( example of a photo-target against the bakkie's wheel in the bottom photo below) In all cases a number of photo-visible markers ( black and white targets) need to be laid in the area, with accurate GPS position in XYZ, so that the 'stitched' image can be tied down to real earth plane.Ībout 6000 40Mpixel photos in a 1 hour flight, for a 6圆km area 400meters AGL

The software has many tools allowing determination of volume of entities ( stock piles of crushed rock.) and adaptable, very accurate estimations of mass, which are compared and updated with the actual mass measurements of truck loads of carted material - the trucks have weight sensors on there axels, with Blue-tooth connection to the Load site exits.Īlso used here to lay a water supply pipeline, 40km long, first surveying the terrain with the UAV. This can be rotated in space and you can see the detail down gorges, crevices, down the side walls of crevices, etc. The UAV is pre-programmed to fly a ladder pattern up and down over the terrain taking photos with a 50% forward and a 70% side to side overlap - MANY photos.These are then processed by software - AgiSoft being a very popular package - and a complete 3D image is generated. The local Uranium mines also use the method extensively, on a monthly basis, to determine stockpile volumes and pit removed volumes. Land surveyors save hundreds of hours of mark-out and walkabout time manually mapping terrain by these techniques.

Very much used by Surveyours - I developed an autonomous electric UAV carrying a 40Mpixel stills camera which is used by a number of instances here in Namibia for this purpose.

Mastercam cost per seat