Wingcopter’s authorized partner in Japan, ITOCHU Corporation, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to collaborate on the practical use of Wingcopter’s long-range drones in aerial surveying together with PASCO Corporation and YellowScan Japan.
The companies initially plan to use the Wingcopter 198 in disaster management where drone-based surveying is playing an increasingly important role,
to create hazard maps and monitor ground deformation as part of effective pre-disaster prevention,
to gather information and assess damage in the event of a disaster, and
to measure terrain changes and develop recovery plans during post-disaster restoration.
According to Wingcopter, carrying out these tasks is easier and less risky with fixed-wing drones such as the Wingcopter 198 than with traditional human or aircraft-based methods.
About 70 percent of Japan’s land consists of mountainous and hilly terrain, with steep slopes and short, fast-flowing rivers. Conventional multicopter droneswould not be suitable for such tasks as they are limited in range and coverage compared to the Wingcopter 198.
Image: Wingcopter
Under the MOU, YellowScan Japan’s advanced lidaer scanner Voyager will be used on the Wingcopter 198. By integrating this technology with PASCO’s extensive expertise in operational quality and safety in aerial surveying, it is possible to carry out long-distance and large-area surveys that were previously difficult to achieve without manned aircraft.
In a single 45-minute flight, the Wingcopter 198 can scan 1,000+ hectares, simultaneously capturing lidar and RGB data, allowing the system to generate an exceptionally high point density and precision. This makes it suitable even for demanding applications.
The collaboration also promotes automation and labor savings in surveying tasks, contributing to sustainable development in the surveying industry and reducing disaster risks.
Position Partners has unveiled SmartSurveyor, which facilitates accurate, survey-grade aerial mapping and photogrammetry without the need for a connection between a camera shutter and a GNSS receiver.
The fully compact, handheld, aerial mapping survey rover is compatible with DJI Mavix 2 and 3 series and Phantom 4 Pro drones.
Image: Position Partners
The design is dissimilar to other drone mapping systems in that it works from a drone or smartphone and with two or more ground control points (GCPs) while using an ultra-matching technique.
Once data is captured by SmartSurveyor, all the photos and the GNSS file are uploaded to a PC and analyzed through the Agisoft UltraMatch workflow to confirm their accuracy before they are exported. Data can be managed in the cloud or on a local PC using software designed by MapSender.
Additionally, this mapping tool works in tandem with the AllDayRTK subscription GNSS network service so collected data can be uploaded to Tokara to remotely manage a project.
Mobile mapping using an OxTS xNAV650 INS and lidar sensor. Photo: OxTS
We discussed mobile mapping with Jacob Amacker, application engineer, OxTS.
How do you define “mobile mapping” as opposed to “surveying”?
We use the two terms interchangeably. Each one has a different connotation depending on where you are in the world and both can be useful. We use them to cover a broad range of use cases, but “mobile mapping” is used more specifically for land-based mapping of the environment. A typical application might be a van equipped with an INS [inertial navigation system] and lidar sensors.
“Surveying” can be used a bit more generally, applying to aerial or pedestrian-based mapping, but it does have the connotation of static mapping, which we do not typically handle.
What are your main markets for mobile mapping?
It is very hard to say. The world of mobile mapping is so diverse. However, lidar mapping could be seen as both the largest and the fastest-growing market in the surveying world as lidar has become widely affordable. Although our technology can be used with any surveying devices, at OxTS we particularly like to use lidar and are focusing on getting the best results from lidar data. This has included making our own point-cloud georeferencing software to maximize the potential of our navigation data in making point clouds.
What are the main differences between your devices for aerial mapping and for ground-based mapping?
We use the same INS device for both ground and aerial mapping. For use on manned aircraft, we would always recommend our highest accuracy system with the best IMU, the Survey+. The main source of inaccuracy in survey data will come from the IMU error over the range to the objects. Because most of this range is the aircraft’s altitude, this error is quite significant. For land-based mapping work, the measurements provided by the lighter and smaller xNAV650 are still suitable for many high-precision applications.
GNSS-INS integration has been done for decades. What is new and what are the remaining challenges?
It is now much more affordable to have very high-grade IMUs and GNSS receivers. Nevertheless, there will always be further improvements to be made to how the data streams are combined. On a similar note, other navigation aiding sources are increasingly being considered to supplement the IMU and the GNSS receiver — such as wheel speed sensors, lidar, camera odometry and others that can also be integrated to stabilize and improve the navigation data. Overall, it is very exciting what is yet to come out of INS technology. In recent years, it has become so good that people expect more and more from it, and this demand must be met. What happens when GNSS drops out? We are seeing increasing development to make the navigation data robust against challenges of any environment.
