MULTISPECTRAL IMAGE CAPTURING WITH FOVEON SENSORS

Abstract. This article describes a specific image quality problem using an UAV and the commercially available multispectral camera Tetracam ADC Lite. The tests were carried out with commercially available UAV Multirotor MR-X 8 performed under normal use and conditions. The ADC Lite shows a remarkable rolling shutter effect caused by the movement and vibrations of the UAV and a slow readout speed of the sensor.

Based on these studies the current state of a sensor development is presented, which is composed of two compact cameras with Foveon sensors. These cameras allow to record high quality image data without motion blur or rolling shutter effect. One camera captures the normal colour range; the second camera is modified for the near infrared.

The moving parts of both cameras are glued to ensure that a geometric camera calibration is valid over a longer period of time. The success of the gluing procedure has been proven by multiple calibrations. For the matching of the colour- and infrared image the usability of calibrated relative orientation parameters between both cameras were tested. Despite absolutely synchronous triggering of the cameras by an electrical signal, a time delay can be found up to 3/100 s between the images. This time delay in combination with the movement and rotation of the UAV while taking the photos results in a significant error in the previously calibrated relative orientation. These parameters should not be used in further processing.

This article concludes with a first result of a 4-channel image and an outlook on the following investigations.