From the INTERGEO 2012 conference in Hannover, Germany, Microsoft’s UltraCam business unit introduces the UltraCam Falcon, the latest offering in its award-winning product line of digital photogrammetric aerial camera systems. The UltraCam Falcon is positioned between the UltraCamLp and the ultra-large UltraCam Eagle with respect to image footprint and price.
The UltraCam Falcon features a very fast frame rate, solid state storage, and integration of computers into the sensor. UltraNav, the embedded flight management and direct georeferencing system from Applanix, is also available with the UltraCam Falcon.
The UltraCam Falcon captures PAN, color and NIR data all in one pass. Its image footprint capacity is 14,430 pixels across. At the time of purchase, the buyer selects between two lens focal lengths, the standard 100mm Pan or wide angle 70mm Pan. Both configurations leverage the impressive computing, storage, and electronics available in the ultra-large UltraCam Eagle. To simplify operations, the UltraCam Falcon is designed as an integrated unit that contains all components in the sensor head, including a solid-state image storage system that holds approximately 7,500 images. Additional storage units can be exchanged in flight to minimize ground time.
“Microsoft’s UltraCam team believes the UltraCam Falcon offers its customers the ideal solution between the base model UltraCamLp and the flagship UltraCam Eagle,” said Alexander Wiechert, Microsoft Business Director. “As our customers grow, we strive to offer them products to achieve high quality data capture and operational efficiency at all levels.”
As an added benefit, the UltraCam Falcon is specifically designed to be easily upgradeable to an UltraCam Eagle to take advantage of the Eagle’s larger image footprint, groundbreaking exchangeable lens systems, and highly integrated modular housing. Existing UltraCam customers with previous generation UltraCam systems can receive trade-in credit toward upgrading to an UltraCam Falcon or UltraCam Eagle at any time. The UltraCam Falcon is expected to be available for delivery to customers starting November 2012.
About Microsoft’s UltraCam Business Unit
With its operations based in Graz, Austria, and sales and support teams in North America, Microsoft’s UltraCam business unit brings more than two decades of photogrammetry expertise to Microsoft’s Bing Maps business unit. The division is responsible for the highly successful line of UltraCam digital aerial mapping systems that include the UltraCamLp, UltraCamXp, UltraCamXp Wide Angle and UltraCam Eagle digital photogrammetric sensors. Rounding out the UltraCam mapping systems offering is the UltraMap workflow software system for processing UltraCam imagery to Level 02 and Level 03 quality data, and with features that include distributed processing with automated load balancing, automated project-based color balancing, and additional quality control tools.
About Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.
