Aeryon Labs Launches New Photo3S-NIR Payload for the Scout
The new Photo3S-NIR™ payload from Aeryon Labs enhances Scout micro-UAV system for use in environmental and engineering assessment, precision agriculture, and other GIS applications. The Photo3S™ and Photo3S-NIR™ both feature 3-axis stabilization for precision imaging.
Aeryon Labs is pleased to introduce the latest addition to its line of integrated imaging payloads with immediate availability of the new Photo3S-NIR (Near-IR). The Photo3S-NIR is designed to capture aerial video and high resolution still images in the near-infrared light spectrum, outside the human-visible red, blue, and green light bands.
Like the Photo3S high-resolution colour camera, the Photo3S-NIR is stabilized through 3-axis of rotation (roll, pitch and yaw), which ensures the cameras remain on-target for stable imagery and precise tracking in the most demanding conditions. This stabilization is provided by the Scout’s automated control system which makes continuous independent adjustments to both the vehicle and camera orientation.
“The Photo3S-NIR opens up a whole new set of applications for the Scout, while providing the same benefits inherent in Aeryon’s full-line of integrated imaging payloads – such as weather-sealing for reliable operation in any environment, and extremely easy-to-use features such as Click-to-Aim™ camera control”, said Dave Kroetsch, President of Aeryon Labs.
Other advanced imaging features include the ability to easily adjust camera settings on-the-fly, automatically geo-reference images and video, and encrypt transmissions. The Scout’s AutoGrid™ flight planning software allows fast collection of imagery over large geographic areas and automatically geotags images to facilitate seamless processing by industry standard tools into stitched image mosaics, map overlays, and 3D models.
Near-infrared imagery is used by military and public safety personnel in combination with near-IR light sources and indicators. It also has broad commercial applications, and near-IR images are commonly combined with visible light images to produce multi-spectral products such as Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) images. NDVI is a multi-spectral standard used worldwide to measure and monitor plant growth, vegetation cover and soil/water condition, and biomass production – and is used in applications such as precision agriculture, assessing fire hazards, monitoring droughts, and other environmental projects.
