Airborne Surveying

Air Survey is a leader in the application of precision GPS positioning and attitude determination of airborne platforms.

Camera with IMU.

The inertial Measuring Unit (IMU) is an instrument that combines three accelerometers and three gyroscopes. These two types of sensors are combined to measure two distinctly different but equally important parameters.

IMU, processor and antennae.

Starting at a known position provided by GPS and tracking over time the changes in acceleration of the instrument, the IMU improves the accuracy of the dimensional coordinates (latitude, longitude and height).

The three gyroscopes sense rotational acceleration and provide the orientation of the body in three dimensions (roll, pitch and yaw)

These advanced positioning systems greatly reduce the need for ground survey control for mapping operations. In some cases, the need for the aerotriangulation step in map production can be eliminated. Both of these attributes bring great cost savings and accelerated schedules to projects.

Illustration of how GPS and IMU work.

Present technology allows us to position airborne mapping sensors to accuracies up to 5 centimeters, and to determine orientation angles to accuracies of 20 arc seconds. These stated accuracies are in reference to the map product ground coordinate system.

We continue our research and development process to continue to improve accuracies and broaden applications with these airborne positioning systems.

AIR SURVEY
45180 Business Court
Dulles, Virginia 20166-6706
Phone: (703) 471-4510
Toll Free: 1 800 272-6299
Fax: (703) 471-6810