MicaSense RedEdge 3 User Manual

RedEdge 3 User Manual Rev 06

MicaSense RedEdge™ 3

Multispectral Camera

User Manual

Rev 06 – October 2015

MicaSense, Inc.

Seattle, WA

RedEdge 3 User Manual Rev 06

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. REDEDGE 3 OVERVIEW 4

2. USING THE REDEDGE CAMERA 5

2.1. GETTING STARTED: CONNECTIONS 5

2.2. USING THE REDEDGE CAMERA 7

3. CAMERA CONFIGURATION AND LIVE VIEW 9

3.1. ESTABLISHING WIFI CONNECTION 9

3.2. HOME PAGE 10

3.3. LIVE VIEW PAGE 11

3.4. COVERAGE PAGE 13

3.5. SETTINGS PAGE 17

3.5.1. TIMER MODE 18

3.5.2. EXTERNAL TRIGGER MODE 19

3.5.3. OVERLAP MODE: 20

3.5.4. ADVANCED CONFIGURATION: 21

3.5.5. MANUAL EXPOSURE: 22

4. MAPPING OPERATIONS 23

5. EXTERNAL CONNECTIONS 24

6. FILE STORAGE 25

7. DATA COLLECTION RECOMMENDATIONS 26

8. CHECKLIST FOR OPERATION 29

9. FIRMWARE UPDATE 31

10. SPECIFICATIONS 32

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DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTIES AND LIMITATION OF LIABILITY

MICASENSE MAKES NO REPRESENTATION OR WARRANTY, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, WITH RESPECT TO THE REDEDGE CAMERA. MICASENSE DISCLAIMS ANY LIABILITY FOR INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE, OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION DAMAGES FOR LOST DATA, LOST REVENUE, LOST PROFITS, OR REPLACEMENT PRODUCT COSTS ARISING OUT OF THE PURCHASE, USE, OR PERFORMANCE OF THE REDEDGE CAMERA, UNDER ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, EVEN IF MICASENSE HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. MICASENSE DISCLAIMS ANY IMPLIED WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, AND DISCLAIMS ANY IMPLIED WARRANTY ARISING FROM A COURSE OF PERFORMANCE, DEALING, USAGE, OR TRADE PRACTICE. THE PRICE OF PRODUCTS DISTRIBUTED BY MICASENSE OR ITS AUTHORIZED DEALERS REFLECTS THE ALLOCATION OF RISK ARISING FROM THE WARRANTY EXCLUSIONS AND THIS DISCLAIMER AND LIMITATION OF LIABILITY.

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1. RedEdge 3 Overview

The MicaSense RedEdge 3 is a professional multispectral camera capable of simultaneous capture of five discrete spectral bands to generate precise and quantitative information on the vigor and health of crops.

Figure 1: RedEdge Camera Features and Connections

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Insert SD Card

 Insert SD card, label side facing up, until it

clicks into place.

 To remove SD card, press the edge of the

card until the spring mechanism unlatches.

NOTE

An SDHC Class 10 SD card with a write-speed capability of at least 45 MB/s is required (32 GB SanDisk Extreme recommended). SDXC SD cards are not compatible with the RedEdge camera.

Connect GPS Module

 If stand-alone GPS module is used:

o Connect one end of 6-pin cable to

camera connector labeled “GPS”.

o Connect other end of 6-pin cable to

GPS module connector labeled “GPS”.

 For more advanced integrations where

GPS data is provided by the autopilot or other GPS source, refer to RedEdge Integration Guide.

 To remove connectors, do not pull on

wires; instead use a small flathead screwdriver to pry out the connector. See Section 5.

CAUTION

Always connect the GPS module to the camera before turning on the camera. Failure to do so may damage the GPS module.

2. Using The RedEdge Camera

2.1. Getting Started: Connections

Connect Power Cable

 Refer to RedEdge Integration Guide for

details on power requirements and connector pinout.

 Connect power cable to connector

labeled “PWR/TRIG”.

 To remove connector, do not pull on

wires; instead use a small flathead screwdriver to pry out the connector. See Section 5.

CAUTION

Power must not exceed 5.5 V DC. Ensure correct pinout and polarity before connecting power. Failure to follow these instructions may result in permanent damage to the camera.

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Power ON the Camera

 Press and release the ON/OFF button.  The Status LED will remain OFF while the

camera is initializing (approx. 5 seconds).

