ECA Group demonstrated the capabilities of its UAV IT180 for defence and civilian applications

The Capabilities of the UAV IT180 airborne drone were demonstrated for Security, Defence and Civil applications, during the November 15^th and 16^th demonstration in south of Paris Area.

During the Defence and Security session, an ISTAR scenario was played in order to demonstrate the discretion (sound and visual) of the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle UAV IT180-30 electrical version, its capability to identify fixed and mobile targets using the gyro-stabilized dual sensor EO/IR video camera for perimeter surveillance or protection, as well as tracking a moving target.

ECA Group IT180's night view with thermal camera

ECA Group's aerial Drone IT180  Day view with X36 optical zoom

ECA Group was honored with the presence of many international delegations and French Governmental Agencies

ECA Group was honored to receive international Defense delegations from Middle East, Asia and Africa as well as several French governmental agencies for interior security and external operations.

Productive discussions took place during and after the demonstration around how to best support users’ needs for both land and marine strategies with ECA Group airborne drone technology.

The Surveyor^TM, the new YellowScan^TMLIDAR generation demonstrated 

 IT180-30 Unmmaned aerial Vehicle, equipped with YellowScan Surveyor

During the session dedicated to civil and commercial applications, ECA Group demonstrated the integration of the latest generation LIDAR from YellowScan^TM, the Surveyor^TM, by acquiring very precise point cloud of 3 high voltage lines and their vegetation surroundings.

Attendees were shown how easily the LIDAR system can be mounted on the UAV IT180-30 and how convenient data acquisition and retrieval are.

The Surveyor is the lightest, all-integrated LiDAR available on the market: 1.6kg including the laser scanner, IMU, GNSS, embedded computer, data storage and battery. Its sub-5cm accuracy makes it ideal for precise topography and demanding requirements of applications such as corridor mapping and mining.

Global LIDAR point cloud obtained during the demo survey, showing the high voltage lines and vegetation details

LIDAR Point cloud exhibiting the ground level only

LIDAR point cloud of the demo attendees

LIDAR point cloud showing the vegetation profile

Beyond the single-highly-performant sensor, the heavy payload capability of the UAV IT180-120 enables the usage of other sensors such as photo camera or magnetic sensors in combination with the LIDAR for simultaneous data acquisition.

These capabilities allow to position the UAV IT180-120 airborne drone as a quite unique platform for inspection and survey in many different scientific fields. ECA Group supports its customer’s creativity when aerial means make sense and when multiple types of data are required to draw meaningful scientific or environmental conclusions, to eventually make valuable decisions. 

Among the payloads the UAV IT180-120 is able to accommodate, 2 other sensors were presented.

Focusing on Geophysics applications including mining exploration, ECA Group has developed its second generation of aeromagnetic capability around its UAV IT180-120 airborne drone, and fluxgate magnetometers.

The complete ECA Group system, including quality magnetic data, offers an alternative to much more expensive magnetic sensors usually fitted on helicopters, and with similar end-results, once the procedures for noise reduction and instrumentation calibration are applied.

The latest UAV IT180 aeromagnetic solution compares favorably to helicopters on 2 aspects: lower cost and capability to fly at few tens of meters from the ground.

On the other end of the magnetic exploration means, the ground crews are sometimes unable to access some fields because of geography or unacceptable risk level. In that situation the airborne UAV IT180 aeromagnetic solution gives to the user the missing piece of their equation.

In order to further support its customers in their scientific or industrial decision processes, the ECA Group aeromagnetic solution may be combined with a gamma probe to perform radiological measurements, either at the same time if the flying altitudes are compatible or during different flights to get the most of each solution. 

The IT180-120 aeromagnetic solution flying by cloudy and muggy weather

The UAV IT180-120 radiometric solution, for proximity flying

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