Given the IMU’s drift, for how long can your system function at an acceptable level in case of a GNSS outage?
It is difficult to put a number on what kind of drift is acceptable, as it depends on the application and the end-user requirements. Typically, half a meter of drift in one minute of GNSS-outage might be the goal for some of the higher-grade surveyors. Still others might only be satisfied with negligible drift.
What keeps the INS and the lidar unit synchronized during a GNSS outage?
The INS has an internal clock to keep the timing during a GNSS outage. Of course, this will not be as accurate as the atomic clocks on the satellites, but it is quite adequate to maintain survey-grade accuracy during GNSS outages. GNSS is still necessary to get the timing information in the first place, and this is a reliance that INS devices will want to remove in the future.
GeoCue, a U.S. LiDAR data technology company, has announced its latest True View 3D Imaging Systems (3DIS) product, the True View 645/650. Combined with GeoCue’s integrated data processing software suite, True View EVO, all GeoCue 3DIS products include the full post-processing software workflow, including direct integration with Applanix POSPac.
The survey-grade True View EVO supports the direct creation of many standard project deliverables including ground classified point clouds, surface models, contours, Digital Elevation Models (DEMs), volumetric analysis, wire extraction and similar products without the need for additional third-party software.
According to GeoCue CEO Frank Darmayan, the newest True View 645/650 includes a Riegl mini VUX3-UAV laser scanner and dual mapping cameras. This system delivers colorized LIDAR deliverables with accuracy better than 3cm RMSE for the True View 645, and better than 2cm for the True View 650.
The mini VUX-3UAV, a 360° rotating mirror scanner, increases the scanner frequency to 300 kHz and offers a unique mode where the 200,000 pulse per second scan rate is focused in a 120° cross-track field of view, providing significantly increased point densities in aerial mapping applications.
With Congressional approval of $17 billion in infrastructure funding, the largest single allocation ever, the scramble to win contracts is about to get red hot and AEC firms are gearing up. In this very competitive game, top engineering firms are relying on their experience, technology, business acumen and ability to execute.
Advances in aerial mapping play a key role in how AEC firms pursue these contracts. Savvy firms have been using this technology for years. Rather than rely on lower resolution satellite imagery or local drone imagery, they use wide-area-coverage aerial maps to clearly display the detail needed to plan and execute.
Over the past decade, maps made using aerial photogrammetry have played an important role in the AEC space. Using high-performance cameras, fleets of planes capture hundreds of square miles per plane per day, provided that the weather is clear. The imagery is processed and made available to engineering companies within days of capture, allowing them to see very clear imagery.
AEC organizations use different forms of aerial maps to evaluate sites, improve their survey designs, and build and maintain infrastructure (roads, highways, bridges, tunnels, overpasses, rail, airports, housing, commercial building development, water resources, parks, pavement and more). Imagine you’re a state or local government that needs to build a bridge, or a developer who wants to contract with an engineering and construction firm to build affordable housing. Why travel to perform time-consuming site evaluations when you can meet with engineering teams in your office and review hundreds of potential sites instantly using current aerial photos that show change over time?
The engineering teams point out elevation changes, the presence and height of vegetation, neighboring communities, bodies of water, ponding and more. They easily navigate from one location to another as you discuss where the entrance to the community could be, how the road network might be configured, and the proximity to retail, schools and healthcare. Within minutes you measure risk, understand the landscape, make decisions, and begin to estimate the project costs. Your teams collaborate, discuss the pros and cons, measure distances and navigate across the terrain virtually.
Aerial mapping provides a competitive advantage for AEC companies to win their fair share of the infrastructure bill. It also gives governments and developers the confidence they need to make the right decisions. Typically, this involves looking at sites from all angles. The classic form of aerial mapping used by engineers is a top-down perspective. Increasingly, these organizations have used oblique imagery captured at an angled perspective, which shows height.
Artificial Intelligence and Aerial Photography
Starting a few years ago, 3D imagery and digital surface models began to allow engineers to navigate through the imagery and query it based on elevation. More recently, aerial mapping has leveraged artificial intelligence (AI) to classify properties and the landscape. Do you need to see nearby construction sites? AI applied to aerial photography can do that automatically. This rich set of data includes attributes such as tree overhang, roof condition, roof material, building footprints, vegetation height, surface material, swimming pools and even solar panels.
