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How is the daily life in an aerial survey company?

How is the daily life in an aerial survey company?

Industrial News 04/2010, Vexcel, Intergraph, Trimble, TopoSys, IGI, Applanix, Leica, Optech, Visionmap

Industrial News 04/2010, Vexcel, Intergraph, Trimble, TopoSys, IGI, Applanix, Leica, Optech, Visionmap

aerial-survey-base

aerial-survey-base

100th DMC operational

Intergraph-Z/I Imaging today announced the 100.th DMC is successfully in operation.

Aero-Metric acquired their 3rd DMC, because of this nice, reliable and easy-to-use piece of technology.
Aero-Metric is one of the leading US flyers and head of technology in our business.

Today is also the time to remember a bit, since I made several years ago demonstration flights for Aero-Metric and Aeromap in Anchorage, Alaska, at the time the ASPRS congress was held over there. It was really impressing to see how they work over there.
I had a fantastic time working at Intergraph Z/I Imaging for several years: exploring fascinating technology, traveling across continents, working with a talented and diverse group of colleagues, An unforgettable experience!

So, back to the "Mercedes" of the Digital Mapping Cameras.
Since the DMC (Digital Mapping Camera) was introduced in 2002, several improvements are incoperated into the camera. The most reliable in my opinion is the use of Solid State Disc SSD and the Download/Copy station. Also, the PPS Post-Processing Software getting improved from year to year. Handling of the camera is easy, and the excellent software allows the operator in-flight control of the imagery. Post processing can be done in the evening in the Hotel. Very important are the radiometric features. These improvements to PPS software allow the easy generation of correct, natural and acceptable imagery to be delivered to the customer.
From the technical point of view, I believe in of course in German Engineering and manufacturing. Since I got several surprises in my work, I am a believer in that. So, let me say, the DMC is the Mercedes-Benz under all the Digital Cameras, may you can call it also "Porsche". If you have a look inside the "Japanese type" of cameras, you will see standard car type electronics, standard amateur type lenses and believe it or not, even the computer parts are most of time standard home-use boards, I saw 80 USD boards in very expensive cameras. This would be – of course – acceptable in order to produce some kind of imagery, but not for the pricing of these cameras. And of course, everything is covered by a nice hood and looks fine, but what will be happen with your large investment. So, I always say, take a deep look inside and under the hood…., same you are doing when buying a (much cheaper) car.

So today, I am happy to note, that the DMC is continuing to be successful in operation with leading companies all over the world.

Pictures:
Mount Mc. Kinley
DMC installation (first DMC, still with MDR)
AERO-Metric Piper aircraft















Pictures

METAR Tool

Just like to show you the METAR tool from Nirsoft:

The MetarWeather utility decodes METAR weather reports from around the world, and displays them in a simple weather report table. You can save the weather report into text, HTML or XML files. MetarWeather can decode METAR reports from a text file, or download the latest reports directly from the Internet.

http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/mweather.html

New figures for UltraCam Sales

11. AUG 2009
today, new figures are published by Microsoft Vexcel:
Total sales of UltraCam Camera systems: 125
UltraCamD: 47 units sold
UltraCamX: 58 units sold
UltraCamXp: 16 units sold
UltraCamL: 4 units sold

In fiscal year July 2008 - June 2009 32 systems sold.

UCX units sold: 12

UCXp units sold: 16

UCL units sold: 4

Number of Digital Cameras

29 APR 2009


The total number of large format digital cameras (CCD chip based) is reported now to:

• DMC = 94 (Intergraph Digital Mapping Camera)
• UltraCam = 123 (Microsoft/Vexcel) (including all UltracamD,X,L)
  

in total = 217

For sure, I expected a bit more...


Push brom and Bayer pattern CCD, as Applanix, DigiCam, Rollei, DiMAC and others are not included, esp. because the Bayer CCD provides only half resolution by using demosaicking techniques.)

(This information is based on Information (Intergraph Z/I Imaging User Meeting - 28 April and Vexcel press notice of 29 April 2009, the Vexcel number includes all UltraCams, from UCD to Xp, and also the recently sale of 2 Ultracam L), so far these information came more or less on the same day.)

