uav: sensors and remote sensing techniques for the small platform

UAV: SENSORS AND REMOTE SENSING

TECHNIQUES FOR THE SMALL PLATFORM

Stephen Ambagis – Resource Mapping Hawaii

The Problem Using airplanes and helicopters for imagery

collection is EXPENSIVE in remote areas. Large aircraft carry large sensors that can

image at large scales (3cm and less) and large areas with high accuracy

Small UAVs can image small areas at relatively small scales (4cm and up easily) with average accuracy.

Large aircraft have to fly high and in the clouds.

What we use now

Answers

We needed to develop a UAV capacity that: Matched our plane based capacity for 1cm

ortho imageryCould fly in remote areasBe a reliable platform Have low cost replacement

The big deal

4cm Blobs

1cm Birds

RMH 1cm aerial imagery products300 acre island

4cm NIR false color composite

1cm natural color composite

Nesting greater black back gulls

Lots of Options

There are hundreds of different platforms

Hundreds of different sensors Many different software

Mission planningPlatform control Image processing Etc.

Turn key systems and DIY

Sensors

Platforms

Mission planning

Our solution thus far Medium sized fixed wing (fly slow / long

endurance) Small Sony (24mp)

Light weightLarge APS-C CMOS sensorFast firingLens optionsLight sensitive (programmable)

Open source software for planning and mission implementation

Economies of scale / Tradeoffs

Small sensors take more images for the same area as a large sensor

Small platforms fly slower Accuracy Processing time Overhead costs