senseFly eBee X Fixed-Wing Drone

The Fixed-wing Advantage

The senseFly eBee X is the obvious choice when it comes to mapping needs. The fixed-wing design gives it the advantage of superior efficiency and safety, not to mention quality, when it comes to data collection. The eBee X has a camera to fit perfectly with any job, and the drone’s built in flight planning tools ensure that the coverage and accuracy you demand is achieved on virtually any worksite.

The efficiency of the eBee X is unmatched, able to achieve a maximum flight time of up to 90 minutes, with the unique Endurance Extension mode enabled. This amount of flight time can provide coverage of vast areas - up to 500 ha (1,235 ac) at 400 ft. And the High-Precision on Demand feature means that you can reach an absolute accuracy of down to 3 cm (1.2 in), without GCPs.

Practically no site is too challenging for the eBee X. With a hand launch, and Steep Landing technology, it’s easy to get in the air, and equally safe and easy to get back to land. An ultra-robust design means that the aircraft is able to handle the rigors of the worksite, and live air traffic data and more ensures that everyone is kept safe on the job.

The Right Tool for Many Jobs

The range of groundbreaking cameras compatible with the eBee X make it one of the most versatile mapping drones available. The right camera can make this drone the right aircraft to achieve stunning 3D reconstructions of vertical environments, or to create geo-accurate thermal maps, or even to monitor and track crop health.

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The Cameras

senseFly S.O.D.A. - This camera was the first one built specifically for professional drone photogrammetry. Almost immediately after its release it became the industry standard for its ability to capture incredibly sharp aerial images in almost all light conditions, with the result of producing detailed, vivid orthomosaic images and ultra-accurate 3D digital surface models.

senseFly S.O.D.A. 3D - This camera is an ingenious development of the previous camera - also for the purpose of professional photogrammetry - in that it can change orientation during flight to capture three images (2 oblique, 1 nadir) instead of just one. This provides a much wider field of view for more in-depth, vibrant output. It is also optimized for use with image processing with Pix4DMapper, for quick, robust turnaround.

senseFly Aeria X - This camera is a compact, drone photogrammetry powerhouse. Offering the perfect blend of size, weight, and DSLR-like image quality, it also provides stunning image detail and clarity in practically all light conditions. With more hours available to map per day than ever before, you are less tied down to the restriction of daylight hours to get your mapping done.

senseFly Duet T - This camera is actually a dual thermal/visual sensor for thermal mapping. It can give you the ability to create digital surface models and geo-accurate thermal maps with ease.

senseFly Corridor - This solution makes it easy to create maps of linear infrastructure and sites such as powerline corridors. An integration kit houses the senseFly S.O.D.A. (not included) in portrait (longitudinal) position, which means that fewer shots are needed while covering the same area. senseFly Corridor flights are managed through the eMotion 3 program, via the corridor mapping mission block.

Parrot Sequoia+ - This sensor is the smallest, lightest multispectral sensor currently available. In a single flight, it can capture images across four visible and non-visible spectral bands, plus RGB images. It is ideally suited to agricultural applications such as crop scouting and monitoring.

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Get the Most of your eBee X

The flight management software program included with the eBee X, eMotion, makes it easy to not only get up and mapping quickly, but also to get the most out of your drone. eMotion is beginner-friendly but sophisticated, allowing you to create advanced flight mapping missions.

eMotion is not specific to the fixed-wing drone, but is the only professional-grade software that supports both fixed-wing and multirotor operations. Inuitive, easy-to-use mission planning blocks help you get in the air faster, and customizable flight modes for every application means you have the ability to get exactly what you need.

The full 3D environment of eMotion allows you to plan, simulate and perform your drone mapping missions with increased accuracy, and safety, ensuring the consistent performance and high-level data quality you demand. The workflow hub provided by eMotion, connecting your drone, industry cloud solutions, and survey-grade base stations, means it’s easy to get your data from beginning to end product hassle-free. It also connects you to live airspace data, and live weather updates, to keep you informed.

How eMotion Works
Plan - The first step to getting your eBee X in the air is planning your flight mission. With eMotion software, you select the mission block that fits the task (aerial mapping, corridor, etc.), then highlight the area you want to cover. Simply define a few key settings, and eMotion automatically generates your flight plan. You are not limited to one flight, as multi-flight missions are also supported. The program also allows you to access or import elevation data to improve safety and achieve more terrain-accurate flights.

Simulate - After planning your flight, eMotion’s simulator mode works to optimize your flight plan. You can enter wind strength and direction, and press Play to “launch” your drone. The software virtually flies through your planned flight, while you view all aspects of the drone on its mission. This crucial step allows you to work out any kinks in advance.

Fly - Once your planned mission is ready, upload it wirelessly to your drone and launch. With the eBee X, this is a hand launch. The aircraft will then fly through its programmed mission, capture images, and return to land at the preprogrammed location.

Export - No need to worry about georeferencing and preparation of images, as eMotion’s built-in Flight Data Manager automatically handles that. This ensures images are all ready for post-production with a software program such as Pix4Dmapper, practically eliminating compatibility issues.