

    Nearmap’s oblique imagery can be accessed in the MapBrowser interface or integrated into a customer’s own web application using Nearmap’s industry-standard API. Digital surface modeling is also available for export into GIS / CAD tools, including Esri’s ArcGIS Pro. Nearmap will soon enable similar access to the 3-D products.

  • EagleView acquires OmniEarth machine learning for water management

    EagleView, provider of aerial imagery and data analytics for government and commercial industries, has acquired OmniEarth, developer of machine learning technologies and decision-making tools for the water resource management, energy and insurance markets.

    With the acquisition, EagleView gains OmniEarth’s machine learning capabilities, resulting in higher accuracy and precision of existing automated datasets.

    OmniEarth’s ability to extract data from geospatial imagery will enhance EagleView’s property reports and Pictometry imagery classification of land areas such as impervious surfaces or irrigated farmland. It will also better identify roof shape and condition, tree overhang, decks, pools and other notable property features, EagleView said.

    “We’re excited to welcome OmniEarth’s strong research-oriented management team, who will add to the innovative work that we’re doing at EagleView,” said EagleView President Rishi Daga. “This acquisition aligns perfectly with our mission of transforming industries by providing answers and saving time and money.”

    Water authorities and government agencies rely on the water resource management tools from OmniEarth to determine budgeting and water cost savings for individual parcels as well as identify the overuse or abuse of water. Like EagleView, OmniEarth also supports the insurance underwriting market through its property feature identification capabilities.

    “By gaining access to EagleView’s world-class Pictometry image library and product infrastructure, the OmniEarth team will be able to accelerate its development of advanced analytic solutions,” said Lars Dyrud, President and CEO of OmniEarth. “EagleView and OmniEarth have a shared goal of problem-solving and will be able to work together to achieve that vision.”

    The acquisition gives EagleView opportunities to offer additional property data solutions for roof rating, virtual inspection, vegetation mapping, impervious surface mapping, solar suitability, and insurance prefill.

    “OnmiEarth’s machine learning capabilities will create new opportunities for EagleView to use our imagery and property measurements to create a large prefill database,” said Frank Giuffrida, EagleView’s Executive Vice President of Engineering. “Additionally, marrying our high-resolution imagery and existing technologies with this machine learning system will help us accelerate our product development in existing markets as well as enter into new markets.”

    EagleView is enthusiastic that the OmniEarth technologies will accelerate time-to-market on new product enhancements and greatly improve customer workflow capabilities. These innovations align with EagleView’s goals of capturing more frequent, higher-resolution imagery that covers more physical area and scaling through automation.

     

  • FAA and SkyPan reach agreement on unmanned aircraft enforcement cases

    The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has announced a comprehensive settlement agreement with aerial photography company SkyPan International of Chicago. The agreement resolves enforcement cases that alleged the company operated unmanned aircraft (UAS) in congested airspace over New York City and Chicago, and violated airspace regulations and aircraft operating rules.

    Under the terms of the agreement, SkyPan will pay a $200,000 civil penalty. The company also agrees to pay an additional $150,000 if it violates Federal Aviation Regulations in the next year, and $150,000 more if it fails to comply with the terms of the settlement agreement.

    SkyPan also agrees to work with the FAA to release three public service announcements in the next 12 months to support the FAA’s public outreach campaigns that encourage drone operators to learn and comply with UAS regulations.

    The agreement settles enforcement cases involving a $1.9 million civil penalty that the FAA proposed against SkyPan International Inc. of Chicago in October 2015. It is the largest civil penalty the agency has proposed against a UAS operator.

  • Bluesky, Bird.i partner for online, instant aerial imagery

    Aerial mapping company Bluesky has signed a strategic partnership agreement with Bird.i to provide online, instantaneous visualization of its high-resolution aerial imagery.

    Bluesky has created and maintains a high-resolution, up-to-date and accurate archive of aerial images in the United Kingdom. Established in 2016, Bird.i has developed a platform for accessing satellite, airborne and UAV imagery with a plug-and-play API that works within mapping and location-based applications.

    “The partnership with Bluesky will allow businesses across multiple industry sectors to exploit location information more accurately and efficiently,” said Corentin Guillo, founder and CEO of Bird.i. “Our commitment is to serve the most accurate and recent images available, such as those on offer from Bluesky, to our clients for mass consumption of instantaneously accessible ‘image views’. Working in partnership with Bluesky, we will streamline the overall process of image consumption and open new markets”.

    “We are delighted to partner with Bird.i because we believe that instant visualization of our detailed and accurate aerial images offers great benefits to businesses,” said Rachel Tidmarsh, managing director of Bluesky. “We see in Bird.i an innovative way forward, simplifying online access and accelerating the visualization of our images for many applications that rely on evidence-based information.”

    The agreement between the two companies will give subscribers to Bird.i’s API the ability to integrate Bluesky’s high-quality aerial images within its existing mapping applications and location-based services.

  • DJI offers large drone Matrice 600 Pro

    DJI offers large drone Matrice 600 Pro

    DJI has updated the capabilities of its largest drone series by introducing the Matrice 600 Pro, which offers improved flight performance, a more powerful battery charging system and better loading capacity for industrial equipment, cinema cameras and other professional aerial applications.

