3D Robotics has unveiled two new 3D mapping drones priced at $5,400 a piece.
Founded by former Wired magazine editor Chris Anderson, 3D Robotics utilized a Aero-M fixed wing system and a X8-M rotocopter in order to perfect the company’s aerial mapping technologies.
According to the company website, “3DR wants to make the most advanced aerial technology available to as many people in as many places as we can […] We did this to revolutionize the aerial mapping price point, offering the most advanced and serious aerial data acquisition capabilities at a level of accessibility that will redefine not only the UAV industry, but will help as many people as we can to redefine their industries.”
Both the Aero-M and X8-M come with spare parts, a ground station, extra batteries, and a fully automated workflow that includes autopilot and automatic takeoff and landing.
The X8-M rotocopter features a ground sampling distance of 2 cm per pixel and an orthomosaic accuracy of 3-16 ft.
The mapping software is “a complete and fully automatic mapping and modeling solution that can convert and join thousands images into highly accurate geo-referenced 2D mosaics,” according to the 3D Robotics website.
