Business Development, Collaboration, Digital, GIality, iOS, Positioning Systems

Drone Visualisation


An obvious extension to the first-person visualisation experiences that Linknode deliver is using the same technology to deliver remote visualisation. By that, we mean to take the visualisation solution (mobile tablet) that our existing users hold in the field, and change the camera location. This could be to get a different perspective on a project or to place a point of view in a location which may be otherwise inaccessible or dangerous to access.
In theory, all the technical platform requirements (location, real-time sensors, 3D modelling, camera metrics and AR integration) that Linknode specialise in are the same as VentusAR and UrbanPlanAR. However, instead of the mobile platform being packaged into a consumer tablet, containing all the hardware we need, just like the best chefs we need to do some deconstruction of the product to create a new experience.

Partners and Vehicles
This week, Rufus and Crispin have been in rural Northumberland working on some proof of concepts for remote visualisation systems with Horizon AP. Horizon AP specialise in high quality video and still production, flying unmanned aircraft equipped with commercial film and production cameras for clients including Volvo, BBC and Wimbledon.
We have met and scoped potential collaboration opportunities with Paddy and Jack at Horizon AP several times and this was (to continue the food analogy) time to test the proof of the pudding with a hackathon.
We chose to work with Horizon AP as they are a professional team specialising in high quality image acquisition across a range of clients. With insight as to the professional development of the industry, Horizon AP understand that flight control will be automated for the majority of current uses in the near future, and creating specialised solutions that add value to an increasingly commoditised business is key.

Another compelling reason to work together is that Horizon AP fly a flock (what is the collective noun for UAVs?) of DJI aircraft. DJI are leaders in the field for camera quality, flight time, flight control and stability and essentially provide a developer API / SDK to extend the functionality through third-party creation.
The machine that we were developing on was a new DJI Inspire 1 V2.0 Pro with a Zenmuse X5 lens, streaming data via the DJI LightBridge technology and 1080p video at 60Hz using an Olympus lens for a 84° field of view. At over £3,000 for the kit, it’s certainly not a toy!

DJI-Inspire

Delivery
We can’t share too much detail of what came out of the week, or where the next steps will lead us. However, if you have requirements that could see exploitation of our real-world augmented reality, or integration with remote cameras on drones we would love to be involved with you…
As always contact us directly or through an email to info@linknode.co.uk

Footnote
A note on language: I have always shied away from the “Drone” word as it has traditionally had negative associations through media reporting. The common alternative UAV (for Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) is a little formal and procedural, so I asked Paddy at Horizon AP what term he used and “drone” it is!


Video Credit: Horizon AP