Not many people realize that most drones are nothing but cameras mounted on battery-powered propellers. Different types of cameras are suited to different tasks and there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. Here’s a quick overview of the main drone camera types and what they’re used for.

LIDAR: Lidar or light detection and ranging works on the principle of reflection and bounce-back. It uses light energy, emitted from lasers to scan the ground. Lidar sensors mounted on a drone are capable of capturing complex data while providing very precise, accurate and high-resolution images. 

Lidar sensors for drones is an industry that has seen tremendous growth over the years.

HYPERSPECTRAL: Hyperspectral imaging, also known as imaging spectroscopy, collects and processes information from the electromagnetic spectrum. Its goal is to obtain the spectrum for each pixel of an image. It can also be used to detect whether vegetation is alive or dying even if the vegetation appears green and healthy to the naked eye. Human eye can see colors of visible light in mostly three bands, while hyperspectral imaging divides the spectrum into many more bands. This technique can be extended beyond the visible.

INFRARED: Infrared or thermal imaging drones have made hard to reach or vast areas more accessible. Infrared cameras use heat or infrared radiation instead of visible light to form a picture. Drones equipped with infrared cameras can be used to detect irregularities in insulation and pooling water.

DJI Mavic 2 enterprise dual and advance, DJI Matrice 300 RTK, Autel EVO II dual 640T and DJI Matrice 210 are some of the best infrared drones.  

RGB: RGB cameras give you the entire view of a field at once and processes the aerial imagery into orthomosaic maps. One of the most effective ways to capture data using an RGB sensor is to fly mapping missions.

Farmers have used an index, Visible Atmospherically Resistant Index (VARI) that works with RGB sensors, to detect areas of crop stress. This process exaggerates colour and shows how green the plant is in comparison to others so you can approximate plant health and vigour.