Use Case: Hyperspectral imaging missions across varied terrain
Drones used: DJI M300/350 RTK, M600, Freefly Alta X, Harris Aerial H8
The Challenge
Headwall supports customers in environmental monitoring, which demands accurate and repeatabledrone-based hyperspectral imaging. However, mission setup was time-consuming and prone to inconsistencies, especially over uneven terrain.
To scale up operations and reduce planning overhead, the team needed reliable terrain-aware flight automation, with support for custom cameras, offline planning, and multiple drone platforms.
Key features used:
- Terrain-following flight planning with SRTM/DTM or custom elevation models
- Full support for custom camera configurations
- Intuitive UI with 3D visualization and offline capability
- KML export and corridor tools for repeatable flight setup
- Multi-platform support, including NDAA-compliant drones
Results That Matter
- 10–20 minutes saved per mission during setup and pre-flight
- Fewer re-flights due to altitude inconsistencies
- More efficient daily operations, with greater area covered per flight
- More accurate flight-time estimates for better resource planning
- Increased confidence in repeat missions and time-series data collection
Why UgCS?
UgCS hit the balance of affordability, professional support, and advanced features. Unlike open-source or one-off custom apps, UgCS came fully supported and was adaptable to Headwall’s needs.
“We are obsessed with improving the customer's experience and reducing the burden on the operators and pilots. UgCS has improved how we plan and fly our missions. We've moved from manual, error-prone setups to a more streamlined process that helps us focus on capturing quality data. The team behind UgCS has also been great to work with—responsive, flexible, and open to collaboration.”
— David Blair, VP, Headwall Photonics
Deployment
From setup to proficiency took less than a day. The team was fully operational after just a few missions—thanks to strong documentation and responsive support.
