Lead'Air Inc

Features

New stabilized suspension system

The MIDAS mount is made possible due to our groundbreaking, fully stabilized camera suspension system. This innovative system allows the camera array to move freely, hovering at a very short distance above or even lowered into the camera hole. Our system does away with bulky, old-fashioned circular mounts. With no control arms to get in the way or impede movement, the mount legs may be adjusted in height to lower the optical array into the mounting hole to the optimal level for each aircraft. It will allow smaller holes and wider lenses, as opposed to mounts with a typical gimbal system, in the same plane.

Customized metric mapping cameras

Maintaining a cost-effective approach means building our MIDAS system with professional DSLR full-frame Nikons or Canon cameras. They are top-of-the-line, economical cameras, as opposed to the costly medium format cameras and are successfully used on over a hundred MIDAS, most of which are still in operation. These camera bodies are re-engineered and rebuilt in our manufacturing facilities. We reassemble them into true metric mapping cameras using the best available lenses, which are each delivered with an official calibration certificate. If requested, the MIDAS can be built with a medium format camera in the vertical position with four oblique DSLR cameras or all five positions with medium format cameras. The additional cost of the cameras will pass to the client.

Powerful control center

The MIDAS Computer Control Center provides complete control, and takes advantage of the years of development, creating the best-known oblique imaging system in the world. The MIDAS Computer Control Center contains all the necessary controls for each camera, IMU, Navigation interface, stabilized mount, and all power functions for the system. Even the heartiest systems occasionally need maintenance. The modular unit allows for operator maintenance in the field with replacement modules over-nighted when required.

Powerful backup control station

The amount of data captured per day can be substantial. Because each camera has a dedicated Solid-State Drive in the Disk Array, it is vital to be able to download the data as efficiently as possible. We deliver a backup station that automatically and systematically downloads all the data to two of your high-speed hard drives to be sent to the office or maintained on sight until the project is complete. Redundant copying is critical in case of a drive failure.

Complete automation

We include two disk arrays with each system, so if necessary, while one is flying and capturing more data, the other can be downloading. Plug the Disk Array in the backup station, answer a few questions in the custom software package, and the system will do the rest.

It's easy as:

Download all the data from the solid-state drives to two drives at once.
Perform a disk verification
After your approval, reformat the disk array to ready it for the next flight.

Pilot and Operator Displays

The touch screen technology of the displays provided with the MIDAS is integral to the successful completion of the flight mission. No need to manage the camera array or mount during the mission.

The Pilot Display is Bluetooth connected to the MIDAS Computer Control Center. It is indispensable for the pilot to guide the aircraft to and through the project flight lines. During the flight, the system assures leveling, drift compensation, and automatic firing throughout the mission. The on-screen assistance for the pilot to fly within acceptable tolerances of the flight lines is vital to the completion of the project.

The Operator will generally have two screens. The Main system screen shows thumbnail images of all photography in real-time. The Operator screen displays the flight plan and allows the Operator to work with the pilot in flying the mission. An on-board operator is preferred to monitor the system and ensure the proper capture of the imagery.

Mobile options

Aside from the pilot and operator displays mentioned in the preceding section, the MIDAS may operate with a mobile tablet or phone device. These can connect through the Wi-Fi interface, standard in the MIDAS Computer Control Center. SNAP-SHOT MOBILE is an application that will run on Windows Tablet devices, capable of replacing the wired display, in some cases offering greater mobility, flexibility, and compactness.

Yoke mounts are commonly available for such devices, adaptable to the aircraft model(s) you will be flying. While the MAIN (thumbnail) screen remains connected by cable to the MIDAS control unit, the Operator screen, also running SnapSHOT, may be loaded with the mobile app, and run on a Windows tablet.

MIDAR

Customized For Your Equipment

The MIDAR system is a turn key solution from Lead'Air that combines camera and LiDAR sensors. Lead’Air’s key combination for LiDAR and DSLR imagery is a complete package for concurrent capture of point cloud data and tri-view imagery. The MIDAR rapidly captures imagery from three Nikon D850 46 megapixel or 150 MP cameras, as well as simultaneous LiDAR data to view corridors from multiple angles in one flight.

Capturing images at Speeds up to 0.8 seconds with Nikon cameras or 0.5 seconds with Phase one cameras, the MIDAR can trigger the Tri-Camera System at intervals as fast as the digital camera allows. Up to ~500 megapixels per second may easily be captured during flight to ensure complete coverage of the corridor in a single pass. When coupled with the RIEGL VUX-1LR, the MIDAR can capture at an effective rate of up to 750,000 measurements per second. Other Riegl LiDAR systems can also be used.

Do you have different equipment than we are showing? Since we manufacture our equipment onsite, most of our systems can be reconfigured, and we can create a custom mount configuration to fit your equipment. Contact us for a quotation.

Technical Specifications

General

Power Requirements:	24-28 Volts at 24-30 Amp
MIDAS Computer Size:	19 x 13 x 15in (490 x 330 x 390mm)
Nav / Camera Control:	X-TRACK Flight Management System
FMS Interface:	Flat panel touch screen
Cameras:	x5 Nikon D850 46 MP
Lenses:	1-100mm and 4-135mm Zeiss MILVUS f/1.4 ZE (1 vertical + 4 oblique)
Sensor:	14 bits
Images:	5 x 46 Mega pixel raw images
Image Quality Control:	Real time viewer with thumbnail display
Image Storage:	x6 512GB SATA SSD Drives
Performance:	0.9 second interval
Altitude:	Max 25,000 feet
Operating Temp:	32° – 140°F (0° – 60°C)
Shock / Vibration:	Rubber Vibration Dampeners
IMU / GPS:	Integrated Applanix AP 50 IMU

Fully stabilized camera mount

Drift Correction:	Automatic; Motorized ± 30°
Pitch / Roll Leveling:	Automatic; Motorized ± 10°
Camera Angle:	Fixed 45°
Shock / Vibration:	Rubber Vibration Dampeners

Weight and balance

MIDAS camera array w/ cameras, IMU, mount, MIDAS Computer Control Center w/ Frame, POS, cables and disks:	~197lbs (~89.4kg)