A seamless dual solution for accurate and efficient crop analysis
Cheseaux-sur-Lausanne, Switzerland, March 13, 2019 – senseFly, the leading provider of fixed-wing drone solutions, and MicaSense, a leading producer of drone sensors for agriculture, today announce a new dual solution for efficient, in-depth crop analysis—the senseFly eBee X with MicaSense RedEdge-MX.
The sensor that doesn’t compromise meets mapping without limits. New dual solution enables farming, agricultural science, forestry and environmental protection professionals to gain valuable multispectral crop insights more efficiently than with slower, smaller-coverage multirotor drones.
“We know from agricultural customers such as agronomists, crop consultants and researchers that deep, high-resolution crop data is key to effective analysis and decision making,” said Gilles Labossière, CEO of senseFly. “In parallel, when assessing large field areas, or simply looking to map smaller fields or plots quickly, small, slower quadcopter drones often don’t cut it. The eBee X with RedEdge-MX checks both these data and efficiency boxes, making it an ideal crop analysis solution.”
“This seamless, integrated professional drone offering represents an obvious upgrade path for many agricultural professionals. Customers who already use MicaSense’s RedEdge-MX, for example, now have a quicker, more efficient way to analyse the health of their crops, without having to compromise on data quality,” said Eric Waters, General Manager of MicaSense. “At the same time, existing eBee X operators can access the deeper, higher resolution insights that the RedEdge-MX brings.”
The RedEdge-MX is a rugged, built-to-last professional multispectral sensor. Capturing red, green, blue, near-infrared, and red-edge spectral bands, data from this sensor can be used to generate true color composites, basic crop health indexes, and advanced analytical tools like flower identification and weed detection. This, in combination with its durable design, makes RedEdge-MX a multispectral powerhouse.
Key benefits include:
- The ability to capture plant health images & RGB (composite) images in one flight
- A fast capture rate, which suits faster fixed-wing flight speeds
- Global shutter on all five lenses for distortion-free images
- High-resolution imagery; 8 cm (3.1 in) / pixel GSD at 120 m (400 ft) flight height
- An aluminium body for better durability and performance in the heat
- Full access to raw data; generate outputs using a wide variety of processing & analysis platforms
- Patent pending DLS 2 for highly accurate radiometric calibration
The senseFly eBee X fixed-wing drone is designed to boost the quality, efficiency and safety of commercial UAV operators’ data collection. Its key features include:
- A unique Endurance Extension option, which unlocks a flight time with RedEdge-MX of up to 75 minutes (versus a maximum endurance of 59 minutes by default) for single-flight coverage of up to 220 ha (540 ac)
- The ability to work every site, no matter how challenging, thanks to the drone’s built-in Steep Landing technology, ultra-robust design, live air traffic data and more, all backed by senseFly’s professional, localised support
- A range of professional camera options, including the MicaSense RedEdge-MX, and the new, proprietary senseFly S.O.D.A. 3D, senseFly Aeria X, and senseFly Duet T.
The senseFly eBee X with MicaSense RedEdge-MX (including plug-and-play camera integration kit, Downwelling Light Sensor (DLS2), and Calibrated Reflectance Panel) is available for purchase now via senseFly distribution partners. It is priced at $19,800 USD excluding shipping and importation taxes.