Saskatoon, Saskatchewan-based unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) company Draganfly Innovations has signed an agreement with Optical Filter Corp., a subsidiary of Corning Inc., to integrate miniaturized advanced hyperspectral camera systems into its UAVs.
Draganfly says it will assist in preparing Corning’s new miniaturized, fully integrated hyperspectral imaging system for commercial release by integrating the system onto the Draganflyer Commander UAV.
Draganfly is developing a motorized, two-axis gimbal specifically for Corning’s system and will conduct flight testing in California.
Corning’s system combines high spectral and spatial resolution in a small form factor. It is a fully self-contained system that includes a hyperspectral sensor, INS-GPS, and an on-board computer for system management and recording of imagery and navigation data.
According to Draganfly, it offers a 50% reduction in size, weight and power consumption to comparable systems. Data collected by this system can be used to identify specific vegetation species, determine relative crop health, develop irrigation strategies and create yield optimization strategies.
Flown on the Draganflyer Commander, Corning’s hyperspectral sensor system will help customers obtain higher crop quality, implement sustainable farm management practices, and identify opportunities to increase revenue and profit per acre, says Draganfly.
“We are excited to provide our customers, specifically those in agriculture, with an easy way to take advantage of hyperspectral imaging to monitor the health of their crops more efficiently,” remarks Cameron Chell, CEO of Draganfly.
