Testing unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) cameras presents distinct challenges both in an imaging lab and in the field. In the imaging lab, replicating real-world conditions such as varying lighting and dynamic motion can be difficult. Lab environments often lack the scale and complexity of actual flight scenarios, making it challenging to simulate the conditions a drone camera will encounter fully. Additionally, controlling and stabilizing the camera during tests to mimic the vibrations and movements experienced in flight is challenging. In the field, the variability of environmental factors like temperature, pressure, and stray light adds further complexity. Drones must be tested for their performance under diverse conditions, such as fluctuating light levels, wind, and varying distances. Imatest can provide a variety of tools to help you to validate the performance of your drone cameras.
SFRreg Field Ruggedized Target
This high stress SFRreg target allows you to test your cameras and equipment in real world settings. With the SFRreg Field Ruggedized target, you can test for resolution or sharpness in outdoor lighting conditions and compare with your results measured in a controlled lab environment. The target is UV and water resistant for the most extreme outdoor conditions. You can analyze images and video captured of the target using the Imatest SFRreg Analysis Module.
Motion Blur Testing
Motion blur occurs when either the camera or the subject moves during exposure, leading to a loss of sharpness and detail. Imatest’s hardware tools, including specialized testing and calibration equipment, enable you to create controlled motion in your imaging lab scenes. Imatest’s software provides advanced techniques for analyzing how motion blur impacts image quality. By combining our hardware and software, we enable our users to understand, measure, and verify your camera system’s mitigation of motion blur.
Long Range Testing
We provide specialized tools designed to address the unique challenges of long-range imaging. You should test your camera at the distances you intend to use it at, up to the hyperfocal distance where the depth of field of your lens extends out to infinity. It can be difficult to fill the field of view of a Long focal-length lens with a physical test target at your hyperfocal distance which may be 10-100+ meters away. That is where collimator systems start to become necessary. By creating a virtual image at a simulated distance, they can be used to reproduce long-distance tests in a compact lab environment.
Imaging Lab Equipment
The Imatest Modular Test Stand (MTS) is an easy-to-use platform for image quality testing that is purpose-built for a professional lab setting. It can accommodate reflective lighting, transmissive light boxes, test charts, camera holders, light measurement equipment, and motorization to enable testing of a wide range of image quality factors for drone cameras. This system can lay the foundation for your ability to test cameras.
Test Lab Services
Imatest offers a range of professional test lab services for imaging systems. Our services include measuring image quality metrics, assessing color accuracy, and analyzing distortion and resolution. Imatest’s test lab employs advanced equipment and methodologies to deliver precise and reliable results. By utilizing Imatest’s expertise and state-of-the-art technology, you can ensure that your imaging system meets high standards of performance and quality.
Imatest provided Skydio with test lab services comparing their drone’s performance to their competition. View results and watch their webinar in the Test Lab Services Drone Comparison.