Topcon Adds Rotary-wing UAS to Solution Range

Topcon Positioning Group has added a rotary-wing unmanned aerial system (UAS) to its line of mass data collection solutions. The Falcon 8 – powered by German UAS manufacturer Ascending Technologies – is designed for inspection and monitoring as well as survey and mapping applications.

Rotary-wing systems provide the perfect solutions for small-scale sites and projects for which flexibility of take-off and landing or an oblique perspective is required, said Charles Rihner, vice president of the Topcon GeoPositioning Solutions Group. The Falcon 8 offers the flexibility to manoeuvre in small spaces and can cope with challenging environments often presented in inspection and monitoring. It is also well suited for smaller mapping or modelling projects up to 85 acres that require high-resolution imaging, Rihner added.

The Falcon 8 features new AscTec Trinity technology, an autopilot safety feature that provides three levels of redundancy for protection against performance drop or loss of control. Three IMUs (inertial measurement system) synchronise all sensing data and identify, signal and compensate when needed.

Two models

Two models are available – the GeoEXPERT for surveying, modelling and mapping projects, and InspectionPRO for industrial inspection and monitoring applications. The GeoEXPERT includes a HD RGB camera payload, while the InspectionPRO features an HD RGB camera and infrared sensor combination.

Both versions offer easy deployment and operation with real-time video and data monitoring capability, navigation software for planning and optimising flights, as well as photo-tagging and desktop software to quickly generate high-quality and easy-to-edit material, said Rihner.

The Falcon 8 complements the Topcon Sirius Pro a fixed-wing UAS, providing large-area accurate mapping without the requirement for traditional ground control.