Dual Digital Aerial Camera System
This digital aerial camera system was designed and built by Owner and has been operating since 2002. The design criteria were to make a mid-format digital camera that conforms fully to photogrammetric standards for rigidity and stability and thus is suitable for metric camera calibration. Tthe lenses are focused and locked securely in place prior to calibration. Any disassembly negates the photogrammetric calibration. These cameras have been calibrated numerous times by the Geomatics Department. All radial and tangential distortions fall within one 9 micron pixel.
For installation in an aircraft, both Cameras are fitted into a custom mounting fixture
that, in turn, fits into a standard RC20/30 camera mount. The two cameras may be aligned vertically in which case they are normally used sequentially for a total of 800 images. Alternately, the two cameras may be aligned as low oblique, either laterally or fore and aft and are then exposed simultaneously. The lateral looking twin camera alignment is refered to as bi-camera. A total of three lateral angle alignments may be selected and fixed in the shop (normally vertical and two different bi-camera angles). In the air, the operator may select and change between any of the pre-selected lateral angles in less than 1 min.
All camera controls and storage drives are mounted on a control panel which is installed on the camera mount. The cameras are triggered by simply grounding a floating voltage conductor. The cameras may be triggered manually or automatically using a Flight Management System. Track’Air and SNAP system has been used. We recover perspective centers using a stand-alone laptop PC and a dual frequency GPS receiver.
The image storage drives are mounted in a pressure sealed case because they become intermittent when un-pressurized above 14,000 feet ASL. We have a total of four storage drives for our two DACs. Each holds approximately 400 images and may be changed in the air at any altitude in approximately five minutes.
The package includes both DACs, the camera mounting fixture and control panel with four image storage drives. Included also are all special tools, spare parts, documentation and specially fitted hard storage cases.
The DACs are upgradable from 22mp to 60mp assuming the new owner has the resources to approach this project.
Dual Digital Aerial Camera System Details:
Sensor: Imacon Ixpress 132C. The pixel size is 9 microns. The sensor size is 37mm (4080 pixels) x 49mm (5440 pixels) for a nominal 22mp. Images are stored in the Imacon Imagebank each of which holds approximately 400 images (40Gb capacity).
Lens: Rodenstock Apo-Sironar HR Digitar, 60mm focal length Shutter Rollei electronic size zero. This shutter functions well at speeds up to 1/250 second. Above 1/500th second, the shutter needs to be checked.
Spec Sheet
