The mapKITE terrestrial-aerial tandem surveying system can be a game-changing technology because of its operational simplicity, cost savings and advantages. No more dual campaigns and almost full elimination of the expensive traditional ground control thanks to the novel use of the KGCPs.

MapKITE is a tandem system composed by an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) and a Terrestrial Vehicle (TV) equipped with remote sensing technology (cameras and LiDAR) and operating as a virtual kite (the UAV follows the TV by receiving its navigation information). The goal is the simultaneous acquisition of aerial-terrestrial geodata for mapping missions.

See it from the air.See it from the ground.

By placing a fiducial optical target on the TV roof, mapKITE introduces a novel element for the aerial image orientation: the Kinematic Ground Control Points (KGCPs). Accurate post-processing orientation of the TV sensors enables simultaneously the use of ground control in every aerial image, leading to a new, robust measurement configuration for image orientation of UAVs.

mapKITE delivers oriented and calibrated aerial UAV images simultaneously acquired with terrestrial mobile mapping geodata, such as LiDAR point clouds and/or images.

www.h2020.mapkite.com

The use of european satellite navigation systems is key in mapKITE. Firstly, the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay System (EGNOS) brings the desired levels of accuracy and safety for UAV navigation, which is fundamental to prove the commercial feasibility of the mapKITE concept. Secondly, the new Galileo signals, such as the E5 AltBOC, is a valuable means due to its unprecedented high performance against multipath errors in GNSS harsh environments.

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