HJW Purchase State-of-the-Art Digital Camera

23 July 2008, 9:05am

At the beginning of 2008, HJW Geospatial placed into service their brand-new large-format mapping camera, the UltraCamX from Vexcel Imaging GmbH, a Microsoft company. There are only four companies operating the UltraCam in the U.S., and HJW is flying the only UltraCamX on the West Coast. In conjunction with the acquisition of the UltraCamX, HJW upgraded its airborne systems to include the SOMAG gyro-stabilized camera mount and an advanced flight management system from Applanix / Trackair, working as an integrated system with both airborne GPS and inertial measurement unit (IMU). Although the operation still depends on the skills of an experienced flight team consisting of the pilot and a systems operator, the sophistication of the onboard imaging system is a far cry from a simple film camera with viewing scope. The new flight operating system allows the management of multi-day flight missions for large projects just as simply as multiple small projects within a single mission. These features are designed to provide higher efficiencies in flight and higher-quality imagery products.

The purchase of the UltraCam marked a major commitment of HJW to the local and regional mapping market, by strengthening the range and quality of products we can offer our clients. We chose the UltraCamX for its strong calibration capabilities, the flexibility of its operation, and the ease with which imagery could flow directly into our production chain. We have a long history and tradition of introducing innovative but proven technologies: the UltraCamX fits with this model.

HJW's UltraCam is now operational across California and the southwest, and is available to provide the foundation for a full range of products. Contact us for more information: info@hjw.com

About the UltraCamX

The UltraCamX collects 216 megapixels per exposure to produce 14,430 cross-track and 9,420 along-track pixels, the largest image format in operation today, with a sustained collection rate of up to three gigabits per second.

The camera can maintain a forward overlap of 70% at 1.2” (3 cm) pixels and 80% overlap at 2” (5 cm) pixels at normal flying speeds. Meanwhile, the UltraCamX system features an efficient data flow that allows unlimited image collection in the air. High-performance, exchangeable data storage devices handle up to 4,700 images and can be swapped mid-flight for reduced ground turnover time.

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Geo: International