RMK D aerial camera from Intergraph Z/I Imaging

here are some pictures showing the new RMK D camera, which will be available for purchasing around 3rd quarter 2009.

The RMK D features 4 independed camera heads, for RGB and NIR. Each camera head's CCD contains 40 MPix. The DMC post processing software will be able to process the imagery seamless to a high end image product. The RMK D will be able to communicate with the Track' Air, CCNS or Z/I's Flight Management Systems, and can be installed in the T-AS, Z/I mount, GSM3000 or PAV30, PAV80. Among other medium format aerial camera, the RMK D is the only one which comes without Bayer pattern - for full resolution.

StarGate TV - use of film

Last time I saw in the Star Gate Atlantis team working on a new TV series at Planet Holywood Hotel in Las Vegas in October.
It was interesting for me, that the team uses traditional film based cameras for making their TV series. The camera man said, that even new digital ones are not able to capture the contrast range and other issues relating to commercial high end movie production.

261 MP camera with single sensor

Today I got an interesting message from Jamie of TerraSaurus about a 261 MP single Chip CCD camera, which should be available in Spring 2010 from Red. Can you believe, a single CCD with 261 MegaPixel? That is farley much more than the UCX/DMC will provide to us.
Of course, we will follow up this nice piece of technology.
Terrasaurus is a specialized digital aerial surveyor ot of Vancouver, BC.

Webinar: Is Dual-Frequency GPS — As We Know It — Becoming Obsolete?

Is Dual-Frequency GPS — As We Know It — Becoming Obsolete?

What does the GPS Wing's proposal to discontinue supporting Civil P/Y mean to you?
When will your legacy dual frequency GPS equipment stop working?

free Wbinar from Magellan & GPS World
Date: Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Time: 10:00 am PDT
Duration: 60 minutes

link for registration

UltraCam Xprime production starts.

WILD GmbH start production of UltraCam Xprime. (3rd generation Ultracam)
Per year, WILD produce 40 UCX cameras at Völklingen, Austria for Microsoft Vexcel Imaging.
technical features:

13 CCD, 17.310 x 11.310 Pixel = 196 Megapixel
image size 624 Megabyte
8 camera lenses
1/3 pan sharpening ratio
12/13 bit color depth, internal caluclation with 16 bit, 12,9 bit useable (7.600 grey values)
Datarecording unit Dxp with 8,4 Terrabyte, 6.500 images
14 CPU
50 Pixel TDI compensation

link (in German)

RMK TOP 15 & 30 and RC 30 for sale

We have here for sale:

RMK TOP 15 & 30 bundle, T-AS gyro mount.
Both cameras are factory calibrated and serviced in January 2008 at Carl Zeiss, Germany.
Cameras are in excellent conditions and european based.

We have an RC30 with PAV 30 gyro mount for sale.
Last calibration was in January 2007.


if you need more information, please send email.

Link to our products

IGI Penta-DigiCam

IGI intoduced a new oblique photography system, the Penta-DigiCam system,
4 oblique camera heads combined with an vertical one, all referenced by using the proven AEROcontrol IMU unit.
As I believe, that is only a small step on the way to an multi camera vertical system, as currently tested by the German DGPF.

The sample image here, the Eiffel tower in Paris, France, was captured by Interatlas using a IGI Penta-DigiCam (H39 Head, 39 Mio Pixel).

Image courtesy & copyright: InterAtlas, France
Penta-Digicam Image courtesy of IGI - Ingeniergesellschaft für Interfaces mbH, Kreuztal

DiMAC oblique

DiMAC seems to be creating its own Oblique system, a 6 camera head configuration.

Here is a press notice from Cicade, a major data provider out of France.
May we get more information at Intergeo.


"DIMAC Systems is providing CICADE with the DiMAC^OBLiQUE, a unique aerial digital camera that includes 6 camera modules, 2 of them performing the vertical acquisition with an image footprint of 10,500 by 7,200 pixels while 4 camera heads acquire the oblique views (North/South/West/East).

