Report

Teaser, summary, work performed and final results

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - Aerial BCP (A 1Gpixel Camera to Open the Markets of Aerial Data Acquisition)

Teaser

The Aerial BCP project aims at developping a camera for photogrammetry and aerial survey, with the highest resolution (720Mpixels during the project, and 1Gpixel by 2021).Other large format cameras are limited to 250Mpixels and their design, due to optics and mechanical...

Summary

The Aerial BCP project aims at developping a camera for photogrammetry and aerial survey, with the highest resolution (720Mpixels during the project, and 1Gpixel by 2021).Other large format cameras are limited to 250Mpixels and their design, due to optics and mechanical constraints, and cannot allow a better resolution. A resolution above 720Mpixel will open up the market of photogrammetry and aerial survey, since flight time is reduced by 2 and data acquisition costs is cut by 4. Planes flying over cities for photos before building construction will not need anymore any autorisation, delaying missions by several months sometimes. Images for Google maps, construction sites and other needs will be more frequent, refreshed more frequently. Flights over large areas will be facilitated for mapping and surveillance.


The project aims at developing the camera, test, characterisation and production means for Resolve Optics to supply specifically designed 185mm lenses, and IMAO the camera itself (electronics, body, sensors). The combination of Resolve Optics and IMAO\'s expertises is necessary to maximise the coherence between lenses and sensors, as it is the key of the design of our camera.

The project will therefore result in two B72 cameras (720Mpixels), fully functionnal, which will be tested on field. Photos and data acquisition will be promoted worldwide. Besides, Resove will acquire the capacitiy to deliver over 40 lenses a year, and IMAO will be able to manufacture 10 cameras a year at least in specifically designed premises (clean room, automatic characterisation means…). IMAO will therefore be able to produce 1Gpixel cameras, through suitable sensors.

Work performed

In the first period, the work allowed to develop test and characterisation means for Resolve and for IMAO, notably related to distortion analysis and collimation. Resolve Optics was able to manufacture a set of 4 lenses, and another set of 4 ones can be made readily. Lenses and sensors are thus fully characterised, which is necessary to industrialise production (WP1). In WP2, we were able to analyse requirements for the flight management system to define the two suitable systems after tests. Integration of the two systems is done. IMAO was able to begin the construction of the pilot cameras (B72s), however a situation of force majeure pushed us to delay the construction of the pilot cameras as well as the industrialisation work.

Final results

The capacity to fully characterise the leses and sensors was a key step to go towards the manufacture of 10 cameras a year and 40 185mm lenses. These objects are Indeed specifically designed and require careful expertises and attention. A full characterisation is necessary to accelerate testing procédures during manufacturing. The manufacture of the pilot cameras was delayed, however we were able to begin the development of the electronics and internal storage system and the mechanic architecture is completed, which makes us confident in our ability to come up with a 720Mpixels camera (3 times more than the best comeptitive camera), and a 1Gpixel camera after the end of the project.

Website & more info

More info: https://collie-guppy-fmk3.squarespace.com/about.