The evolution of airborne technology is showing no signs of stopping and new improvements are turning up almost every day. As they are evolving, their uses and applications are also reaching new heights. They are used for surveillance, dismantling defences, making films, you name it.
Thermal Cameras
Also known as thermographic cameras, drone thermal cameras are a lot like regular drone cameras in the sense that it displays output digitally what the lens of the camera captures. However, what sets thermal cameras apart is the fact that these cameras use infrared radiation and not standard light to capture the image. Images taken by infrared cameras are different from the ones taken by regular cameras as for the former, the image taken shows the heat zones will show the heat zones that cannot be seen using the naked eye. The images taken by thermal cameras are blue to red smears. The colours indicate the temperature emitted by objects, humans, materials, and more. Hot zones are represented by the red colour and blue colour represents colder zones.
Thermal Drone Cameras
One of the limitations of handheld thermal cameras is that they cannot be placed in high-rise buildings. Drones have become fiercely modern as well as compact. The efficiency of the same can be enhanced by the integration of these cameras into the drone. Detailed heat maps can be generated with the help of thermal drone cameras. Several factors impact the thermographic reading of these drones. They can be the reflectivity of the object and how transparent it is. There are other factors such as the temperature of the air, weather, humidity, the time of the day, camera distance, and the angle. The smoothness or roughness of the surface also has a say.
What Are The Uses Of Thermal Drone Cameras?
Thermal drone cameras have a range of uses and as more time will pass, the uses will also increase. Some of the uses are as follows:
- Inspecting Buildings & Roofs: Thermal cameras in drones are an excellent way to inspect buildings and are an important part of the construction industry as a whole. The drones can look for leaks in the structure, inefficiencies in the energy, and issues in the exterior. In the case of homes, thermal drone cameras can detect problems before they become worse. In this way, a significant amount of money can be saved. They can also reduce inspections by a few minutes as drones can move fast.
- Inspection Of Solar Fields: Manually inspecting solar fields can be very time-consuming just as the inspection of commercial buildings. Drones can scan a larger part in less time. Along with that, a significant amount of money can also be used. The camera uses its highly sensitive features to detect problems in the structure and read the same accurately.
- Electrical Inspections: Power lines, power supply systems and others can be kept an eye on in case there is overheating, damage, and defective connections. They can be monitored from a distance without spending a lot on the equipment. Drone pilots who know their way around drones are good enough to carry out the inspections.
What Are Airborne Magnetometers?
An airborne magnetometer is installed on the tail end of the aircraft. They are used to detect magnetic oddities of the local terrestrial magnetic field. The oddities can be in the form of ferromagnetic materials in the Earth’s crust. The magnetometer can be used to have an idea of the structure of the upper crust in the subsurface. The structure particularly includes the spatial geometry of rock bodies and the existence of rocks and folds along with it. Magnetometers are usually used for geological mapping where the bedrock is made obscure by pressure or by water.
Applications Of Airborne Magnetometers
The magnet sensors are attached to the tips of the wings. To bring down the irritating influence of the magnetic field of the aircraft as much as possible, the sensors can be installed in the tow bodies. These sensors are behind the plane or the helicopter. For instances where high spatial data is required, the sensor must be flown close to the surface of the Earth. The aircraft to which the magnetometer is installed is flown according to the topography.
What Are The Sensors Made Of?
Caesium is used to make the sensors for an airborne magnetometer. It ensures a frequency that grows as the strength of the outer magnetic field. Measurements are precise when using sensors made with caesium. The output also has a higher resolution. Vector magnetometers are used in cases where both the strength, as well as the spatial layout, are points of interest.
Conclusion
Airborne magnetometers and drone thermal cameras are just the tips of the iceberg when it comes to how much airborne technology has evolved. The same can be said for drone thermal cameras. It will not be surprising if the uses and applications for these cameras multiply to ridiculously high numbers. Magnetometers can give valuable information about the Earth’s crust.