 After initialization has completed, Status LED

will flash at approximately once every 1.5 seconds.

NOTE

The camera will automatically turn ON when power is first applied to the external power connector. If the camera is manually turned OFF, it can be re-powered ON by pressing the ON/OFF button.

Status LED Indicators

Color

Type

Meaning

Red

1 Flash

No SD card installed

Red

2 Flashes

SD card is full or close to full

Red

3 Flashes

GPS timeout

Red

4 Flashes

Low power source indication

Yellow

1 Flash

GPS unit detected, but does not have a fix

Green

1 Flash

Camera is ready for operation (GPS is good and SD card has > 2 GB space available)

2.2. Using the RedEdge Camera

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To Power OFF the Camera:

 Press and hold the ON/OFF button for at least 4

seconds.

 The Status LED will stop flashing once the

camera has shut down.

CAUTION

Always power OFF the camera before removing the SD card. Failure to do so may corrupt some of the files in the SD card.

Capturing Images (Manual Trigger)

 With the camera turned ON and SD card

installed, press and release the trigger button.

 The camera will command a capture and the red

LED on the back cover will flash three times to indicate that a capture has been taken and the data is being written to the SD card.

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Home Page

Live View Page

Coverage Page

Settings Page

3. Camera Configuration and Live View

The RedEdge camera hosts a Wi-Fi access point that is used in conjunction with any Wi-Ficapable device for configuration of the camera and live preview of images acquired with the camera.

3.1. Establishing WiFi Connection

Any device (computer, tablet, or smart phone) can be used to establish a connection with the camera. To establish the WiFi connection:

1. Turn on the camera and wait for initialization process to complete

2. Use the device’s WiFi configuration method to search for a WiFi access point called “rededgeXXXXXXX”, where “XXXXXXX” is the 7-digit serial number of the camera.

3. The password for this WiFi access point is “micasense”.

Once connected to the camera’s WiFi, open any web browser and access the camera’s web page by typing in “192.168.10.254” in the address bar of the browser.

There are 4 main “pages” for the camera:

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3.2. Home Page

Provides status information for the camera and the GPS receiver that is connected to it.

Figure 2: Home Page

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3.3. Live View Page

Provides a live preview of images captured with the camera.

Figure 3: Live View Page

Figure 4: Imager Nomenclature

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Setting

Action

Multi

Shows all five single-band images at once in a matrix

Band 1

Shows imager #1 (Blue filter)

Band 2

Shows imager #2 (Green filter)

Band 3

Shows imager #3 (Red filter)

Band 4

Shows imager #4 (Near IR filter)

Band 5

Shows imager #5 (“Red Edge” filter)

NOTE

Streaming mode is intended for live-preview. It is recommended that streaming mode be disabled before any other operations (particularly before enabling AutoCapture mode).

Whenever the camera captures images, the image(s) will be displayed in the Live View page based on the setting of the “Band” pull-down menu

Capture: The Capture button forces a capture for the camera, and is equivalent to pressing the manual trigger button on the camera.

Streaming: The Streaming checkbox is used for near-real-time preview images from the camera. When the Streaming mode is enabled, the images shown will update as quickly as the camera can support it (currently approx. twice a second). Note that Streaming mode does not save any images to the SD card. It just enables fast capture of the camera for preview purposes only.

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3.4. Coverage Page

The coverage page provides information on the geographic location where images in the SD card were captured based on the GPS module information.

Figure 5: Coverage Page

Clicking the “captures.kmz” link will cause the camera to generate a KMZ file that will be

downloaded by your browser. The KMZ file contains the lat/lon/alt of all captures in the SD card and can be used to verify coverage after a flight or series of flights. The KMZ file can be opened using Google Earth or a GIS application.

Figure 6: KMZ File Can Be Viewed In Applications Like Google Earth

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The Coverage Estimator is a tool for quickly checking that a flight has sufficient overlap.

From the initial Coverage Page, select one or more image sets to estimate and click “Next”

(note: image sets must be geographically close together in order to work properly). The Flight Adjustment tab should appear, and show a summary of its current estimation

settings. Camera Orientation indicates the directionality of the camera with respect to the aircraft, as shown below.

Figure 7: Landscape Orientation on Left, Portrait Orientation on Right

The Flight AGL is estimated based on the GPS positions recorded for the images, with the assumption that calibration panel pictures were taken near ground level, but if the estimate is incorrect, you can manually enter the correct AGL.