    The M600 Pro’s A3 Pro flight controller comes with triple modular redundancy and diagnostic algorithms that compare sensor data from three sets of GNSS units, which enhances precision control while improving overall safety. Vibration damping balls have been added to the flight controller’s redundant IMU module and main controller, absorbing more shake and reducing more noise.

    Photo: DJI

    The compatibility with D-RTK GNSS makes the A3 Pro withstand magnetic interference and provides centimeter-level accuracy, which makes it suitable for industrial applications.

    “The M600 Pro is DJI’s most advanced platform for aerial cinematographers and commercial users. With its simple and easy setup system, triple redundancy and improved stability, the platform offers an unparalleled experience for professional users,” said Aaron Zhao, Senior Product Manager at DJI.

    Photo: DJI

    DJI’s E2000 Pro dust-proof propulsion system simplifies maintenance and its active cooling motors ensure that operation is reliable for extended periods of time.

    The M600 Pro is compatible with DJI’s Zenmuse camera series, the Ronin-MX gimbal and DJI Focus. It supports a payload of 6 kilograms, meaning it can carry a range of cameras from Micro Four Thirds systems to the RED EPIC.

    The M600 Pro has been optimized for transportation and comes with pre-installed arms and antennas. When folded, the platform is smaller than the standard M600. The M600 Pro comes with an updated battery charging hub, enabling users to charge the six intelligent batteries at the same time and thereby reducing overall charging time.

  • DJI and DroneSAR launch rescue app for first responders

    DJI and DroneSAR launch rescue app for first responders

    DJI, maker of unmanned aerial vehicles, and DroneSAR, an Irish tech start-up for search and rescue, on Thursday announced a new search and rescue app that seamlessly integrates a drone’s unique aerial perspective on life-and-death searches into incident management software, ensuring rescue crews can use drones effectively to save lives.

    DroneSAR can stream live images and video, from a regular or thermal imaging camera, to an incident command center as well as other rescue teams on the ground. The software can tag the GPS coordinates of a victim and automatically transmit them by email or SMS, enabling ground crews to reach victims more quickly. Completed search patterns are all recorded and logged for easy handover to oncoming rescue crews.

    Screengrab: DroneSARThe app takes into account various types of terrain, allowing the drone to fly patterns to survey an area faster and more effectively. Flight paths can be adjusted for any terrain including hills, mountains, trees or flat land. The software allows users to choose an automatic aerial search pattern based on variables such as altitude, field of view, battery life and probability of detection. By organizing the process of data collection and providing a framework to manage and analyze it, DroneSAR ensures drones can be used methodically as part of a rescue protocol, allowing personnel to work more safely and effectively.

    “From understanding on how to use the technology, to communicating findings and data, to figuring out the most appropriate tactical approach, first responders can benefit greatly from this software app on our DJI hardware,” said Romeo Durscher, director of Education at DJI. “Many of the tasks and strategies deployed during a search and rescue operation can get sped up with automation, helping to reduce the time it takes to find a victim and save lives.”

    The software was developed based on research done by DJI in conjunction with the European Emergency Number Association and Ireland’s Donegal Mountain Search and Rescue team. The groups found that while a five-person rescue team on foot needs an average of two hours to find a victim in one square kilometer, a drone can do the job in 20 minutes or less while taking additional active steps to achieve a successful rescue.

    “Our aim is to save lives,” said Oisin McGrath, co-founder and CEO of DroneSAR. “Our software will reduce risk to search teams and reduce search time. If we can save just one life, that is mission success for us at DroneSAR.”

  • Datumate unveils DatuFly, professional imagery app for drones

    Datumate has released a new tablet app for drone flight planning and automated, high-resolution photo-shooting. The DatuFly app saves up to 80 percent of field surveying time and eliminates follow-up site visits, according to the company.

    “DatuFly automates the entire field surveying process, while keeping field work simple and safe,” said Tal Meirzon, Datumate CEO. “Ease of use and survey-grade results makes DatuFly a valuable tool for any surveyor and drone operator. The bundle of Drone, DatuFly app and DatuGram 3D photogrammetry software forms the ideal site surveying solution for professional results.”

    A friendly, wizard-type user interface makes it easy to select the job type and the required outputs to achieve best results. The area of interest is instantly marked on the map, including complex polygons, and the drone is ready for launch.

    Flight and aerial photography, vertical or oblique, are automatic and optimized per job type, such as topography, stockpiles and roads. Mission progress is constantly monitored on the tablet screen, including flight time, distance, waypoints and the required number of batteries.

    Once a battery is exhausted, the drone automatically returns for a battery exchange and resumes flight and photo-shooting from where it left off.

    The DatuFly image-taking plan is executed based on the best-practice requirements of DatuGram 3D, Datumate’s field-to-plan software that automates surveyors’ field and office work, ensuring survey-grade accuracy, high quality and quick results.

    DatuFly is compatible with DJI drones and is available on AppStore for iPads. An Android app will be available in the Google Play store in October 2016.