Distributed Sensor Solution
GeoVantage’s technical design is based on a distributed sensor solution. Using lower flying aircraft and a medium format camera, the GeoVantage system reduces operational costs and offers several benefits including less sensitivity to weather conditions, effectiveness on smaller jobs, and ability to fly with low ceiling restrictions.

The Camera Pod: COMPONENTS
The internal mechanical structure of the GeoVantage camera system is supported from the fiberglass cover using elastic supports. Thus the internal mechanical structure is elastically supported with respect to any vibration imparted by the aircraft.

Our current pod design includes up to eight cameras, the Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU), GPS receiver and several digital processors for synchronizing measurements, controlling the camera and off-loading data to the Tablet PC flight computer.

The aluminum bar, labeled as the aircraft attachment, allows for rapid detachment from the aircraft if required. Also, the round bar allows complete freedom to reorient the camera pod in roll. This feature is used to adjust the roll orientation to account for any sag in the aircraft wheel struts as well as to allow collection of oblique imagery.

The Camera Pod: AIRCRAFT MOUNTING
The pod mounts to the entry step with the detachment of a few bolts. A highly secure rapid-detachment mechanism allows removal/re-attachment in minutes for certain types of dual use aircraft situations. A flight computer is positioned on the right seat that contains various map displays and flight status information. A heads-up display is used for the predominant fight line steering.

The pod has been extensively flight tested on various aircraft and has no impact on aircraft handling quality, no impeded view of the ground, is outside the exhaust gases, and is immersed in a reasonably quiescent airflow.

GeoVantage has 80 operational Build III cameras, our current model, as well as a number of older design cameras that are still operational. Several of our cameras have been operating for almost ten years and are still producing exceptional imagery.

Pod mounted to a Cessna 172 aircraft