The Estimate Resolution sets the quality of the output map. Low is sufficient for most applications.

Figure 8: Confirm or Edit Coverage Estimate Settings

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Clicking “Draw Coverage” will render the coverage estimate. The rendering time depends on your device’s CPU, the size of the field, number of images, flight AGL, and quality setting, but

typically runs in under 30 seconds on a modern smart phone. Finally, you will be presented with an estimate of your coverage. Any area that is dark green

has a high probability of correctly being processed in ATLAS. Areas that are yellow may work, but likely will not. Red areas will almost certainly not process correctly.

Figure 9: Example of Good Field Coverage

Edges around the field will typically show as red or yellow. This is okay as long as the data you are trying to collect is all contained within the dark green region.

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Figure 10: Example of Poor Field Coverage

If you discover your field coverage estimate is similar to the poor field coverage map shown above, double check to make sure the Flight AGL is set correctly. If the Flight AGL is incorrect, click back on the Flight Adjustment section, correct the Flight AGL, then click on “Draw Coverage” again. If the Flight AGL is correct, your overlap settings may have be wrong. You will need to capture more images of the field to ensure that post-processing will be successful.

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3.5. Settings Page

The settings page is used primarily to configure the Auto-Capture options for the camera. The camera supports three methods of Auto-Capture: Timer mode, External Trigger mode, and Overlap mode.

Figure 11: Settings Page

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3.5.1. Timer Mode

1. Use the drop-down menu to select Auto-Capture Mode as “Timer”

Figure 12: Timer Mode

2. In the updated window, specify the interval between pictures to the desired setting. If the timer interval is set to less than 1.0 seconds, the camera will capture as quickly as it can (about once a second).

3. Press the “Save” button to save the Timer mode settings.

4. Press the Start button to begin capturing images at the desired interval rate.

5. Press the Stop button to stop capturing images

6. You can review and verify that images are being captured by selecting the Live View page. Use the “Multi” setting in that page to verify that all five imagers are functioning correctly and the images displayed are being updated at the interval rate selected.

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Setting

Meaning

Rising Edge

Camera will trigger on the rising edge of a pulse

Falling Edge

Camera will trigger on the falling edge of a pulse

Short PWM

Camera will trigger if PWM transitions from longer than Threshold to shorter than Threshold

Long PWM

Camera will trigger if PWM transitions from shorter than Threshold to longer than Threshold

3.5.2. External Trigger Mode

1. For external trigger mode, you will need to connect a triggering signal to the camera – refer to the RedEdge Integration Guide.

2. Use the drop-down menu to select Auto-Capture Mode as “Ext. Trigger”

Figure 13: External Trigger Mode

3. In the updated window, select the external trigger mode from the list. The settings are as follows:

4. For PWM mode, enter the threshold PWM – note that this value is in ms (milliseconds), so the value is typically between 1.0 and 2.0.

5. Press the “Save” button to save the External Trigger mode settings.

6. Verify that the triggering is functioning by commanding a camera capture through the host device and viewing the updated image in the Live View page.

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3.5.3. Overlap Mode:

1. Use the drop-down menu to select Auto-Capture Mode as “Overlap”

Figure 14: Overlap Mode

2. In the updated window, select the Target Alt to be the altitude AGL at which the aircraft will be operating during the mapping mission. Note that this is specified as AGL (Above Ground Level) altitude.

3. Specify the Along-Track Overlap in % of image that is common between one image and the adjacent one.

4. Press the “Save” button to confirm the settings.

5. When the aircraft reaches the target altitude minus 50 meters, it will initiate taking captures and will take a capture if the distance traveled is detected to be greater than the required distance as specified in the % overlap setting.

6. When the measured altitude is lower than target altitude minus 50 meters, the camera stops taking captures.

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3.5.4. Advanced Configuration:

The Advanced Configuration menu provides controls for managing file storage for RedEdge, as well as Ethernet and Multi-Camera configurations.

Figure 15: Advanced Configuration

You can specify the RAW Format to be either 12-bit DNG or 16-bit TIFF. The 12-bit DNG format will produce files that are 25% smaller in size than 16-bit TIFF files.

The menu also enables the user to specify which bands to capture to SD card. The default of capturing all 5 bands is the recommended setting. However, if only a subset of the bands are desired, the other bands can be de-selected. Click “Save” button to commit any changes.

