To give some idea of what our camera is capable of capturing in a single image frame, the very latest commercially available digital aerial camera systems (which produce composite 100+ & 200+ megapixel images) use arrays of 11 and 16 megapixel monochromatic sensors; whereas our system uses a much larger 21 megapixel monochromatic sensor. In conjunction with our super-resolution techniques; 320 megapixel images can be captured in a single raw frame (after post-processing) for high geometric precision and repeatability. For terrestrial photogrammetry in particular; it is vital that the camera system is very stable; fully enclosed and environmentally sealed, and able to capture the highest resolution/clarity possible in a single frame. This is to ensure geometric consistency is maintained in all images captured whilst photographing a site; which can take hours on a large terrestrial photogrammetry project.

However don’t expect this to be a commercially available camera system any time soon! since Datapix has contracted the work to acquire this custom sensor specifically for our in-house use. Canon Inc. have not been involved in this custom manufacturing process; therefore any future products from Canon should not be speculated from our custom camera system.
Some comparisons can be downloaded from the following link: http://www.datapix.com.au/download/DatapixDSLR.zip
Sample raw-frame captures can be downloaded here: http://www.datapix.com.au/download/DatapixPanchromatic.zip
It’s all in the fine detail…

Like most small start-up companies Datapix had humble beginnings; formed in 2005 it began measuring and modeling small scale sites & structures using close range photogrammetry. Various projects included surveys of the Lake Manchester dam wall, an as-built of the Billabong building and an accurate model of the structure atop of the Q1 building. The initial cameras used were only about 6 mega-pixels which limited the measuring ‘range’; however as confidence grew & techniques were developed the equipment was upgraded enabling increased capability. Today with highly calibrated mast mounted cameras Datapix is performing full DTM & feature surveys and can achieve (independently checked) accuracies of ±20mm on 95% of points on pavement triangulation with average differences of 10mm.
The major benefit with Datapix Photo Survey is the ability to replicate field survey results without the need for day-to-day or night work on the pavement. This means increased safety, while keeping any traffic disruption to an absolute minimum. The best suited sites are those with either multiple lanes, high speed zones or heavily trafficked areas such as motorways, interchanges, roundabouts, bridges & flyovers. The future in this field is exciting, as advances in sensor resolution and camera technologies are growing rapidly. This will equate directly to better efficiency & automation of the Datapix Photo Survey System, which already has cost & safety benefits over traditional methods. Datapix can work in association with other surveyors and mainly services SE Qld, though other regions in Australia can also be considered due to the minimal site time requirements. If you wish to see the benefits of this technique on one of your projects please contact Marko Tuominen on 1800-DATAPIX (1800-3282749) or contact us via email.