Vesper UAV
Are the 1.8 GHz and 2.4GHz transmission options selectable?
The two radio bands are separate hardware versions, two versions of Vesper and two versions of Vision.
What is the difference between 1.8 GHz and 2.4 GHz options?
The main difference is the frequency on which the radio signal operates — the 1.8GHz band is a restricted frequency, for military use. The 2.4 GHz frequency is called an ISM Band and can be used by anyone. The 1.8 range is restricted to ensure ...
Is Vesper compatible with third-party controllers?
Yes, in addition to the Vantage Robotic Vision GCS, Vesper can be flown by Auterion’s SkyNav controller.
Is Vesper equipped with collision avoidance?
No, not at this time. This feature is on our product road map and we plan to provide this in an upcoming software update. The firmware update can be done easily by adding the latest build to the onboard SD card; Vesper does not need to be returned to ...
Can Vesper be used to create orthomosaics or 3D terrain models?
Vesper absolutely can be used for creating orthomosaics. Here's some additional info on Vesper's key capabilities for photogrammetry: Photos are tagged with the appropriate pose and GPS data to support photogrammetry 44 km flight range covers more ...
Is the video color balance manually adjustable?
No, it is not, but exposure settings can be manually set or offset.
What Are the Vesper Camera Specifications?
Navigation Camera Sensor: 1/1.8" 4K low-light sensor Lens: f/1.0, 72° HFOV, 28mm equivalent Max image size: 3840x2160 (16:9) Video Recording Format: H.264 or H.265, 4K 3840x2160, 30 fps Thermal Camera Sensor: 320x240 uncooled VOx bolometer, 27 fps ...
What are the zoom capabilities of the IR camera, if any?
The IR thermal camera has digital zoom only, zooming from 24° to 6° HFOV. We are developing a family of compatible payloads as part of the Blue UAS components program in which we are developing VGA and higher resolution thermal payloads with enough ...
Which Sensor is in the Vesper EO camera(s)?
Dual Sony IMX 334.
Is the Gimbal Tilt Sensitivity adjustable?
No, it is not. The gimbal tilt is on an analog stick, so the sensitivity is how far you push the rocker. That said, one can adjust the Gimbal tilt joystick sensitivity using the Exponential slider, found in QGroundControl under Vehicle Setup > ...
Does Vesper work with or support a Micasense camera?
No.
How is the camera zoom range distributed? What is the optical zoom range?
48x combined zoom (72° – 1.5° HFOV, 4X optical × 12X digital to 360x180)
What is the thermal camera resolution?
320 x 240 pixels.
What is the expected Vesper flight time?
Vesper UAV Flight times with Endurance battery: 50+ minutes mixed flight mode with recon rotor set 44+ minutes hover mode with recon rotor set 32 minutes mixed flight mode with shrouded rotor set
What is the expected Vesper battery lifetime?
Battery lifetime is measured by how many cycles of full charge and discharge it takes to get down to 80% max battery capacity. For the Vesper Endurance Battery, internal testing shows that this is more than 500 cycles. The battery will still be ...
What is Vesper's range?
The maximum distance that the Vesper can communicate with the Vision1 GCS is 6 km with a typical range of around 4 km. The maximum distance coverable in a single flight is about 45km, at an optimal cruise speed of around 15 m/s (34 mph).
Can Vesper be equipped to fly RTK missions?
No.
Does Vesper have the capability to conduct a photogrammetry mission with the supplied QGC software?
Yes, survey setup with QGC can be done based on overlap and photos are captured automatically. Farsight generates 2D and 3D maps live from the video stream that comes back to the GCS, and provides tools to analyze and take action based on that data. ...
Is Vesper weather rated for flights in precipitation?
We designed Vesper with IP53 as a target specification, but we haven't used outside certification of the ingress protection. Our own testing of flying in the rain and hosing down aircraft in flight have shown no effects on functionality. The Vision ...
What is Vesper's IP certification?
At this time, we do not yet have an IP certificate from an independent third party. We do extensive internal testing however and have found the following: Vesper UAV meets IP53. Our own testing of flying in the rain and hosing down aircraft in flight ...
Is the Transport Case waterproof?
Yes; the transport case is watertight, dust-proof, and dent-proof, with hasps and foam lined interior. The transport case (not the field case) is rated IP67 waterproof by its manufacturer.
Can Vesper fly preprogrammed patterns around an object or controller?
The QGC control software can be used to program repeated orbits around a fixed location. It is not currently possible to do so around a target in motion. For more details about planning behaviors and missions please refer to the QGroundControl user ...
Does Vesper have onboard recording or is all of the recording done on the remote controller? Is the GCS recording on a removable storage device, or on a hard drive embedded in the GCS?
Vesper has 64 GB of onboard recording in internal flash memory and an optional SD card slot. GCS recording is done on a 256 or 500 GB internal SSD.
Is recorded video stored on removable media? If so, what format?
Vesper records video files onto a microSD card in H.264 or H.265 encoding formats.
How are data transferred off of Vesper?
Recorded files are transferred on and off via an onboard SD card. Footage can also be captured by recording the stream onto the control device.
Does the camera EXIF data contain details from both the EO and IR sensors?
Yes, EXIF and XMP data are included in the still photos. MISB0601.6 telemetry is included in the video stream and optionally in the saved video files.
How are data stored and accessed on Vesper?
Via a user removable encrypted microSD card
What are the operating temperatures for Vesper?
Vesper UAV has an operational temperature range of -20° - 45 C° (-4° – 113 F°) Vision GCS has an operational temperature range of -10° - 45° C ( 14° – 113 F°)
What is the top operational wind speed/resistance for Vesper?
Vesper has a top speed of 20m/s (45 mph - 72 kp/h), which means that it can maintain a stationary position in gusts up to this amount. Gusts over 20m/s will cause Vesper to drift but return to the last position.
Does the Vesper have a slow speed or precision flight mode?
Yes. Vesper limits speed linearly based on the altitude from a maximum speed of 20 m/s at 25 m down to 0.5 m/s at 0.5 m.
Does the remote controller (GCS) have a dimmer for tactical purposes?
Yes, Vision GCS users can control the brightness of the screen via the two dimmer control buttons located on the top of the unit.
Does the Vision GCS have output ports (Ethernet or USB)?
Yes, USB-C.
Does the Vesper thermal camera/sensor have radiometric capability? Are temperature values visible to the operator?
We don't currently expose a radiometric save format for the thermal camera. We're outputting imagery with enhanced local contrast instead of a traditional linear temperature scale. This method provides improved resolution and detection capabilities, ...
Reinstate Missing Camera Settings after updating to Vesper Software Update 1.9.4
After updating to Vesper software 1.9.4 some users may experience the loss of certain camera settings, specifically, the camera resolution settings do not appear after the update. To correct this please follow the instructions below. Download the ...
Obstacle Avoidance settings for Vesper
Vesper does not have native obstacle avoidance. The QGC software on the Vision GCS allows for changing the setting that allows an operator to enable "Collision Prevention" and "Obstacle Avoidance". This however is problematic because enabling these ...
Vesper Battery Update Instructions
Vesper Batteries have firmware installed that enables the battery to properly charge and discharge for the best battery life and performance. The version of the battery firmware is checked by Vesper during the boot-up process. If Vesper determines ...