New Drone for Mapping Tested in Swiss Alps
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New Drone for Mapping Tested in Swiss Alps

senseFly has announced that it successfully tested the eBee, its new fully autonomous drone for mapping, in the Swiss ski resort of Zermatt. The company demonstrated the 3D mapping capabilities of its fully autonomous mini drone under extreme conditions. The eBee conducted a mapping mission in the mountains above Zermatt at altitudes of up to 3,000 metres and performed linear landings in deep snow. Several flights were conducted to map small hamlets and valleys at temperatures below -10 degrees Celsius.

Since Zermatt village, the starting point of this excursion, is a car-free zone, all equipment had to be transported manually. Furthermore, the only means of transport for reaching the take-off locations, some at altitudes as high as 2,800 metres, were ski lifts and skis. Andrea Hildebrand, co-founder of senseFly, explained that the eBee only weighs 630 grams and fits with all its accessories in a carry-on case, which meant it could be easily carred, and members of the team even skied down the slopes with it.

The entire mapping of a small valley, including the takeoff, flight, landing and resulting georeferenced orthomosaic and 3D elevation map, is documented in a video available online

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