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Modular Airborne Camera Systems

The department for sensor concepts and applications is concerned with the development of highly specialized novel airborne camera systems and their photogrammetric processing and evaluation. We are technology leader in the derivation of sematic 3D information with high-precision position accuracy, in visualization of 3D data and in real time applications. We set standards in terms of sensor systems and evaluations.

A new family of Modular Airborne Camera System (MACS) was designed, developed and realized by the department in recent years. Due to extensive modularity, flexible to design adaptions can be realized. A holistic approach ensures turnkey solutions for most different airborne carriers and applications. Multispectral, thermal as well as oblique sensing systems were demonstrated successfully.

MACS-Himalaya, MACS-Jet, MACS-Oblique, MACS-RT, MACS-Heli, MACS-TumbleCam and MACS-Micro shows the versatility of the concept in various applications using different airborne carriers. Derived data products fulfill highest requirements concerning information content and position accuracy.

	MACS - Himalaya Oblique camera system for modeling high mountain areas Derivation of most accurate 3D surface information Altitudes up to 20km (approx. 65.000ft) Fully automated remote sensing system First flight succeeded on a Stemme S10 VTX motor glider by courtesy of FH Aachen - Faculty of Aerospace Technology First mission: Himalaya-Expedition 2013 by Mountain Wave Project

	MACS - Jet Mapping of wide areas from high altitudes using jet aircraft carriers Derivation of 2.5D information high-precision position accuracy Typical resolution: 20cm „Single-Button“ operation Internationally applied Download        Video (720p)

	MACS - Oblique Experimental setup for real 3D mapping with highest resolution and high-precision position accuracy Investigation of perspective image geometries Usage of typical aircraft carriers Aim: automatic derivation of semantic 3D maps Download        Video (480p)

	MACS - Real-Time Digital real-time mapping and monitoring (2D) 2.5D mapping with high-precision position accuracy in post processing Usage of various data links Optional: extended field of applications through sCMOS- and thermal sensor technology Operation in MALE and UAS carriers Fully automated operation Internationally applied Download     Datasheet (PDF) / Video (720p)

	MACS - Heli Selective 2D/3D mapping with highest resolution and high-precision position accuracy Optional: broadband data link Download         Hall of Liberation at Kehlheim

	MACS - TumbleCam 2D and 3D mapping with highest resolution and high-precision position accuracy Optimized for operation on Mini-UAS (<25kg MTOW) Total weight of 5kg with 1h operation time Robotically steered oblique camera for arbitrary perspectives Typical resolution: <5cm Download     Datasheet (PDF) / Video (720p)

	MACS - Micro Digital mapping and monitoring of small areas Arbitrary views allow real 3D derivation Optimized for operation on Micro-UAS (<5kg MTOW) Multi sensor system with up to four different cameras RGB / NIR / SWIR and IR exposures Typical resolution: ~1cm Download         Country house

Following data products are possible with MACS:

Data Product	Jet	RT	Oblique, Heli, TC	Micro
Digital Aerial Photos with absolute orientation	x	x	x	x
True Ortho Mosaic (TOM)	x	x	x	x
Digital Surface Model (DSM)	x	x	x	x
Digital Real Time Map (2D)	(x)	x	(x)
Textured Surface Model (2.5D)	x	x	x	x
Textured Surface Model with facades (2.5D)			x	x
Real 3D Models			x

Download          Datasheet (PDF) / Video (Coming soon)

High standard and high-precision position accuracy of digital models provide versatile capabilities for partly and entirely automated acquisition of information and object recognition. The use and merge of various sensor products with extensive information depth is a convenient and challenging basis to gather high-level geo-information. Analysis and evaluation happens by means of object based classification methods.

Classification for 2D analysis

	Classification of surface cover in 2D Extensive classification of surface cover to detect sealed surfaces (with separation of sealing types), open spaces, vegetation covers, flood masks, etc. Accuracy of classification is usually about 80-95% Use of collected data in urban development and planning, analysis of settlement structures and for sealed surfaces identification
	Production site analysis for grid operators Detection of roof areas and superstructures based on high-resolution surface models Ranking of valuable installation spaces for solar panels involving direction, inclination, size, opacity and sunshine duration Use of collected data in GIS-based solar radiation analysis

Object detection for 2.5D analysis

	Single tree capturing and classification Forest resource surveys and single tree detection are used in forestry remote sensing Complete acquisition of coniferous forest stands with an accuracy over 90% in single tree detection In broad-leaved forests a integrity of 90% is achieved with an accuracy over 65% in single tree detection Use of collected data in forestry analysis and GIS-based forest inventories
	Simplified representation of 2.5D objects Use of objects which are classified in the 2D space for simplified views and analysis in the 2.5D space GIS supported analysis allow different statements to view correlations, surface properties, object volume and further attributes

Object detection and 3D visualization

	Derivation of building contours in three dimensions Derivation of precise three-dimensional (3D) building contours from oblique airborne images The building edges serve as the basis for volumes, which represent buildings in a virtual city model
	Derivation and classification of façade elements Derivation of precise three-dimensional (3D) building contours from oblique airborne images The building edges serve as the basis for volumes, which represent buildings in a virtual city model