See the recording of a FREE Webinar on non-contact prediction of Brix in Blueberries using the Headwall MV.C NIR Hyperspectral Sensor with the perClass MIRA Scanning Stage.

Payload Integrated Airborne Systems

Payload Systems

We offer payloads that can be integrated onto compatible UAVs and other vehicles such as manned aircraft. Compatible UAVs include: DJI Matrice 600 Pro, FreeFly Alta X, BFD SE8. Our sensors fly onboard manned aircraft such as NASA’s Cessna and Twin Otter aircraft carrying the G-LiHT and Headwall SIF imaging sensor and P-3 Orion carrying sensors for missions over the Arctic.

See what it’s like to fly one of our Hyperspectral UAV systems »
NASA-G-Liht-SIF-Sensor

Nano HP VNIR Turnkey Systems

Next-generation Nano HP systems are designed with ideal Size, Weight, and Power consumption (SWaP) for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), the Nano HP contains aberration-corrected optics, an internal solid-state drive (SSD), Gigabit Ethernet interface, and offers a choice of lenses. We can deliver an out-of-box solution to you with a choice of GPS/IMU and optional LiDAR.

Nano HP VNIR UAV Datasheet »

Micro-Hyperspec Ext-VNIR Turnkey Systems

Extending the VNIR range to 1700 nm allows additional hyperspectral imaging capability for applications in remote sensing that need a longer reach into the near-infrared region than conventional VNIR (400 to 1000 nm) while retaining some visible-wavelength capability. Due to payload restrictions, this configuration is not available with LiDAR.

Micro-Hyperspec UAV Datasheet

Micro-Hyperspec SWIR 640 Turnkey Systems

Our Micro-Hyperspec SWIR 640 system offers outstanding sensitivity and low power requirements. Due to payload restrictions, this configuration is not available with LiDAR. Check out our Co-Aligned VNIR-SWIR turnkey or payload package with BOTH VNIR and SWIR data capture with closely matched field of views and optional LiDAR.

Micro-Hyperspec UAV Datasheet

Hyperspec Co-Aligned HP VNIR-SWIR Systems

Next-generation Co-Aligned HP VNIR-SWIR systems on a UAV contain co-aligned VNIR and SWIR systems with independent optical and data-acquisition and solid-state storage, as well as a high-performance GPS/IMU package. The field-of-view for each system is closely matched, and LiDAR can also be added. This is our own choice for remote-sensing missions.

Hyperspec Co-Aligned HP VNIR-SWIR UAV Datasheet

The LiDAR Advantage

Aerial LiDAR is useful for forest mapping and crop-health analytics by providing information on plant height and density. Combining hyperspectral and LiDAR provides a more complete picture of how the landscape looks with respect to structure and vegetation types. Headwall’s LiDAR Tools allows creation of high-resolution, high-accuracy Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) crucial for accurate orthorectified images and flying over areas where the topography is subject to periodic change.

LiDAR Systems & Software

GPS/IMU Comparison

A Global Positioning System / Inertial Measurement Unit (GPS/IMU) keeps track of location coordinates while the IMU accounts for the effects of roll, pitch, and yaw. Headwall offers two GPS/IMU instruments available for use on UAVs: Standard (left) and High-Performance (right). The Standard unit is very compact and lightweight, while the High-Performance unit offers increased accuracy.

GPS Standard vs. High-Performance