Sony releases new SDK 1.08 for Airpeak drone and other cameras

Consumer electronics giant Sony has announced the release of its new Camera Remote Software Development Kit (SDK) version, which allows users to broaden and tailor features on the company’s image-capturing devices, including those mounted on its Airpeak drones.

Sony said the latest 1.08 version of its SDK package is compatible with its cameras used in a wide range of photography scenarios and in aerial deployment on its Airpeak S1 drone. The program allows software developers to easily adapt and integrate their applications for remote use by Sony customers via computing platforms running Mac, Windows, or Linux operating systems.

Read: Why Sony’s new Airpeak drone is a big deal

The upshot of enhanced SDK capabilities will be greater ease and range for Sony camera operators and Airpeak pilots to change device settings, trigger shutter release, or use live view monitoring as remote features.

Sony said the new SDK version both expands the range of potential applications with new features and broadens the number of regular and drone-mounted cameras compatible for enhancement.

“With each SDK release, we are integrating learnings from customers and expanding the functionality and magnitude of applications and capabilities,” says Yang Cheng, vice president of imaging solutions at Sony Electronics Inc. “The updated SDK allows our cameras to be used in more industrial and B2B applications, ranging from photogrammetry or medical companies, to inspection, and e-Commerce. We are excited for professional clients to have the ability to explore new functionalities.”

Sony has been steadily working to enlarge the kinds of features and capabilities its SDK programs permit, with the previous version having added g a drone GPS sync and other new applications.

Read: Sony applies to patent noise-cancelling drones

According to the company, the checklist of primary capabilities permitted by the 1.08 version of its SDK are:

• Improved processing speed: In repetitive shooting scenarios, the processing speed for setting, shooting, and transferring files is reduced by approximately 20%, improving workflow efficiency. This will be perfect for e-Commerce applications, where users need to take 360 degree continuous pictures of an object or model for web publishing, with quick turnaround times. Capturing more frames in a shorter time also means that battery life is optimized, which is particularly important for drone applications such as mapping or surveying.
• Added support for shutter trigger by electrical signal and remote power on/off. In photogrammetry, photobooths or even road traffic management, an electrical signal improves the accuracy for triggering image capture, opposed to a software-based trigger.
• New remote settings support: Version 1.08 supports remote menu settings for video, including picture profile settings and timecode (TC)/user bit (UB) settings. This will create an enhanced workflow for video making and widen possibilities for existing photo-based applications.
• “Overheating warning” status notification: This function allows the camera to notify remote users of any significant increase in temperature. In outdoor applications such as desert roads or systems where the camera is embedded in a wider computer infrastructure with high heat due to processing, users will be able to monitor the cameras more precisely.