New Leica CityMapper-2L configuration enables digital twin creation of cities in complex weather and congested flight operation areas

Leica Geosystems, part of Hexagon, introduces the new Leica CityMapper-2L configuration specifically designed for airborne urban mapping projects at low altitude operation. Lower flying heights can be required by air traffic control (ATC) restrictions and in areas with low cloud cover.

The CityMapper-2L features a 71 mm focal length at nadir, ideal for 5 cm GSD data acquisition at flying heights of 940 m AGL. The new lenses offer similar coverage and productivity for a specific GSD as the existing configurations for standard and high flying heights, while significantly expanding the operation envelope.

“This third lense option complements the existing two configurations. The Leica CityMapper-2 now offers three different focal lengths to support all customer and project needs – from low to high altitude flights – while capturing data from 2 - 10 cm GSD”, says Ron Roth, product manager at Hexagon’s Geosystems division. “We are pleased to offer our customers full flexibility to accomplish their projects while meeting the requirements of various local flight regulations and weather conditions.”

Complete flexibility for all flying parameters

The CityMapper-2 is the world’s only hybrid airborne sensor combining oblique imaging and a LiDAR in one system. The sensor efficiently creates digital twins of cities at the highest productivity levels and provides unprecedented image quality. The system includes two 150 MP nadir cameras (RGB and NIR), four 150 MP oblique cameras and a 2 MHz linear-mode LiDAR sensor.

“With three focal lengths at 71 mm, 112 mm and 146 mm, the CityMapper-2 system can now operate at the highest performance for all flying parameters, from as low as 940 to as high as 1940 m AGL for 5 cm GSD”, Roth adds. “As such, the CityMapper-2 meets the diverse and growing market demands for the creation of 3D digital city models.”

All sensor configurations are supported by Leica HxMap, the unified multi-sensor high-performance processing workflow available for all Leica Geosystems airborne sensors. The software suite processes imaging and LiDAR data in the same user interface, reducing staff training requirements when processing data from different sensors. Processing CityMapper-2 data with HxMap offers the foundation to produce all airborne data products for smart decision making in rapidly changing urban environments.