HELIPIX

Helipix were invited by Professor Daniel Donoghue to demonstate their UAV system to delegates from all over the world to a recent UAV workshop held at Durham University for the Remote Sensing and Photogrammetry Society - RSPSoc.

The workshop, held in the Calman Centre at Durham University was to show how UAVs are being used in the field of photogrammetry and land surveys. Delegates from as far as Antarctica attended the 2 day workshop to see the latest developments in this new and exciting technology.

As well as Helipix, 3 other UAV companies demonstrated their UAV systems, Suave, Blue River Studios and Smart Planes from Sweden. Each system, slightly different from the other, clearly showed the diversity of the types of UAV services on offer.

Dr Pablo Zarco-Tajada, Director of Institute for Sustainable Agriculture (IAS), Spanish National Research Council showed how with the UAV's ability to fly autonmously they were able to analyse the performance of thousands of olive trees in one flight using Hyper Spectral Photogrammetry. Dr Andrea Laliberte, US Department of Agriculture and New Mexico State University showed how their system was being used to analyse vegetation over huge areas of the USA to monitor plant types and density in arid regions. Whilst both speakers were previously using manneerd aircraft flights to conduct theses data collection missions, the UAV systems were proving to be far more cost effective and easier to use than the manned systems.

Helipix' system clearly showed how safe and stable it is and how quick and easy it is to set up and take off. Using the GPS our UAV was able to "lock" its position and hold steady without any input or control from the pilot. Other systems were based on a glider system flying on waypoints and able to maintain airbourne duration by gliding and powered flight.

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