RMK TOP - Aerial Survey Camera System

For many decades, Zeiss Aerial Cameras have been successfully used all over the world as a high performance system for aerial photography. The RMK TOP represents a new camera generation in response to increasingly critical demands in application and new technological possibilities.

The RMK TOP features a systematic, modular design. The individual components form logical functional units optimized to the needs of both practical application and economical use. Special consideration has been given to the space available in the aircraft, the installation conditions and the necessity of component change.

Highlights:

• Modular design with easy-to-change components and compatibility with a variety of older components
• High-performance lenses with internal filters and significantly enhanced image quality
• Comprehensive image motion compensation by FMC and gyro-stabilized suspension mount
• Stabilized camera axis ensuring small nadir angles
• Unique pulsed rotating-disk shutter with a constant access time of 50 ms
• Precise overlap control and pin-point photography
• Menu-driven central control by a compact computer and logging of the mission data
• Automatic v/h measurement for overlap control and FMC
• Automatic exposure control using the principle of image quality priority
• Ideal for GPS-supported navigation and aerotriangulation
• Integration into the GPS-supported WinMP photoflight management system
• Outstanding reliability and flexibility

T-AS Gyro-stabilized Suspension Mount for RMK TOP

The quality of an aerial photo is largely determined by the optical quality of the camera lens, the resolution of the film emulsion, and the image motion or residual image motion, as well as the light and weather conditions.

The lenses of the RMK TOP offer maximum resolution and freedom from distortion. In addition, films are now available which feature high resolution combined with low speed. In the same way as unfavorable light conditions, however, they necessitate long exposure times which can only be achieved without any loss in quality if the image motions resulting from the forward and angular movements of the aircraft during the shutter open time are eliminated to the greatest possible extent.

In modern aerial survey cameras, the image motion caused by the forward motion of the aircraft is eliminated by FMC devices (forward motion compensation). FMC can, of course, be successfully utilized in good weather conditions. However, it is only when the roll and pitch of the aircraft - its rotary movements about the longitudinal and transverse axes - need to be compensated, that the full benefit of image motion compensation becomes obvious.

The T-AS gyro-stabilized suspension mount provides an excellent solution to this problem for the RMK TOP. State-of-the-art gyro technology, active control components and passive vibration damping are used to stabilize the camera. Stabilization combined with improved vertical alignment of the camera gives the user more scope for action during the photoflight and ensures better image quality.

Highlights

Improved image quality due to:

• the use of high-resolution, low-speed b/w and color films
• complete elimination of image motion
• full utilization of the superb optical quality of the RMK TOP lenses

Increased efficiency due to:

• photoflights in unfavorable light conditions
• possibility of missions in rough flight conditions
• greater overlap accuracy and higher accuracy in pinpoint photography
• increased range of flying altitude and photo scale
• increased usage of camera and aircraft