Magik Moments

You probably call them drones, but we call them multicopters. Drones fly autonomously, and we are in full control at all times and only within our line-of-sight.

A multicopter flies using the downward thrust of multiple electric motors to achieve lift. It steers and moves by controlling the angle of the vehicle. This is accomplished with the assistance of gyroscopes, computers, and most importantly, the skill of the pilot.

Aerial photography multicopters come in different sizes and shapes, but are normally referred to by the number of rotors they have. The most common configurations are tricopters, quadcopters, hexacopters and octocopters. The size of the vehicle is normally designed around the weight of the camera and the stabilization system, also known as a gimbal. We use state-of-the-art three-axis (roll/pitch/yaw) gyroscopically-stabilized gimbals to carry all of our cameras. These systems provide a perfectly level and smooth mount for many different types and sizes of camera.

Advanced models such as ours also have global positioning system (GPS) receivers and extremely sensitive altimeters to maintain a steady position in any wind. This means the pilot can concentrate on getting the best shot, instead of fighting the weather. Our flight controllers are also capable of flying precise, GPS-guided routes at precise altitudes. This is perfect for advanced photogrammetry or 3D scanning and mosiac applications.

Magik Moments also uses a real-time video downlink to frame our photos and video. This is essentially a flying television station to broadcast exactly what the on-board camera sees to a hand-held monitor.

Future growth will involve thermal cameras for agriculture surveys, building efficiency inspections and possibly even search and rescue operations. Our goal is to also support broadcast-quality HD downlinks for use by news agencies during live feeds and breaking events.