The blend of all these imagery types and AI into a single solution makes everything discoverable. Users can search by address, city, location or point of interest. They can visualize the imagery along with lat/long coordinates and quickly switch from top-down views to obliques to 3D. As they learn more about the landscape, they begin to turn on AI attributes, gaining deeper insights.
Sometimes, the analyses go even further. Engineering organizations export the imagery to tools of their choice from such companies as Autodesk, Esri or Bentley Systems, use field-collected ground control points to ensure that it is survey grade, then use it as a base layer for their designs. They even create marketing presentations and video content to help them win the business. Current high-resolution aerial maps have become a cornerstone of how these organizations operate.
This approach provides unique advantages for engineering firms. For example, they can combine geospatial and construction datasets in a common operating environment to reduce complexity, streamline communication, ensure that all stakeholders are up to date, and check their progress toward meeting contractual obligations.
Planners have current, contextual designs and models to make accurate decisions about planning and development activities. They can view asset locations and conditions to facilitate maintenance and upgrades, leverage aerial maps inside other platforms to improve work orders and reduce field visits, and ensure regulatory compliance.
Whether it’s improving highway safety, constructing ferry terminals, improving transportation systems, developing land or building a network of recreational trails, aerial imagery provides engineering and construction companies with a competitive advantage to win new business, improve client satisfaction and meet growth targets. With $17 billion on the line, sophisticated firms are finding a way to secure their fair share of the pie.
Nearmap aerial imagery is used as a basis for survey linework. Photo: Nearmap
With Congressional approval of $17 billion in infrastructure funding, the largest single allocation ever, the scramble to win contracts is about to get red hot and AEC firms are gearing up. In this very competitive game, top engineering firms are relying on their experience, technology, business acumen and ability to execute.
Advances in aerial mapping play a key role in how AEC firms pursue these contracts. Savvy firms have been using this technology for years. Rather than rely on lower resolution satellite imagery or local drone imagery, they use wide-area-coverage aerial maps to clearly display the detail needed to plan and execute.
Over the past decade, maps made using aerial photogrammetry have played an important role in the AEC space. Using high-performance cameras, fleets of planes capture hundreds of square miles per plane per day, provided that the weather is clear. The imagery is processed and made available to engineering companies within days of capture, allowing them to see very clear imagery.
AEC organizations use different forms of aerial maps to evaluate sites, improve their survey designs, and build and maintain infrastructure (roads, highways, bridges, tunnels, overpasses, rail, airports, housing, commercial building development, water resources, parks, pavement and more). Imagine you’re a state or local government that needs to build a bridge, or a developer who wants to contract with an engineering and construction firm to build affordable housing. Why travel to perform time-consuming site evaluations when you can meet with engineering teams in your office and review hundreds of potential sites instantly using current aerial photos that show change over time?
The engineering teams point out elevation changes, the presence and height of vegetation, neighboring communities, bodies of water, ponding and more. They easily navigate from one location to another as you discuss where the entrance to the community could be, how the road network might be configured, and the proximity to retail, schools and healthcare. Within minutes you measure risk, understand the landscape, make decisions, and begin to estimate the project costs. Your teams collaborate, discuss the pros and cons, measure distances and navigate across the terrain virtually.
Aerial mapping provides a competitive advantage for AEC companies to win their fair share of the infrastructure bill. It also gives governments and developers the confidence they need to make the right decisions. Typically, this involves looking at sites from all angles. The classic form of aerial mapping used by engineers is a top-down perspective. Increasingly, these organizations have used oblique imagery captured at an angled perspective, which shows height.
Artificial Intelligence and Aerial Photography
Starting a few years ago, 3D imagery and digital surface models began to allow engineers to navigate through the imagery and query it based on elevation. More recently, aerial mapping has leveraged artificial intelligence (AI) to classify properties and the landscape. Do you need to see nearby construction sites? AI applied to aerial photography can do that automatically. This rich set of data includes attributes such as tree overhang, roof condition, roof material, building footprints, vegetation height, surface material, swimming pools and even solar panels.
The blend of all these imagery types and AI into a single solution makes everything discoverable. Users can search by address, city, location or point of interest. They can visualize the imagery along with lat/long coordinates and quickly switch from top-down views to obliques to 3D. As they learn more about the landscape, they begin to turn on AI attributes, gaining deeper insights.
