510 SW Fifth Ave. Suite 300, Portland, OR 97204 503-706-4204 * Panama City, Panamá * Accra, Ghana *
TECHNOLOGY
TECHNOLOGY DRIVES THE UAV INDUSTRY. ATC USES A COMBINATION OF PROVEN AND EMERGING TECHNOLOGY TO POWER OUR PROJECTS.
Technology in the UAV/drone industry seems to change overnight. The favored platforms of today are quickly discarded when something new and better comes along - as long as you wait for someone else to find all the bugs and fixes. Here at ATC we use a combination of proven and emerging technology to power our projects and obtain the results clients need in a fast and cost-effective way.
We have two kinds of technology - the kind we own and use on single-project jobs, and the enterprise kind that governments, businesses and organizations need when we're asked to design and implement a UAS that the client can then manage - and manage well - on their own.
Cameras change as rapidly in this business as the software. At ATC we stay on top of all the latest data regarding cameras, capabilities and the bugs that new releases bring with them.
For organizational and business clients who want to develop their own in-house UAV/drone capabilities, we find the most cost-effective cameras available to meet their mission needs. For single projects where we do the flying and data collection, we have an extensive inventory of of aircraft and cameras, ranging from the DJI X3 and X5 to the GH4 DSLR and others including thermal, infrared and NDVI.
The S1000 is one of the largest and heaviest available and is used to carry a DSLR camera such as Lumix GH4, Canon 5D Mark III or a Sony A7s. It’s extremely steady in windy environments and you get great quality stills and video; the GH 4, for example, has 16mp stills and Cinema 4K or 1080p HD video, and the A7s is particularly good in low light.
inspire 1 pro
The Inspire Pro is also another extremely high quality UAV/drone, and we use two cameras with this one. Both have 12mp stills and 4K or 1080p HD video. The X5, which is larger, uses interchangeable micro 4/3rd lenses. At ATC we typically use the Olympus Zuiko 12mm, 12-42mm, 45mm and 40-150mm lenses as well as the DJI 15mm.
phantom 4 pro
The Phantom 4 Pro is an extremely useful UAV/drone that shoots 4K/1080p HD video and 20 mp stills with its one-inch lens and mechanical shutter. It is excellent in all conditions but especially good for very tight flying environments because it has sonar obstacle-avoidance – you can fly it right at a tree or building and it will avoid hitting anything and fly to safety without you doing anything.
Another extremely versatile aircraft is the Phantom 3 Professional. It has Ultra HD 4K video, 12mp images, live HD streaming to YouTube and many other features. We use it frequently as a primary aircraft and we always bring one as a backup to our shoots.
mavic pro
The Mavic Pro is small, fast, extremely versatile and has a flight time of nearly 28 minutes. We frequently use it as a scout aircraft to use first before flying the larger drones but it takes 4K video and 12MP stills in its own right.
The Mavic Pro is especially good for tight, precise flying environments. It is adaptable to high altitude image and data collection and also for shooting in wooded areas, along paths and in urban areas.
We add technology as our clients and market demands require, but we also acquire technology specific to a client's need if that's what it takes to get the job done. And regardless of the project, we bring multiple aircraft and cameras to every project to maximize results for the client.
For projects where we are creating a UAS for a client to manage on an ongoing basis, we undertake an in-depth analysis of the client's mission needs, budget, operating environment and capabilities to identify the best aircraft, cameras, software and other elements to arrive at truly innovative solutions.
There are basic kinds of software that we use:
Firmware to fly the aircraft and collect the data involved, including the remote controllers, gimbals, cameras, flight controllers and other sensors.
Apps to guide the data collections process that indicate satellite availability, Dilution of Precision (GPS accuracy), UAV/drone weather windows worldwide, flight compatibility and more.
Data processing software to produce 3D modeling, agriculture and plant health analytics, orthomosaic maps and infrared and thermographics.
Active Track is one of the new features available on our drones. It allows you to track subjects automatically (without using a GPS reference) by using advanced image recognition algorithms. You can also use it to effortlessly orbit around subjects.
Being able to fly the aircraft is only half the challenge – it is essential that you know ahead of time when the optimal flight windows exist to maximize your data collection. We use a state of the art application that tells you instantly when sufficient satellite coverage is available.
We provide training sessions at locations of your choosing in the basic and advanced elements of drones and drone flight operations. We use the latest technology applications to determine the best Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) coverage for port, harbor and shipping activities; and construction, mapping and agriculture. Your personnel will be trained to access and use drone application technology and to understand options for the use of drones in their activities.
data
analysis
From thermal imaging to 3D mapping, orthomosaics, and volumetric analysis and plant health studies, UAV/drones are changing the way business is done in construction and civil structure inspection, surveying, agriculture management and more.