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The Network Mode is only relevant if you have more than one RedEdge camera. The table below the setting indicates the settings of all other networked cameras. In addition to configuring a single master, all of the camera software versions should match. After changing

the camera’s network mode, you must click “Save”, and then reboot the camera in order of

the new setting to take effect. Ethernet Configuration allows you to assign a different IP address to the camera. Note that

this will NOT configure the WiFi address, which will always be 192.168.10.254.

3.5.5. Manual Exposure:

Manual exposure checkbox enables manual control of the exposure and gain of the camera, with settings available in the Live View Page. This is an advanced operation option and should normally NOT be enabled.

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Item

Value

Lens Focal Length

5.5 mm

Lens Field of View

47.2 deg. HFOV

Imager Size

4.8 mm x 3.6 mm

Imager Resolution

1280 x 960 pixels

16-bit TIFF Format

4. Mapping Operations

For proper overlap settings during mission planning, the following information may be required:

Figure 16 shows parameters for mission planning and file storage planning.

Figure 16: Mission Planning Information

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5. External Connections

Refer to RedEdge Integration Guide for details on connectors, pin-outs, and voltage specifications. When removing the cables that plug into these connectors, use a small flathead screwdriver to pry off the connector at the plastic interface. Do not pull on the wires to unplug these connectors.

Figure 17: Removal of Connectors Using Small Flathead Screwdriver

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Format

Average File Size

12-Bit DNG

1.8 MB per file (5 files per capture)

16-Bit TIFF

2.5 MB per file (5 files per capture)

6. File Storage

The RedEdge camera stores files in the SD card in a folder structure. A new folder is created for each time the camera is powered up.

Figure 18: File Structure of SD Card

Within each folder, a subfolder with the images themselves is created. If more than 999 images are stored, a second image folder is created (“000” and “001” for instance). Two log files are also created.

Within each subfolder, a group of 5 files is created for each image capture (5 TIFF files). The suffix at the end of each file indicates the imager number (see Figure 4), from 1 through 5.

The TIFF files are 12-bit resolution stored in either 12-bit DNG RAW format or 16-bit TIFF RAW format depending on the setting (see Section 3.5.4). The resolution is 1280x960 pixels. Metadata tags are embedded for each file in standard format.

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7. Data Collection Recommendations

In order to accurately process data captured with MicaSense’s RedEdge camera, the following recommended guidelines should be observed during collection of the data:

1. A GPS receiver module or other source of GPS information should be connected to the RedEdge camera and a valid GPS fix should be verified prior to flight.

2. A minimum cross-track and along-track overlap of at least 75% is recommended.

Figure 19: Overlap Recommendations

3. At least one track of the flight area should be outside all edges of the field to be mapped (to ensure that there is data going all the way to the edges of the field)

Figure 20: Coverage Area for Mapping a Field

4. View of camera should be within 10 degrees of Nadir (within 10 degrees of straight down with respect to the Earth) during the mapping portions of the flight. Use of a nadir-pointing gimbal for the camera is highly recommended.

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NOTE

The camera applies a different gain/exposure optimization method for panel captures versus captures taken in flight. You should capture images of the panel using the Capture button on the Wi-Fi interface or by pressing the physical capture button on the camera.

Do not use Timer, Overlap, or External Trigger modes for panel captures.

5. For accurate reflectance data, pictures of a calibrated reflectance panel (Spectralon or similar) should be captured from directly overhead the panel immediately before and immediately after each flight.

When imaging the reflectance panel, place the panel flat on the ground and ensure that it is not shadowed by anything, that it is receiving direct light from the sun or sky, and that the angle of view from the camera to the panel is as perpendicular as possible (without shadowing). Avoid having the sun reflect off any surface and hit the panel. It’s best to place your shadow just to the left or right of the panel (see below for recommended position).

Figure 21: Capturing Reflectance Panel Image

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The panel should take approximately half of the view of the camera. If using a MicaSense panel, ensure that the QR code is visible in the image.

Figure 22: Example of Panel Capture

6. It is recommended to gather data during weather that provides consistent illumination (avoid days with clouds that move in and out and cast changing shadows on the ground).

7. For best results, data collection should be done within 2.5 hours of local solar noon.

8. For vineyards and plants with significant height above the ground, optimal results are obtained when the flight path is perpendicular to the rows if possible.

