Visual Intelligence Ups Production on New Drone Sensor: Engineering Grade Data

Visual Intelligence’s Improved Drone Sensors Met with Renewed Interest from Telecom Sector

by DRONELIFE Staff Writer Ian M. Crosby

Drone sensor and software platform Visual Intelligence is increasing production on a new lightweight variant of its Engineering Class drone sensor. The heightened rate of production is due to increasing interest from the Telecom sector in a growing category of drone data offerings benefiting engineering workflows and digital twin analysis over the course of an asset’s entire lifecycle.

Visual Intelligence was founded by Telecom industry veteran Ted Miller, who also founded global wireless communications infrastructure company Crown Castle International Corp., where he served as Chairman and CEO. At present, Miller is additionally involved in a range of other Telecom-adjacent technology ventures, while Visual Intelligence is conducting Telecom projects with multiple tower companies throughout the Americas, Asia Pacific, Europe, and Africa.

“While drone technology isn’t new to the Telecom industry, drone data that has engineering applications is unprecedented,” said Miller. “The industry is finally ready to switch out of analog-mode and embrace digital reinvention. As more companies discover the potential of Engineering Class 3D data, we’re aligning ourselves with market leaders like Sony Electronics, who are equipped to grow and serve an international audience.”

Visual Intelligence’s latest version of the MACS-3DTM sensor boasts a compact and lightweight design with greater compatibility with smaller commercial class drones, such as the DJI Matrice 300. Its dual-sensor drone payload features two Sony Alpha 7R IV cameras optimized for tower data collection. Visual Intelligence collaborated with Sony on the integration of Sony Alpha-series technology into the sensor’s dual-camera configuration, specializing it for 3D reality model coverage and increased accuracy.

“Sony Alpha camera technology combined with Visual Intelligence’s automation platform and design for UAS payloads creates transformative, engineering-grade data for design, 3D modeling, inspection, and analysis of critical infrastructure,” said John Monti, Director Industrial Camera Solutions, Sony Electronics Inc. “We value our relationship with Visual Intelligence as we explore the boundaries of image sensing combined with drone-based methodologies for photogrammetry.”

Read more:

• Pix4D, Axians France Partner for Digital Twins of Telecom Infrastructure
• Drones and Digital Twins: Is Digitization Driving Drone Industry Scale?
• vHive Raises $25 Million in Series B: Digital Twins and Critical Insights
• Optelos on Digital Twins and Immersive Data Visualizations: Beyond Drone Data

Ian attended Dominican University of California, where he received a BA in English in 2019. With a lifelong passion for writing and storytelling and a keen interest in technology, he is now contributing to DroneLife as a staff writer.