Sometimes, the analyses go even further. Engineering organizations export the imagery to tools of their choice from such companies as Autodesk, Esri or Bentley Systems, use field-collected ground control points to ensure that it is survey grade, then use it as a base layer for their designs. They even create marketing presentations and video content to help them win the business. Current high-resolution aerial maps have become a cornerstone of how these organizations operate.
This approach provides unique advantages for engineering firms. For example, they can combine geospatial and construction datasets in a common operating environment to reduce complexity, streamline communication, ensure that all stakeholders are up to date, and check their progress toward meeting contractual obligations.
Planners have current, contextual designs and models to make accurate decisions about planning and development activities. They can view asset locations and conditions to facilitate maintenance and upgrades, leverage aerial maps inside other platforms to improve work orders and reduce field visits, and ensure regulatory compliance.
Whether it’s improving highway safety, constructing ferry terminals, improving transportation systems, developing land or building a network of recreational trails, aerial imagery provides engineering and construction companies with a competitive advantage to win new business, improve client satisfaction and meet growth targets. With $17 billion on the line, sophisticated firms are finding a way to secure their fair share of the pie.
iXBlue has launched a new range of FOG-based inertial navigation system (INS) dedicated to land and air mobile mapping applications, the Atlans Series. iXBlue is high-tech company specializing in the design and manufacturing of advanced navigation and georeferencing solutions.
Based on iXBlue’s fiber-optic gyroscope (FOG) technology, the Atlans Series is a scalable range of north-seeking and north-keeping inertial navigation systems. They provide FOG performance to the full spectrum of land and air mobile-mapping applications and offer highly accurate positioning (up to 0.01 meter) in all conditions, including within GNSS-denied environments such as urban canyons, mountainous or forests areas.
“Our existing high-grade Atlans A7 INS had already been adopted as the preferred georeferencing solution by leading U.S. companies operating in the pavement condition survey industry,” explained Marine Slingue, vice president, iXBlue. “Having identified the high potential of our technology for other land and mobile mapping applications, we decided to develop a complete range of scalable INS that each meet the specific requirements of every applications. With our new Atlans Series INS, we are now bringing the unrivaled georeferencing accuracy performance offered by the FOG technology to all land and air mapping applications, enabling robust and uninterrupted data-acquisition operations.”
Quick and simple to install on all platforms, the new Atlans Series INS offers efficient “set-and-forget” operations for a wide range of land and air applications including asset inventory, pavement condition survey, vehicle automation, HD mapping, automotive testing, ground-truth, airborne surveys (UAVs, planes, helicopters), as well as precision pointing.
This image of Wales is color-coded to show the relative height of the land. (Image: Bluesky)
Aerial mapping company Bluesky International has been awarded a contract by Natural Resources Wales, on behalf of Welsh Government, to capture a high-resolution laser mapped aerial survey of the whole of Wales.
Working alongside Natural Resources Wales and the Welsh government, Bluesky will capture the data at a resolution of 2 points per metre before processing and delivering lidar data for more than 20,000 square kilometers of rural and urban landscapes.
The Bluesky lidar data will be employed in a range of policy areas including flood modeling, forestry management, coastline monitoring, urban planning and archaeological conservation.
In addition to use internally by Welsh Government and Natural Resources Wales, the lidar data will also be made publicly available in due course, via Welsh Government’s Lle Geo-Portal website and Bluesky’s Mapshop.
“Historically, lidar data has been acquired over Wales at various points in time from the 1990s onwards,” said Paul Isaac, project manager at Natural Resources Wales. “However, since these datasets have been collected for different reasons a patchwork of data exists that is inconsistent in terms of capture technology, coverage and resolution. Also, many of the high-altitude, mountainous areas have not been captured at all resulting in key habitats and ecosystems remaining unmapped.”
“This pattern of largely uncoordinated acquisitions would likely have continued with different programmes and projects funded from various sources,” he added. “Therefore, rather than different public sector bodies securing data individually — leading to inefficiencies and discrepancies — Welsh Government proposed to capture one consistent dataset to cover the whole country. A further key driver for the projects is the wider economic benefit as organizations and individuals will no longer have to fund separate data capture.”
Bluesky was awarded the National Lidar for Wales contract following a formal tender process with responses evaluated on technical ability as well as price. All tenders were required to provide a detailed methodology of how they would complete the project to the published specification.
