We are an Aussie based start up with a 20 year history in traditional aerial survey with both helicopter and fixed wing platforms. We are also a CASA licensed UAV operation with our own custom made products.
We have been using Android and IOS devices for aerial mapping for a variety of projects and thought it would be a cool idea to open up some of our tech services for free.
Survmatic Falcon for Android start screen:
Our aim is to make mapping real time by strapping a wireless network connected Android or IOS device to anything that flies. Images captured are time, date and gps stamped in exif.
The Falcon app has restrictions to when an image can be taken by allowing the device to check tilt and altitude values set by you before it triggers e.g if above 200 feet and less than 5 degrees tilt = trigger ,we implemented these features to reduce off target images especially in the turns, We also created a "servo to bluetooth" trigger to allow an autopilot to trigger our app.
Survmatic Falcon settings screen:
We have also created a cloud based back end for users to display their images post flight. In addition to the image display we also grab the Survmatic Falcon flight file to reply the flight, this is done both post and in real time depending on the level of service needed. We currently collect images in real time and have them ready for processing before we get back to the office.
Survmatic Falcon cloud service:
We are looking for beta testers to try the application out! so let me know and I can send you the APK for Android, we have the IOS app in alpha and will be released in time.
In case you are wondering what is in it for us, we expect that some users may want extra services in regard to image stitching and further DSM's etc, this is where we feel we can add value.
Please join the beta group here :
https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/survmatic-falcon
Apply to join the group and click on the playstore link in the welcome/getting started post.
cheers
Team Survmatic
Comments
Hi Survmatic,
What andriod devices have you found best suited for your app and mapping? do you have a sample map made from pictures taken with the android?
Hi All
We have distributed the Beta for users who selected "some bugs" etc. The only users that have not got the Beta are ones with IOS or have selected "do not want any bugs" which was less than 10 :) ,,
We will release updates very frequently on this app and hope to have a production version ready very soon.
We have been using a version of this app for our commercial uses here in Australia for over 12 months, We are really excited to see new Cameras hitting the market with Mobility embedded.
cheers
Team Survmatic
Hi app is being released steadily to users who ticked they like bugs lol... not long before a few hundred peeps using this :)
So, what is the status of the release?
We are expecting the download link. :)
I have signed up for the early stage of release!!
Hey just stumbled into this site http://pickyourdrone.com/
Just to clarify bluetooth is 2.4.
UPDATE : thanks to all who have signed up for our Beta Survmatic falcon service. Everyone will get the app, we will distribute it in accordance with the bug severity / customer experience level you chose.
For others who want the app, keep signing up!
we will formally release this on the Play store and App store soon. Looking forwerd to seeing some great mapping images from around the world!.
Cheers
Survmatic Team
strapping a phone with 2.4Ghz to a plane or multirotor that uses a 2.4Ghz rx/tx is a NO NO.
but hey what do i know?
Ali : so up to now we can say that anything taking photo from a uav for mapping is likely a hacked consumer camera because it is lightweight, cheap and disposable even on 60K wings :) . We see a future of more fit for purpose imaging systems for UAV based on Android or even autopilot/imaging systems combined.
the images from the Andride device have the lat long in the EXIF that was passed from the device, this android device can essentially work de coupled from the autopilot. We have recognised that sometime an AP needs to trigger a image so we built our own bluetooth hardware that connects to the AP and is discovered by our app to triigger an image on demand.
I'm not sure I understand what this app is for. Could you elaborate? I mean, we attach the phone to the plane and it starts taking pictures. Then the app compares with known coordinates for that place in the photo and determine the plane's position?
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