Live from Intergeo 2025 in Frankfurt, Vexcel Imaging proudly announces the new UltraCam Merlin 5.0 photogrammetric nadir mapping camera. Featuring an impressive 37,500 pixels across the flight strip, three user-exchangeable lens kits, a rapid capture rate of one frame every 0.7 seconds, and multi-directional motion blur removal with Adaptive Motion Compensation (AMC), the UltraCam Merlin 5.0 sets a new benchmark for aerial mission performance and airspace flexibility. At its core is an advanced optical system built around Sony’s new 247 MP IMX811 CMOS sensors and custom-designed lenses, assembled in true nadir without any tilt. Combined with Vexcel’s enhanced True Pixel Processing (TPP) pipeline, the UltraCam Merlin 5.0 delivers the industry-leading image quality that UltraCam systems are known for.

“I’m thrilled to introduce the Merlin as the new force in the sky and am especially proud to announce that the very first UltraCam Merlin 5.0 is heading to Australia, to our highly valued customer Latitude Spatial,” says Alexander Wiechert, CEO of Vexcel Imaging. “Just ahead of Intergeo, Latitude Spatial was in final discussions to acquire our previous model. Given the imminent launch of Merlin 5.0, we offered a confidential preview, leading to a swift and forward-looking decision. Thinking big in aerial imaging now means thinking Merlin.”

With the new Merlin, Vexcel introduces a groundbreaking new IMX811 sensor backbone. Thanks to the exceptional quality and large image circle of the custom lenses, the CMOS sensors can be laterally shifted within the image circle, allowing two sensors to share a single lens. Combined with a third sensor placed centrally behind another lens, this configuration enables seamless stitching of imagery from all three sensors into a single composite image. The vertical axis of the lenses remains at 0° tilt. This true nadir cone arrangement ensures uniform pixel sizes and a consistent Ground Sampling Distance (GSD) across the entire image and free from pixel distortion, delivering truly photogrammetric-grade aerial mapping products.

The Merlin’s expansive 37,500 × 19,000 pixels footprint (RGB Bayer pattern and NIR) can now be leveraged across various altitudes, thanks to user-exchangeable lens kits—previously exclusive to the UltraCam Eagle—now also available for Merlin in 90 mm, 120 mm, and 150 mm focal lengths. This flexibility allows operators to tailor the system to specific mission requirements and consistently capture the highest level of detail. The lens exchange process is fast and user-friendly, with photogrammetric-grade accuracy preserved without recalibration. This ensures customers can maintain full confidence in data quality across a wide range of projects.

The holistic True Pixel Processing (TPP) pipeline in  UltraMap, Vexcel’s all-in-one photogrammetry software suite, preserves all pixel information by integrating all pre-processing steps into a single, optimized process. A standout feature is Adaptive Motion Compensation (AMC), the only solution on the market that fully and consistently eliminates motion-induced image blur, regardless of direction or image scale.

Launching this spring alongside the new Merlin, TPP introduces another powerful enhancement: finetuned contrast, sharpness and denoising based on flight altitude and ground sampling distance (GSD). Vexcel’s photogrammetry experts have meticulously calibrated contrast and noise parameters on a large and diverse set of UltraCam imagery, enabling TPP to apply them adaptively based on flying height and GSD. This refinement further enhances Merlin’s high-resolution aerial imagery, delivering an exceptional foundation for orthophotos, elevation models, and advanced feature extraction, including AI-powered analysis.

In spring 2025, Vexcel Imaging introduced the UltraCam Osprey 4.2, marking a major milestone as the first system on the market to fully integrate the  Sony IMX811 sensor. Just months later, at Intergeo, the company is unveiling two additional IMX811-based systems: the UltraCam Merlin 5.0 and the UltraCam Dragon 4.2. This rapid pace of innovation demonstrates how Vexcel swiftly transforms technological breakthroughs into real-world benefits, delivering advanced imaging capabilities to its customers faster than ever before.

The new Merlin has been redesigned inside and out. Its fresh look and the distinctive corner color scheme visually anchor it in Vexcel’s photogrammetric nadir camera category. The system will be available in spring 2026.

Key Specifications

- 37,500 x 19,000 pixels nadir

- RGB Bayer pattern & NIR channels

- Sony IMX811 CMOS imaging sensors

- 3 user-exchangeable lens kits (f90, f120 and f150)

- 1 frame per 0.7 seconds

- True Pixel Processing (TPP)

- Adaptive Motion Compensation (AMC)