9. If a field needs to be flow in more than one flight, the coverage regions for each flight should overlap:

Figure 23: Multiple Flights for the Same Field Should Overlap

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SD card installed

Power cable connected

GPS for camera connected and connectors secured

Lenses are clean, not scratched, clear of obstructions

If using external trigger: trigger cable connected to triggering source

If using gimbal: gimbal is functional and operating properly

Apply power or manually turn ON camera - verify boot-up complete (blinking Status LED)

Connect to camera using WiFi-capable device

Connect to “rededgeXXXXXX” WiFi network (password = “micasense”)

Open web browser and point to 192.168.10.254

Select Home Page

Verify voltage is good (green background, 4.0 to 5.5 V DC)

Verify free space on SD card sufficient for mission

Verify GPS date and time are correct

Wait for GPS fix

Confirm GPS fix (> 3 Satellites Used)

Confirm green blinking Status LED

Configure auto-capture mode - press “Save” after all changes

Select Live View Page

Point camera at reflectance panel (make sure camera has GPS fix)

Panel placed on ground, far from any obstructions

Panel fills about half the camera’s field of view

Camera pointed as perpendicular to panel as possible

No shadows on panel

Direct sunlight illumination on panel (no reflected lighting)

Press “Capture” button on Live View Page and verify image captured correctly

Take at least two captures

Panel captures should ONLY be commanded from the Live View Page interface or by pressing the physical trigger button. Do not use Timer, Overlap, or External Trigger mode for capturing panel images.

8. Checklist for Operation

1. Before Power-Up

2. Camera Power-On and Configuration

3. Before-Flight Reflectance Panel Images

4. Immediately Before Flight

Confirm green Status LED in front of camera

Verify auto-capture settings

If using Timer mode:

When ready to launch, press "Start” in Settings Page

Go to Live View page and verify capture at desired interval

If using Overlap mode:

When ready to launch, press "Start” in Settings Page

If using External Trigger mode:

Force a manual trigger capture using aircraft’s controller

In Live View Page, verify image captured

Connect to camera using WiFi capable device

In Home Page, verify SD card free space:

If SD card is full it is likely some pictures were not captured

If desired, download KML file from Coverage Page and view in Google Earth or GIS application

If using Timer auto-capture mode:

In Settings Page, click “Stop” button

Obtain after-flight reflectance panel images

Same process as before-flight reflectance panel images

Power camera OFF (hold power button for at least 4 seconds)

5. After Flight

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Power LED (Blue)

Status LED (Red) – Flashes During Programming

9. Firmware Update

The firmware in the RedEdge camera can be easily updated following these steps:

1. Copy the rededge.bin file to the root folder of any SD card (the SD card that came with the camera is recommended).

2. With camera powered OFF, insert SD card into camera.

3. Provide a source of power (5.0 Volts DC at 5 Watts) to the camera and power camera

ON if it doesn’t power on automatically. The red light on the back of the camera will

immediately start to rapidly flash, indicating that the camera is installing the firmware. When the red light stops flashing, the installation process is complete (should be less than 30 seconds).

4. The camera should then boot up normally, and the light in the front will flash at approximately a once per second interval.

5. Verify the software was updated by checking the “Settings” page on the camera’s web page. The firmware version number is shown at the bottom of the page.

6. Remove the SD card and delete the bin file (otherwise each time you power up the camera, it will install the firmware).

10. Specifications

Basic Specifications

Weight

150 g

Dimensions

12.1 cm x 6.6 cm x 4.6 cm (4.8” x 2.6” x 1.8”)

Power

5.0 V DC, 4 W nominal

Spectral Bands

Narrowband: Blue, Green, Red, Red Edge, Near IR

Ground Sample Distance

8.2 cm/pixel (per band) at 120 m (400 ft.) AGL

Capture Speed

1 capture per second (all bands), 12-bit RAW

Band Number

Band Name

Center Wavelength (nm)

Bandwidth FWHM (nm)

1

Blue

475

20 2 Green

560

20 3 Red

668

10

4

Near IR

840

40

5

Red Edge

717

10

Spectral Bands

RedEdge 3 User Manual Rev 06

MicaSense RedEdge™ 3 Multispectral Camera

User Manual

Rev 06 – October 2015

MicaSense, Inc. 1055 N 38TH ST

Seattle WA 98103

 The contents of this manual are subject to change without notice  MicaSense, Inc. assumes no liability for incidental or consequential damages arising

from the use of this product, and any claims by a third party.

 Copying of the contents of this manual, in whole or in part, as well as the scanner

applications is prohibited under the copyright law.