AEC TECH NEWS: 3DR announces availability of Sony R10C on Site Scan

Berkeley, Calif. — 3DR, North America’s largest manufacturer of drone technologies for commercial and industrial use, announced the availability of Site Scan, 3DR’s fully automated flagship aerial analytics platform as an integrated bundle with Sony’s UMC-R10C camera.

Site Scan, which already has many customers in the construction, engineering and mining industries, is now the first and only product to seamlessly integrate and exploit all the power of the Sony UMC-R10C, a best-in-class professional grade camera. The 20MP APS-C size sensor captures 13 times the light of a 1/2.3″ sensor found in DJI drone cameras. A larger sensor automatically translates into a higher signal-to-noise ratio and higher dynamic range. This, combined with the sharp 20mm Sony SEL20F28 prime lens, dramatically improves image quality and the quality of the maps and models generated by Site Scan. With the new camera, Site Scan achieves an impressive resolution of 0.5cm/pixel (Ground Sampling Distance).

Companies using Sony R10C on Site Scan have already noted its main benefits:

• High Definition Aerial Imagery, No Subcontractors Required: The Sony sensor is one of the largest in the sky. To get this level of detail before today, you would have needed to rent or own a $30,000+ drone and hire a specialist to process the data.
• Intuitive Workflow, From Flight to Finish: Site Scan is built for field professionals and assumes no prior drone or piloting experience. Collecting data is as easy as selecting an area on a map and swiping the screen for take-off.
• Integrates with Existing Workflows: For Autodesk users, the process to turn photos into valuable data such as volume measurements and design surfaces requires no additional training or software outside of Site Scan. It simply revolutionizes the data or reality capture aspect of the workflow by allowing engineers and construction site supervisors to collect data instead of specialists.

“The Sony R10C on Site Scan is an all-in-one enterprise solution that delivers users the most advanced commercial-grade camera available on the market,” said Chris Anderson, CEO and co-founder, 3DR. “Alongside one-click data collection, processing and analytics capabilities, Sony R10C on Site Scan integrates seamlessly with existing workflow applications so industrial users can survey, inspect and scan commercial worksites almost effortlessly.”

Earlier this year, 3DR was contacted by top civil engineering and design firm Kimley-Horn for an ambitious project: scanning and surveying the world famous Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Colorado. Through use of Sony R10C on Site Scan, Kimley-Horn was able to walk through an automated workflow from drone capture and create a highly detailed and sharp 3D model of the site. The effort was integral in helping Kimley-Horn meet a number of goals set for the mission including historical archiving of the park, modeling stormwater erosion, tracking trail maintenance and building acoustics and lighting models for the amphitheatre.

“Sony R10C on Site Scan has forever changed the way companies will leverage UAV technology across industries,” said Bobby Valentine, Firm-wide Project Visualization Lead, Kimley-Horn, a top 30 US Design Firm. “Sony R10C on Site Scan combines intuitive software, best in breed camera capabilities and integrates seamlessly with the GIS and CAD systems we use daily. It has helped us engage with clients more safely, affordably and accurately.”

Pricing and Availability

The Sony UMC-R10C is available now, completely integrated with the Site Scan app on iOS, with full survey functionality. Scan functionality, used for 3D models, and Inspect mode, used for live inspections, will be available later this year. The total package is available for an introductory price of $12,200 including the drone, camera, software and full support.