Lehmann Aviation (France) has launched the LA300, an automatic UAS for professional, still aerial images (41MP) and video, for most accurate mapping and surveying. Designed for professional applications, including georeferenced orthomosaics and digital elevation models (DEM), the LA300 achieves professional imaging using the Nokia 1020 smartphone camera.
The LA300 sets new standards in aerial imaging. The flight path can be programmed on any Windows 8 tablet, transmitting the data to the drone via Wi-Fi and launching it by hand. After a flight of up to 30 minutes, the aerial robot will automatically land in a chosen place.
For flight preparation and mission control the user simply ‘draws’ the area of interest on a touchscreen tablet and enters waypoints, and Lehmann’s Operation Centre will automatically generate missions and programme the UAS. After mounting the Nokia Lumia 1020 on the wing and launching the LA300 by hand, the user waits until it automatically flies over the chosen waypoints and lands. At the end of the mission, the user can process all the images in the most popular orthomosaic/DEM software to generate professional maps, orthomosaics and 3D models.
The aircraft flies at a range of up to 15km, at speeds of 20-80km/h. It is also developed to be flown in harsh environments, between -25°C up to +60°C, with winds up to 35km/h (20kt). The LA300 weighs 950 grams (including the Nokia Lumia 1020), with a wingspan of 92cm and a length of 45cm.
Source: Press Release
Professional UAS images from smartphone sounds like a contradiction in terms