Hexagon, parent company of Leica Geosystems and leading global provider of design, measurement and visualisation solutions, has acquired Aibotix, a manufacturer of intelligent multicopter systems for high-efficiency aerial applications. Meanwhile, Maptek has made a significant investment in DroneMetrex, an Adelaide-based startup company that has developed innovative new technology for aerial photogrammetric mapping from small drone aircraft. Aibotix is the maker of Aibot X6, a new generation of vertical takeoff and landing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV).
Intelligent, autonomous and safe, the multi-rotor Aibot platform is designed to suit the needs of customers in industrial inspection, aerial mapping, surveying and other markets. Since UAVs are quickly becoming a viable tool for some of Leica Geosystems’ key market segments that require application-specific solutions, Leica Geosystems and Aibotix have been working closely together since June 2013. UAV-based solutions available today are ideal for delivering up-to-date geospatial information and aiding in hard to reach areas – from difficult infrastructure inspections of power lines, bridges and dams to locally focused mapping tasks of buildings or any vertical structure.
“The Aibotix acquisition is an important addition to Hexagon’s photogrammetric and mapping technologies portfolio,” said Hexagon President and CEO Ola Rollén. “The growing number of applications for UAV-based solutions offers huge growth potential, especially in areas that require frequent and local updates such as smart city applications, dynamic GIS, and emergency response.”
Being part of the same group of companies will enable Leica Geosystems, the leading provider of photogrammetric mapping solutions, together with Aibotix and Intergraph to create unique and synergistic solutions where the UAV becomes an integral part of the workflow process, delivering essential pieces of information that will drive actionable intelligence.
The lightweight, unmanned aerial multicopter system compliments Leica Geosystems’ airborne solution ideally, providing distinct advantages for safe 3D mapping and inspection of inaccessible infrastructure.
The DroneMetrex system allows users to collect vast amounts of high quality digital terrain data and imagery of unmatched quality and heighting accuracy for rapid assessment and integration of data into the day-to-day processes in industries such as mining, geospatial, agriculture, infrastructure management and other applications requiring highly accurate elevation data. The systems will integrate seamlessly with the standard Maptek mine planning Vulcan software system as well as the Eureka regional mapping system.
Maptek I-Site 3D laser scanning systems provide a natural complement to the aerial data from DroneMetrex, with both systems delivering high quality, accurate data quickly – allowing users to measure and monitor surface changes on a regular basis.
Tom Tadrowski, Managing Director of DroneMetrex and an experienced mapping photogrammetrist and land surveyor, says ‘the support of Maptek and its strong global network will accelerate our growth. The rigorous research and development skills and robust software capability in Maptek will enhance our products and ensure our customers gain maximum benefit from the data captured by our TopoDrone-100 systems.’
The TopoDrone-100 is a small UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) able to be operated with minimal training that collects high precision aerial photographs for generating highly accurate terrain models with elevation accuracy of 20 mm.
Maptek General Manager Peter Johnson says ‘The DroneMetrex technology will be invaluable for many of our customers and will provide new and efficient ways to manage both large projects and regular spatial measurement challenges. This rapid data acquisition capability will deliver immediate rewards to the resources industry’.
Founded in 2010, Aibotix develops and produces high-quality, intelligent flying machines that are particularly easy to operate due to their high degree of automation. Various cameras and sensors are available for particular tasks, especially those where human-piloted craft entail high risk and expense.
Aibotix was founded by a team of experienced entrepreneurs who have worked intensively on advanced image processing, sensor technology and robotics for many years. Aibotix is represented in 14 countries and provides quality support and service worldwide. Aibotix GmbH employs 28 people, and is headquartered in Kassel, Germany.