, a provider of software platforms for connected embedded systems, and Flying-Cam, a designer and manufacturer of unmanned aircraft systems, have announced that the QNX Neutrino operating system is powering the Flying-Cam 3.0 SARAH unmanned aircraft system, which has won a Scientific and Technical Award from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Flying-Cam’s SARAH unmanned aircraft system has been in service since 2012, with motion picture credits that include Skyfall, Oblivion, Prisoners, Smurfs II, and Mr. Go. The system includes a 25-kilogram fully electric platform, one-inch precision autopilot, and gyrostabilized camera head, as well as a ground-control station that provides a graphical user interface for mission programming and monitoring.
Flying-Cam chose the QNX operating system for its flexible architecture, which helped simplify development and porting of Flying-Cam’s computer assisted piloting (CAP) system, and for its real-time determinism, which enables the CAP software to achieve fast, predictable response times. The Flying-Cam development team also uses the QNX Momentics Tool Suite, including its advanced profiling tools, which help simplify the task of achieving optimal system performance.
“We have been thoroughly impressed with the QNX OS,” said Tony Postiau, head of aerial robotics engineering, Flying-Cam. “It works extremely well on our hardware and uses system resources efficiently, leaving most of the hardware processing power available to our application – a crucial attribute that we looked for.”
The QNX OS is deployed worldwide in automotive, industrial, medical, networking, and consumer appliance products. It is based on a modular microkernel architecture designed to enable high levels of reliability, availability, scalability, and performance.
“For motion pictures, there is no greater honour than the Academy Awards, and we are thrilled that the Flying-Cam SARAH system, which features QNX technology, has received a 2014 Scientific and Technical Award in recognition of its significant contribution to the movie industry,” said Derek Kuhn, Vice-President of Sales and Marketing, QNX Software Systems. “The SARAH system is a testament to the sheer flexibility and reliability of our OS platform, which has proven itself in a vast array of embedded systems, from automotive infotainment products to the space shuttle.”
About Flying-Cam
Founded in 1988 by Emmanuel Previnaire, Flying-Cam was the first company in the world to provide professional close-range aerial filming services with unmanned aerial systems (UASs). Flying-Cam now has offices in Liege (Belgium), Los Angeles, Hong Kong, and Beijing.
The Flying-Cam system has been used in more than 75 countries in over 1000 projects, including Harry Potter, Mission Impossible, James Bond, and Transformers, among many others.
Flying-Cam’s R&D division in Liege is where all the technologies integrated in the Flying-Cam 3.0 SARAH are developed, including a 25-kilogram fully electric platform, one-inch precision autopilot, and gyrostabilized camera head, as well as the ground control station, which provides the graphic user interface for mission programming and monitoring.
Flying-Cam’s mission is to expand its core competence in designing innovative, professional, and portable aerial solutions with a long-lasting contribution to all industries where UAS are of significant interest.
About QNX Software Systems
QNX Software Systems Limited, a subsidiary of BlackBerry Limited, is a vendor of operating systems, automotive software, development tools, and professional services for connected embedded systems. Global leaders such as Audi, Cisco, General Electric, Lockheed Martin, and Siemens depend on QNX technology for vehicle infotainment units, network routers, medical devices, industrial automation systems, security and defense systems, and other mission- or life-critical applications. Founded in 1980, QNX Software Systems is headquartered in Ottawa, Canada; its products are distributed in more than 100 countries worldwide.
Source: Press Release