“Bluesky was able to provide evidence that they could provide the required services at a competitive price,” Isaac said. “Bluesky also showed they had extensive experience in this field having successfully delivered a number of related projects.”
“We are delighted to be working with Natural Resources Wales on this nationally significant project,” said Rachel Tidmarsh, managing director of Bluesky International. “As a team, we have great experience delivering large scale projects of this nature to the required specification and timescales.”
Lidar USA has become the Titanium sponsor for the first UAS Rodeo, hosted by GEOHuntsville out of Hunstville, Alabama.
Operating since 1999, Lidar USA offers unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and mobile mapping systems for scanning, imaging and navigation.
Its products will be on display at the UAS Rodeo, which is designed to give Part 107 UAS pilots involved in public safety activities a full-scale training, skill-building and competitive environment to share knowledge in UAS operations.
The company said that integrating its mobile mapping solutions with the rapidly growing UAV industry has been pivotal to its success to adapt to a customer’s needs. UAS Rodeo will provide Lidar USA an avenue to show the UAS community its cutting-edge technology.
The UAS Rodeo takes place Oct. 9-10 in Huntsville at the Public Safety Training Academy, 6001 Cecil Fain Drive NW.
SenseFly, provider of fixed-wing drones, has launched the eBee X for mapping.
The eBee X, part of the Parrot Business Solutions portfolio, is designed to boost the quality, efficiency and safety of an operator’s geospatial data collection.
The eBee X. (Photo: senseFly)
It offers a camera to suit every job, the accuracy and coverage capabilities to meet the requirements of demanding projects, and is durable enough to work virtually every site, the company said.
“The eBee X is a giant leap forward for mapping technology and underscores senseFly’s position as the leader in the fixed-wing drone market,” said Gilles Labossière, executive vice president and COO of Parrot Group and senseFly CEO. “No matter what type of project a professional is undertaking, the eBee X has the coverage, data and accuracy capabilities needed to get the job done.”
The eBee X includes a range of cameras for jobs ranging from land surveying and topographic mapping to urban planning, crop mapping, thermal mapping, environmental monitoring and more. Cameras include:
The senseFly S.O.D.A. 3D: a unique drone photogrammetry camera with a one-inch sensor, which changes orientation during flight to capture three images (two oblique, one nadir) every time, instead of just one, for a much wider field of view. The result is stunning digital 3D reconstructions in vertically-focused environments—such as urban areas, open pit mines and coastlines—over larger areas than quadcopter drones can achieve. senseFly S.O.D.A. 3D is optimised for quick, robust image processing with Pix4Dmapper software.
The senseFly Aeria X: a compact drone photogrammetry camera with APS-C sensor. This rugged innovation offers an ideal blend of size, weight and DSLR-like image quality. Thanks in part to its built-in Smart Exposure technology, it provides outstanding image detail and clarity, in virtually all light conditions, allowing operators to map for more hours per day than ever before.
The senseFly Duet T: a dual-camera thermal mapping rig, which lets mapping professionals create geo-accurate thermal maps and digital surface models quickly and easily. The Duet T includes both a high-resolution (640 x 512 px) thermal infrared camera and a senseFly S.O.D.A. RGB camera with one-inch sensor. Both image sources can be accessed as required, while the rig’s built-in Camera Position Synchronisation feature works in sync with Pix4Dmapper photogrammetry software (optional) to simplify the map reconstruction process.
The eBee X is also compatible with the Parrot Sequoia+ multispectral camera for agriculture, the senseFly S.O.D.A. drone photogrammetry camera and senseFly Corridor for simple linear mapping.
The eBee X can meet the exacting requirements of every project. Its unique Endurance Extension option unlocks a flight time of up to 90 minutes (versus a maximum endurance of 59 minutes by default).
With this capability activated, the drone is able to achieve vast single-flight coverage of up to 500 hectares (1,235 acres) at 122 meters (400 feet), while the eBee X’s built-in High-Precision on Demand (RTK/PPK) function helps operators to achieve absolute accuracy of down to 3 centimeters (1.2 inch) — without ground control points.
According to senseFly, the eBee X allows users to work virtually every site, no matter how demanding, thanks to the drone’s built-in Steep Landing technology, ultra-robust design, live air traffic data and more, all backed by senseFly’s professional, localized support.
The eBee X is ideally suited to the varied and evolving needs of mapping professionals. These include: surveying and construction companies, quarry and mine operators, agronomists and forestry engineers, professional drone service providers, aerial imagery companies, environmental researchers and more, the company added.
