New survey-grade drone camera comes with a 128MP sensor

Phase One, a Denmark-based company specializing in digital imaging tech, has unveiled a fantastic new survey-grade camera that boasts an advanced 128MP image sensor. Developed in collaboration with Quantum Systems and Trimble, the Phase One P5 integrates seamlessly with Trinity Pro fixed-wing mapping drone and Trimble Business Center construction and modeling software.

The P5 is designed especially for drone surveying, which is why its weight has been capped under 700 g. Its integration with Trinity Pro simplifies large-scale missions with a ground speed of up to 22 m/s while maintaining safe operational altitudes ranging from 60 to 120 meters AGL.

Each Phase One P5 comes with meticulous calibration to eliminate pixel distortion and guarantees an accurate capture timestamp with mid-exposure triggering. As Michael Messerschmidt, a product management director at Phase One, explains, “The camera undergoes factory metric calibration and is supplied with a calibration certificate. When integrated with the Trinity Pro system, the Phase One P5 swiftly and accurately covers large survey areas, resulting in significant time and cost savings compared to traditional mapping and surveying methods.”

You get to choose from 35 mm and 80 mm lens options for maximum coverage and minimal noise, achieving accuracy as high as 0.26 cm. The advanced 128 MP image sensor, meanwhile, guarantees low Ground Sample Distance (GSD) and blur-free images. The electronic global shutter further ensures high performance in any condition.

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P5 also offers flexible mounting options for land or corridor surveying, with a lightning-fast 1 G interface and industry-standard MAVLink/Auterion communication protocols.

“We are proud to introduce a pioneering solution that not only addresses the profound challenges faced by the surveying and construction industry but also sets new benchmarks for efficiency and precision,” says Robert Leake, head of commercial sales at Quantum Systems. “Achieving this level of quality, detail, and accuracy within a fixed-wing platform is a first in the industry. We’re opening new horizons for engineering surveying professionals.”

Find out more about the drone camera through the video below:

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