Graz, Austria — June 16, 2010 — Vexcel Imaging GmbH, a Microsoft® company, has signed a purchase agreement with Surdex Corporation for the acquisition of an UltraCamXp Wide Angle, a version of the UltraCam large format digital aerial camera system that features a wide-angle lens with a shorter focal length.
“Our volume of work is increasing, mandating additional resources,” stated Ron Hoffmann, President of Surdex. “The wider swath, coupled with the improved vertical accuracy from the shorter focal length, will enable us to use the UltraCamXp Wide Angle system on all types of digital orthophoto projects, including projects involving topographic mapping.”
The UltraCamXp Wide Angle has the largest PAN image footprint available and can collect data at a rate of 2.5 Gbits per second. Its wide-angle lens provides exceptional small-scale mapping capabilities from lower-flying planes.
“We are pleased to welcome Surdex to the Vexcel Imaging family,” said Alexander Wiechert, Business Director of Microsoft and Managing Director for Vexcel Imaging GmbH. “The UltraCamXp Wide Angle offers flexibility to companies serving a variety of customers that all have a requirement for quality imagery and fast turnaround.”
About the UltraCamXp Wide Angle
The large image format of the UltraCamXp Wide Angle is identical to that of the UltraCamX at 196 megapixels, or 17,310 across track and 11,310 along track panchromatic pixels. The pixel size is 6 µm, and geometric accuracy is better than +/- 2 µm. Post-processing can be started on board and completed on the ground with a laptop or group of PCs for faster turnaround. The new Wide Angle model also is fully compatible with the storage (DXp) and computing (CXp) systems of the UltraCamX and UltraCamXp, and is fully supported by Vexcel’s UltraMap 2.0 workflow software system.
About Vexcel Imaging, GmbH
Acquired by Microsoft Corporation in May 2006, Vexcel Imaging GmbH brings more than two decades of photogrammetry expertise to Microsoft’s Bing Maps business unit and is at the heart of the burgeoning Microsoft photogrammetry business. The company’s offerings include its series of UltraCam large- and medium-format digital aerial mapping cameras and related software tools such as the UltraMap 2.0 workflow software.
About Surdex Corporation
Surdex Corporation, headquartered in Chesterfield, Mo., has provided geospatial services to a diverse client base for over a half century. Surdex is a national leader in photogrammetric mapping, serving clients from the private, local government, state government, and federal agencies across North America. The company has an acquisition fleet of eight aircraft which hosts four digital cameras, film cameras, and LiDAR instrumentation. Surdex’s offering includes aerial acquisition, image scanning, proprietary image processing, aerotriangulation, digital orthophotos, LiDAR processing, planimetric and topographic mapping, and GIS services. For more information, please visit http://www.surdex.com/.