Applanix has introduced the Trimble AP+ Air, an OEM Direct Georeferencing solution for data gathered by unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) as well as manned aircraft. The compact, lightweight system allows users to efficiently create high-accuracy maps and 3D models without the need for ground control points.
The SWaP (size, weight and power)-optimized Trimble AP+ Air consists of dual embedded survey-grade GNSS chipsets, an onboard inertial measurement unit (IMU), an external IMU, and the all-new Applanix IN-Fusion+ GNSS-aided inertial firmware. It can be configured to meet the Direct Georeferencing accuracy demands of a wide range of altitudes, and is also compatible with virtually any type of airborne remote sensor, including photogrammetric cameras, LiDAR, hyper- and multi-spectral cameras, and synthetic aperture radar.
The Trimble AP+ Air is fully supported by Applanix’ POSPac MMS post-processing software, featuring CenterPoint RTX post-processing for centimeter-level positioning anywhere in the world without the need for base stations. The system is ideal for OEMs and integrators looking to develop their own powerful high-efficiency UAV mapping solutions.
LiDAR integrators can take advantage of the Trimble AP+ Air’s compatibility with Applanix’ POSPac MMS (Mobile Mapping Suite) LiDAR QC Tools for computing boresight as well as adjusting the relative accuracy of the POSPac trajectory being used to generate the point cloud. For integration with cameras, the solution is supported by the POSPac MMS Photogrammetry Tools for computing boresight and performing camera IO quality control.
Joe Hutton, Director of Inertial Technology and Airborne Products at Applanix, commented: “We have taken the most advanced features of Applanix Direct Georeferencing and Trimble GNSS technology and packaged them into a powerful new, compact and versatile solution. It provides the flexibility required by systems integrators to embed a single hardware solution that can then be configured to meet the different Direct Georeferencing needs of a specific sensor type, whether flown on a UAV or manned aircraft. It truly is an ‘integrate once, use many times’ solution.”
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