UltraCam Eagle Upgrade for Fugro

Graz, Austria - May 3, 2012 - Fugro Malta Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Fugro NV, has contracted with Vexcel Imaging GmbH, a Microsoft® company, to upgrade its UltraCamXp digital aerial camera system to an UltraCam Eagle, the most recent offering in the highly successful UltraCam product line.
Fugro Malta Ltd. is a full service geospatial aerial data acquisition company formed by Fugro in 2011 to streamline its geospatial airborne activities. It serves Fugro Operating companies in the entire EMEA region by providing the resources and operational/technical expertise to successfully acquire the airborne imagery and LiDAR data that they require to complete national mapping, utility, environmental and infrastructure projects.
“We are looking forward to leveraging the UltraCam Eagle’s technological improvements to support Fugro’s imaging, surveying, photogrammetric and GIS services,” stated Gary Smith, Fugro Malta’s Managing Director. “The UltraCamXp has operated well for us over the past year, and we expect the UltraCam Eagle’s updated features to assist us in even more efficient data collection.”
“Microsoft is pleased to accommodate Fugro’s evolving business needs through the UltraCam upgrade program,” said Alexander Wiechert, Microsoft Business Director. “The combination of lighter weight, smaller physical size, and larger imaging footprint make the UltraCam Eagle a valuable asset to the company.”


The  UltraCam Eagle features a PAN image footprint of 20,010 pixels across the flight strip. In addition to the ultra-large image footprint, the UltraCam Eagle includes enhanced electronics for improved frame rate and less noise (72 dB signal-to-noise ratio for high image dynamic) when compared to previous UltraCam systems, and innovative high-resolution, high-performance lenses and state-of-the art CCD technology (@ 5.2 µm pixel size) for sharp images with a high dynamic range. The UltraCam Eagle is the first multi-cone digital photogrammetric camera to offer an exchangeable lens system with 80mm (standard) and 210mm (tele for high altitude flights) and includes filters with curved characteristics to flatten out vignetting, enabling the lens system to operate at its best Modulation Transfer Function (MTF) performance for maximum image sharpness and contrast. This digital camera system boasts a new housing concept with everything integrated into a modular sensor head, including the UltraNav embedded flight management and direct georeferencing system from Applanix, and in-flight exchangeable, solid state storage for high reliability and minimal ground time. Compared to previous UltraCam systems, the smaller physical form factor of the UltraCam system makes it quicker and easier to install, requires less aircraft space, and weighs less for more efficient aircraft fuel consumption.


About Microsoft's UltraCam Business Unit
With its operations based in Graz, Austria, and sales and support teams in North America, Microsoft's UltraCam business unit brings more than two decades of photogrammetry expertise to Microsoft's Bing Maps business unit. The division is responsible for the highly successful line of UltraCam digital aerial mapping systems that include the UltraCamLp, UltraCamXp, UltraCamXp Wide Angle and UltraCam Eagle digital photogrammetric sensors. Rounding out the UltraCam mapping systems offering is the UltraMap workflow software system for processing UltraCam imagery to Level 02 and Level 03 quality data, and with features that include distributed processing with automated load balancing, automated project-based color balancing, and additional quality control tools.


Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.


Fugro is a major supplier of airborne mapping and geospatial data services with offices throughout the world. The company collects, processes and interprets data relating to the Earth's surface and subsurface in support of a wide range of public and private organizations in the energy, natural resources and engineering and construction sectors. Fugro is listed on Euronext Amsterdam and is included in the AEX-Index. For additional information, go to www.fugro.com or contact Gary Smith at +356 2010 5540 or Huug Haasnoot at +31 70 317 0700.