Trends in Digital Aerial Acquisition Systems Ernest Yap Regional Sales Manager, Airborne-Americas eyap@applanix.com
1 Medium Format Digital Cameras
Medium Format Digital Cameras Where does the Medium Format Camera fit into the industry? Does not replace the large format film cameras (RC30, LMK, RMK) Does not compete with large format digital cameras (UltraCam, DMC) Large formats try to acquire the largest areas and largest coverage The Medium Format cameras work in conjunction with large format cameras Medium-Format cameras smaller footprint (smaller area coverage) specific area data capture
Medium Format Digital Cameras What are the applications with a smaller footprint? Small area orthos Corridor mapping Not trying to get the largest area and widest coverage Medium format digital cameras do not replace the film camera the base-to-height ratio cannot compare Medium format cameras are meant as ortho-machines
DSS Market Segments: Applications Area Mapping Corridor Mapping Rapid Response Urban Planning County Mapping Insurance Roads and Highways Powerline Pipeline Shoreline Disaster Assessment Military Law Enforcement Facilities and Security
Medium Format Digital Cameras Smaller footprint smaller image size faster processing time = near real-time ortho production is here (e.g. Applanix DSS Rapid Ortho) Medium format cameras are generally smaller Can be installed in helicopters and small planes Fly lower Smaller aircraft reduce operation costs
With so many up and coming medium format cameras, you have to be careful that it is mapping quality Applanix DSS has been certified by the USGS
2 Sensor Fusion
Sensor Fusion: Medium-Format Cameras with LIDAR LIDAR Why would you integrate medium format cameras with LIDAR? Key reason: A large amount of detailed information can be collected in a very short amount of time LIDAR: for Digital Elevation Models Digital Aerial Cameras (Mapping grade) for imagery
Sensor Fusion: Medium-Format Cameras with LIDAR LIDAR Sensor-Fusion will get you survey data, structural information, topographical details and digital imagery all with common georeferencing attributes Why is the large-format camera incompatible with LIDAR? The ground coverage between both sensors are different at the same altitude. Data has to be captured at different altitudes OR, Multiple LIDAR passes would have to be flown to match the imagery coverage Large format cameras are faced with size and weight restrictions, which restricts the type of aircraft platform
Sensor Fusion: Medium-Format Cameras with LIDAR LIDAR The Field of View of a Medium format camera and LIDAR are nearly the same One flight same area coverage two datasets = less operation costs Sensor-Fusion uses the same GNSS/INS: A key component to a multi-sensor system shares the same GNSS/INS for Direct Georeferencing to get position and orientation for both LIDAR and Camera sensors
Sensor-Fusion: DSS Integration with LIDAR DSS is currently flying on LIDAR systems Working with LIDAR Manufacturers to improve: Software integration (workflow, control) Hardware integration (ie smaller payloads etc.)
Multi-Sensor System: More Sensors Integration of DSS with Multiple Sensors Hyperspectral Multispectral Thermal Medium Format Digital Cameras LIDAR Imagery and LIDAR can provide a High Resolution Base Map and DEM for registration for lower resolution hyperspectral or thermal data
3 GNSS/INS
GNSS/INS GNSS/INS has reached limits where higher accuracy will not improve sensor performance for aerial surveys The real trend at this point is using GNSS/INS post-processing software to improves the methods of performing aerial surveys and in project setup conditions
POSPac MMS: a NEW approach to Airborne Mapping and Surveying FLY FARTHER: The distance to nearest reference station extended well beyond 30 km (19 mi) up to 70 km, 100 km between reference baselines FLY SHARPER: Ability to fly 45-60 degree banked turns Reduces the need to start close to a reference station to initialize ambiguities Time to fix ambiguities is significantly reduced 18
POSPac MMS increases the accuracy and reliability of positioning in an airborne environment Applanix SmartBase TM Uses Trimble VRS TM Technology in post-processing mode by taking advantage of the GPS CORS networks or VRS subscription services Support augmentation to public GPS networks by supporting use of dedicated reference station data Applanix IN-Fusion TM Technology Tightly-coupled GNSS inertial integration Inertial data is used to solve for GPS ambiguities Retains memory of ambiguity during loss of satellites Results in ultra-fast re-initialization of ambiguity after loss 19
Ernest Yap Regional Sales Manager eyap@applanix.com