CICADE is uniquely positioned to serve its customers with the fantastic capabilities of this architecture that presents a major advantage towards any other oblique solution. Indeed, the simultaneous acquisition of vertical and oblique images through one single axis leads to common, coherent and accurate parameters (based on aerotriangulation and IMU data). Consequently, the data juxtaposition that creates the 3D model is perfectly accurate and provides an exact representation of the reality with high quality images of 10 cm resolution. In addition all first-rate characteristics commonly associated with the DiMAC end-to-end solution, namely TRUE FMC and TRUE Color produce the sharpest images on the market."

link in GisCafe

Trimble aquires TopoSys

Trimble today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire TopoSys GmbH of Germany in an all-cash transaction.What will that means for the survey in industry?

link: www.toposys.com

Digicam 4 Head, ADS, DMC, JAS-150, UCX on DGPF

The German Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (DGPF) currently works on a evaluation project comparing digital aerial cameras:

• IGI - Digicam 4 Head
• Leica ADS40
• Intergraph DMC
• Jenoptik JAS-150
• Microsoft Ultracam X, UCX
• AIC x4 (Rollei/Trimble)
• Intergraph RMK TOP

In addition, Hyperspectral sensors and also LiDAR (ALS50/Falcon), will be evaluated at Vaihingen/Stuttgart Testfield in next future.

Properly this will be the most extensive test comparing camera systems.

Trimble aquires RolleiMetric

Trimble today announced that it acquire the RolleiMetric from Rollei GmbH of Braunschweig, Germany in an all-cash transaction. RolleiMetric is a provider of small format metric camera systems (AIC, AIC x4) for aerials using Bayern pattern CCD.
Question: when we can expect an Applanix DSS 4 head camera package with Inpho Software and POSTrack?


original post

INTERMAP NEXTMap (R) Europe coverage

Intermap announced, that they have covered now 2,5 Mill. sqkm of Europe using their 3D technology. Europe will be covered complete in 2009.

Z/I Mount introduced

Z/I Imaging introduced the new Z/I Mount, which is replacing the T-AS gyro stabilized suspension mount.
The T-AS is widely used around the world.

Technical highlights:

• can be use it with Intergraph’s Digital Mapping Camera (DMC ®), the RMK TOP
• and several other sensors, including small-format digital cameras or LiDAR systems.
• digital control for precise operation in standalone mode or under the control of an inertial measurement unit (IMU).
• CAN bus diagnostic, self test functionality
• integrated RS232 serial interface
• works also with IGI and Track' Air FMS
• weight 48 kg, payload 110 kg
• max 140 Watt power consumption (4 Amps@28V)

Data sheet / brochure can be downloaded ion our camera section
image courtesy of INTERGRAPH, Z/I Imaging

DMC news

Here are some news captured at INTERGRAPH's Z/I Imaging User Meeting
in Aalen, April 2008 & ASPRS:

• SSD storage
• Z/I InFlight
• CopyStation
  
  
  
  

Exposure store / freeze

How to freeze exposure ?

RMK TOP T-TL:
Store/Sens Button

GPS base station

GPS reference station.
photographed in Morocco.

US Antarctic Program - Aircaft

2 nice aircraft photographed on their way to the mission area in Guayaquil, Ecuador (GYE),
aircraft operated by Kenn Borek Air Ltd.

Desktop

here is a nice desktop, which I found in a maintenance company out of Guadalajara, Mexcio.
It was made from an aircraft engine.

Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Canon introduced the new Canon EOS 5D Mark II

• 21 Megapixel CMOS-Sensor
• new DiGIC-4-Bildprozessor
• ISO 50 bis ISO 25.600.
• 9-step-Autofokus, Live-View,
• 3,9 fps
• HDTV video 1.920 x 1.080 pixel
• ca. 2.500 Euro

would be also a good alternative for obliques?

Equipment Arm

This is a nice solution I saw at Miller International Airport, McAllen, Texas (MFE).
It's a Cessna 210 "arm".

Ashtech Z12 GPS Receivers

we got some factory refurbished GPS Receivers,
please call.

KG 30 - contact printer from Carl Zeiss

we have some new KG30 contact printer left.
Please let me know, if you need one.