Switzerland-based company SenseFly is on a mission to make sensors mobile, and they have released a very interesting “flying camera” in their swinglet CAM product. The aircraft has a 12MP camera and data link that is controlled by flight planning software rather than a remote control. You can pre-program the flight path with map-based views and make updates to the path, position and altitude.
The whole package comes neatly packed in a padded case, and the video below shows how easy it is to launch and operate – the plane even lands itself. The speed to launch and ease of use make this aerial sensing platform ideal for a great number of applications.
The craft has a range of 20km, but an endurance of just 30 minutes. It’s clearly aimed at quick reconnaissance rather than any prolonged or large area collection.
