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5 Questions Surveyors Asked at Trimble Dimensions


Trimble Dimensions was a great experience for the Microdrones team! We enjoyed speaking with Trimble dealers and customers and showing off our aircraft and mapping packages.

Our booth visitors had many great questions and we’re working on a master FAQ sheet based on our conversations. In the meantime, below are five questions frequently asked at Trimble Dimensions:

1. Where are Microdrones UAVs made? Where is the company located?

Our drones are manufactured in Siegen, Germany.

The sensors are integrated in Vaudreuil, Quebec in Canada.

We have engineering, sales, and support staff in the United States, Canada, and Germany supporting customers worldwide.


2. What are these drones used for?

While our aircraft can be used for any commercial or research application, our newly released mdSolutions packages are perfect for applications that involve mapping, such as surveying, inspection, precision agriculture, construction, cartography, etc.


3. How much do they weigh? 

All of our drones weigh less than 50 pounds and are classified as small UAVs.

Below are the weights of each aircraft:

md4-200 = 800 grams / 1.76 pounds

md4-1000 = 2,650 grams / 5.8 pounds

md4-3000 = 10,400 grams / 23 pounds

 

4. How much do they carry? What is their maximum payload?

md4-200 recommended payload =  150 grams / .33 pounds
md4-200 maximum payload =    250 grams / .55 pounds

md4-1000 recommended payload =   800 grams / 1.76 pounds
md4-1000 maximum payload =     1200 grams / 2.65 pounds

md4-3000 recommended payload =    3000 grams / 6.6 pounds
md4-3000 maximum payload =       5000 grams / 11 pounds

 

5. Why don’t you have any solutions with RTK?

Because we have solutions with direct georeferencing (DG) and that’s so much better.

What is DG?

Direct georeferencing (DG) is more advanced than RTK or PPK. DG is the process of determining the Exterior Orientation (X,Y,Z and ω,φ,κ) of each image without the need for aerial triangulation (AT) techniques. This is achieved by using a highly accurate GNSS Receiver integrated with inertial sensors.

More simply put, direct georeferencing:

  • Reduces/eliminates the need for ground control points.
  • Significantly improves data collection efficiency by reducing sidelap – so the drone spends less time in the field collecting imagery.
  • Drastically reduces time spent on post-processing, since less images need to be collected.
  • Improves point matching efficiency when used with AT.
  • Lets you map hard-to-access or dangerous areas without risking human safety.

Stay tuned for more detailed information on direct georeferencing. We will be posting new articles in the near future in response to the tremendous interest we have seen in direct georeferencing since Trimble Dimensions.

In the meantime, check out our two direct georeferencing mapping packages: mdMapper1000DG and mdMapper3000DG.

6. Bonus Question: What did the mime think of the new md4-3000 UAV?

The mime loved our newly released md4-3000! He almost fell off his stilts when we told him it could handle an 11-pound payload and fly up to 45 minutes.

Do you have a question you’d like answered on the Microdrones blog? E-mail sara.furlong@Microdrones.com.

Want to speak with a UAV Expert? Contact info@Microdrones.com.