WALDO

WALDO Air System

The WaldoAir aerial imaging system, commonly associated with the XCAM series of sensor pods, is an airborne remote-sensing system developed by WaldoAir Corp. of Tennessee, United States. The system is designed to collect high-resolution aerial imagery for geospatial mapping, disaster assessment, infrastructure monitoring, and precision agriculture. It combines digital imaging sensors with navigation hardware, flight-control software, and mission-planning tools.

WaldoAir systems have been used by the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) in support of disaster-response missions for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), including aerial surveys following earthquakes and other natural disasters.

History

WaldoAir was established in 2013 to address demand for three-dimensional aerial imagery, including applications involving smart cities and telecommunications infrastructure. Its founders had previous experience in airborne sensor development and aerial imaging technology.

The company developed the XCAM family of imaging systems for installation on conventional aircraft, allowing them to perform specialized aerial-survey missions without requiring a dedicated unmanned aircraft.

By the late 2010s, XCAM systems were being used in aerial mapping and emergency-response operations. During disaster missions, the systems enabled aircraft crews to collect imagery that could subsequently be processed into geographic information products for emergency managers and damage-assessment teams.

Design and operation

The WALDO system uses externally mounted imaging equipment, commonly installed in a sensor pod attached to an aircraft. Depending on the configuration, the equipment can collect visible-light, near-infrared, and thermal imagery.

The system combines camera sensors with positioning and orientation equipment to associate captured images with geographic coordinates and aircraft movement. Dedicated software supports flight planning, camera operation, and the collection of imagery along predetermined survey routes.

Some configurations are designed to collect oblique imagery, in which the camera is angled away from the vertical, to document building facades and other features that may be difficult to assess using conventional overhead photographs.

Imaging capabilities

Different XCAM configurations offer different imaging capabilities. The XCAM Ultra50, for example, is advertised with a 100-megapixel RGB imaging configuration. Other configurations combine visible-light, near-infrared, and long-wave infrared thermal sensors.

Collected imagery can be processed into several forms of geospatial data, including:

• Orthomosaics: geometrically corrected aerial images combined into a continuous map.
• Three-dimensional models: digital representations of terrain, buildings, and other physical features.
• Point clouds: collections of three-dimensional points representing surveyed surfaces.
• Damage-assessment imagery: photographs used to identify damaged buildings, roads, and infrastructure.
• Multispectral imagery: images collected at different wavelengths to help identify conditions not readily visible to the human eye.

Applications

Disaster response

WaldoAir systems have been used in emergency-response operations involving the Civil Air Patrol and FEMA. Aircraft equipped with XCAM sensors collect aerial imagery of affected areas, which can then be analyzed to identify damaged structures and infrastructure.

Following the 2019–2020 earthquake sequence in Puerto Rico, Civil Air Patrol aircraft equipped with XCAM Ultra50 systems collected aerial imagery to support FEMA's assessment of earthquake damage. The resulting imagery was processed into three-dimensional models and other geospatial products to help emergency personnel assess affected communities.

Infrastructure monitoring

WaldoAir's systems are used for monitoring linear infrastructure, including oil and gas pipelines. Specialized configurations can follow predetermined survey routes while collecting imagery of the surrounding corridor.

The imagery can be examined for potential problems such as unauthorized excavation, erosion, and changes near pipeline rights-of-way.

Precision agriculture

The systems are also used in agricultural surveying. Visible-light, near-infrared, and thermal imagery can provide information about crop conditions, water distribution, vegetation health, and other factors relevant to agricultural management.

Mapping and surveying

The system can collect high-resolution aerial imagery for producing orthophotos, three-dimensional reconstructions, and other mapping products. These products can be used in urban planning, geographic information systems (GIS), and land surveying.

Use by the Civil Air Patrol

The Civil Air Patrol, the civilian auxiliary of the United States Air Force, has employed WaldoAir XCAM sensor pods on manned aircraft for aerial imaging missions. The equipment expands the organization's ability to document large areas from the air during emergency-response operations.

The resulting imagery provides emergency management agencies with information that can supplement ground inspections and imagery collected by small unmanned aircraft. This is particularly useful when damage extends across a large area or when a rapid assessment is required.

References

1. WaldoAir Corp., Our Company.
2. WaldoAir Corp., Imaging Systems.
3. WaldoAir Corp., RGB, NIR and Thermal Specifications.
4. GIM International, Rapid Survey Technology for Puerto Rico Earthquake Response.
5. Air & Space Forces Magazine, CAP Provides Imagery, Logistical Support amid Earthquakes.