SOLAR MAPPER
Large areas solar powered photogrammetry drone
Sensor
SONY RX100
Radiolink Range
10 km
Endurance
~ 4 Hours
Max hourly coverage
320 hectars at 5,8cm/px
Max Resolution (GSD)
0,8cm/px at 50m
SolarMapper is a drone designed to be the ultimate solution for mapping large areas.
It uses NPC/VectorRobotics' patented solar power technology to ensure a daytime endurance of around 4 hours at a speed of 40km/h.
At this speed and with this flight time, it is possible to map over 12 square kilometers in a single mission, completely autonomously and without any interruptions.
Being a fixed-wing aircraft, it is infinitely more quiet than a multicopter, as it does not need multiple rotors to lift off, and it is therefore ideal for mapping operations in sensitive areas or where noise could be disruptive.
SolarMapper is equipped with a Sony CMOS 1-inch sensor with a wide-angle lens and a focal length of 8.8-25.7mm.
The large sensor and wide angle allow for capturing detailed images and covering a wide area in a single shot, additionally, the high resolution of 20 megapixels results in sharp images that can be used to create precise 3D models.
It also has a good dynamic range, meaning it can effectively handle shadows and strong lights, which is important when taking aerial photos.
Lastly, the RX100 has a shooting speed of 10 frames per second, which makes it suitable for capturing moving images even at SolarMapper's cruising speed of 40km/h."
The main controller of SolarMapper is a portable all-in-one ground-station based on Android operating system.
Inside the certified shock, water, and dust-resistant IP67 case is installed a 7" full-HD high brightness display and a full set of HDMI, RJ45, and USB ports for connection to other devices.
The custom software onboard allows mission programming, flight mode switching, complete telemetry and 1080p video streaming from the cockpit.
The range is 10 Km (CE) and 20 Km (FCC), making it ideal for large-scale mapping missions where maximum control over the flying asset is essential.
Example of SolarMapper survey reconstructed in 3D
SOLAR MAPPER PERFORMANCE
Resolution (GSD)
Focal Lenght
Flight Altitude
Hourly coverage
Max. Extension for Mission
Maximum Resolution (without GPC)
0,8 cm/px
25,7 mm
50 m
0,5 kmq (50 hectares)
2 kmq (200 hectares)
Recommended Compromise
2,4 cm/px
8,8 mm
50 m
1,2 kmq (120 hectares)
4,8 kmq (480 hectares)
Maximum Coverage
5,8 cm/px
8,8 mm
120 m
3,2 kmq (320 hectares)
12,6 kmq (1260 hectares)
SOLAR MAPPER TECHNICAL DATA
CRUISING SPEED
40 km/h
MAXIMUM SPEED
70 km/h
PAYLOAD
SONY RX100 128Gb
DAYTIME ENDURANCE
4 hours (cruising speed)
RESOLUTION (GSD)
0,8 cm/px - 5,8 cm/px
RADIO RANGE
10km (Radio)
OPERATIONAL HEIGHT
120m
WIND RESISTANCE
25 knots
OPERATING TEMPERATURE
-10 / 45 °C
DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT
180x80x27 cm - 1,8 Kg