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MAPPING AND SURVEYING Meanwhile, the X100 UAV from Trimble's Belgium-based subsidiary, Gatewing, is much more recognizably an aircraft, albeit a briefcase-sized one. Weighing just 2.2 kg (5 lb) with a 1-m wingspan, the "Wing" uses a batterypowered pusher propeller to fly at up to 80 km/h (50 mph), with a 45-minute flight endurance. Once at the correct altitude, the Wing follows a pre-programmed flight path, with launching, flight, landing and camera activation all automatically controlled, Gatewing said. Examples of survey companies using X100s for mine and quarry applications, include mapping at a 200-ha (495-acre) open-pit nickel mine in New Caledonia, and routine monitoring of a number of mines and quarries across Australia. In each case, the company said, the cost of using a UAV-based system was much less than that of a survey crew with a conventional helicopter, as well as keeping personnel away from active mine operations. As for the cost of buying a UAV, French supplier Lehmann Aviation offers its entrylevel drone, the LA100, for €990 ($1,300) although the camera is extra. More realistically from an industrial standpoint, Lehmann described its €7,000 LP960 as a rugged unmanned aerial platform designed for creating geo-referenced orthomosaics and digital elevation models (DEMs), as well as high-resolution images and live video. The LP960 now comes with a Windows 8based touchscreen tablet, with software to help immediate processing of all flight data on a tablet, laptop or desktop PC. Lehmann pointed out that it has never been easier to prepare the mission and control and geotag images in order to survey mining sites. To prepare the flight, the user just has to "draw" the area of interest on a touchscreen tablet, enter the waypoints and the operation center automatically generates missions and programs the drone, which is equipped with an advanced autopilot and navigation systems. At the end of the mission, the images captured are easily processed in the most popular orthomosaic/DEM software to generate maps, orthomosaics and 3-D models. veying office software with photogrammetry enhancements that include the ability to process images from the Gatewing X100 UAV, the company said. According to Trimble, surveyors can now combine aerial images with GNSS measurements on ground control points and 3-D laser scans to map large, complex sites. The new version also introduces 64bit processing, allowing users to make better use of their computing facilities to display large images seamlessly. Images "tile" automatically on import, and the displayed resolution adjusts seamlessly as users zoom in and out for better image viewing. Trimble followed this with the launch of the Gatewing UX5 in June, which it said is the first complete UAV photogrammetric mapping solution specifically designed for surveyors and geospatial professionals. The new drone uses Trimble's Access aerial imaging application: field software for planning UAV missions, performing flight checks and monitoring flights—all with intuitive workflows. It is used to define the project area, avoidance zones, flight parameters and takeoff and landing locations, as well as to perform pre- and postflight checks and download the flight data and images after landing. The software also includes fixed post-flight procedures to ensure that operators do not leave the field with a dataset that is incomplete or inconsistent. UX5 is designed to fly at heights of 75–750 m (246–2,460 ft) and at speeds of up to 65 km/h (40 mph). Its 16-megapixel camera has a large field of view that gives 50%–75% greater coverage than before, helping to make data collection cheaper and more efficient, while providing a 24-mm (1-in.) ground sampling distance for high-resolution imagery. Although today's UAVs are predominantly lightweight, made of carbon fiber and expanded foam, experience has already shown that they can be tough enough to withstand the rigors of mine-site work. This, however, was not always the case, as Doyle told Martell. Referring to a project in 2007 at Diavik, using a militarystandard drone, Doyle pointed out that it was not as successful as had been hoped. "It didn't like landings," he said. Clearly, problems like that have now largely been overcome, especially as the software used to control UAVs has become smarter and more focused. Capable of flying in light rain, dusty and windy conditions, drones are increasingly becoming a valuable addition to the mine surveyor's toolkit. Processing is the Key Obviously, acquiring images is just one facet of the UAV picture; suitable processing is needed to make it usable. In May, Trimble launched version 3.0 of its Business Center survey processing software. This is powerful, next-generation surwww.e-mj.com Trimble recently introduced a new UAV, the Gatewing UX5, which the company says is the first complete UAV photogrammetric mapping solution specifically designed for surveyors and geospatial professionals. The UX5 introduction follows the company's launch of its latest version of Business Center survey processing software, offering 64-bit performance allowing users to make better use of their computing facilities to display large images seamlessly. (Photos courtesy of Trimble) JULY 2013 • E&MJ; 45