The eBee X is supplied with senseFly’s eMotion flight planning and data management software.
Professional drone company Wingtra is partnering with photogrammetry company Pix4D. Pix4D’s software suite is now available to WingtraOne users, both directly and via Wingtra’s distributors.
WingtraOne, Wingtra’s main product, is a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) UAV that enables data collection for a variety of industries. The partnership with Pix4D aims to augment its status with an end-to-end solution including 2D map and 3D model construction from aerial data.
The WingtraOne drone bridges the gap between traditional multi-rotors and fixed-wing drones, the company said. It takes off and lands vertically like conventional multirotors, but once in flight, the drone tilts forward to fly like a fixed-wing aircraft.
Being able to carry heavy payload such as the Sony RX1RII, the drone offers high mapping accuracy, while covering an area of 980 acres (400 Ha) at 3 cm/px (1.2 in/px) GSD or the equivalent of 570 football fields.
The WingtraOne is available in use in Europe, China, the United States and Australia for applications ranging from surveying and precision agriculture to glacier monitoring.
Wingtra (booth 109) and Pix4D (booth 415) are exhibiting at Commercial UAV Expo Americas, which takes place Oct. 24-26 in Las Vegas.
Map made by Pix4D pictures taken by WingtraOne with RX1RII camera. (image: Wingtra)
Turning Information into Insight. Wingtra’s diverse user base is complemented by Pix4D, whose product range is aimed at the surveying and agriculture industry, among others.
Pix4D has allows professionals to generate high-quality point clouds, orthomosaics, surface and terrain models from aerial imagery. Some of its popular offerings include Pix4Dmapper for precisely georeferenced 2D maps and 3D models, and Pix4Dag for accurate reflectance and index maps (NDVI, NDRE).
With WingtraOne’s autonomous aerial data collection and Pix4D’s advanced data-analysis capabilities offered as a single bundle, professional users can now expect a plug-and-play solution. “We are keen on collaborating strongly in our upcoming events. Actually we are meeting very soon at UAV Expo in Las Vegas,” Bailey said.
“The bond between the companies was established some time ago, since realizing the potential of pairing high-resolution aerial images with cutting-edge photogrammetry modeling software,” said Caroline Bailey, Pix4D regional sales manager for Europe. “We are very happy to announce the decision to become official partners.”
Leopold Flechsenberger, sales manager at Wingtra, added, “We have always aimed at providing the best survey-grade aerial imagery to our users, so Pix4D was an obvious choice from the start. From now on, Wingtra is offering a reduced price on WingtraOne drones, when bundled with Pix4Dmapper.”
In February, mechatronics lead Kevin Bass of Intuitive Machines and contracted pilot Mike Laible successfully flew multiple runs with an unmanned aerial vehicle platform, Tiburon Jr., on the coast of Antarctica.
The long-range Tiburon Jr. takes Antarctic ice sheet studies to new heights.
From Wilkins Aerodrome in the southeast, the team launched Tiburon Jr. and collected valuable testing and environmental data. Battling harsh weather and constantly changing conditions, the team flew the UAV several times, allowing tests of all aspects of its platform.
“These flights provided us with valuable insights into cold-weather flight characteristics,” Bass said. “We successfully demonstrated that our onboard flight system is hardened the proper amount for the harsh environment.”
The onboard software also proved to be robust as it dealt with sensors whose response to the extreme conditions was not previously known.
With an 80-knot cruise speed and a 15-minute assembly, deploying a Tiburon Jr. UAV saved time and is significantly safer than manned flights in hazardous environments such as Antarctica, Bass explained.
Tiburon Jr. can be assembled in 15 minutes, an important feature in extreme environments.
The carbon-fiber Tiburon Jr. has a swappable nose cone, enabling a modular ISR sensor pod including visible, infrared and multispectral options. A remote ground station can accompany the ground transportation trailer for a portable stand-alone solution. Aircraft operations can be fully autonomous or man-in-the-loop.
The flight was conducted in cooperation with the University of Texas Institute for Geophysics and ICECAP (Investigating the Cryospheric Evolution of the Central Antarctic Plate).
For its climate change studies, ICECAP currently uses an upgraded World War II era DC-3 with a suite of geophysical instruments to map the thickness of the ice sheet and measure the texture, composition, density and topography of rocks below the ice.
Beginning in summer 2017–18, Tiburon Junior’s big brother, Tiburon, will join the survey team.
