Leica Camera AG and small aviation electronics manufacturer Yuneec announce strategic technology partnership agreement. The first collaborative development, the ION L1 Pro camera, which will power Yuneec’s Typhoon H3 multicopter, was unveiled during the announcement. Leica participated in the design and development of the hardware components of the new camera, as well as the image processing software. The camera features high image quality, intuitive operation, professional image processing capabilities and the legendary Leica design. Cooperation on the ION L1 Pro is the first step in a partnership between Leica and Yuneec.
One of Leica’s core competencies is an in-depth understanding of the imaging process, including an understanding of the factors that influence the end result. These include both hardware aspects, such as sensor selection and analysis of the optical system with respect to the inevitable optical distortion present and software aspects, in particular the development and definition of image signal transmission parameters. Leica specialists have drawn on more than 100 years of experience in precision engineering and optics manufacturing, combining this with state-of-the-art digital imaging technology. The technical side of the collaboration is complemented by an organizational ecosystem created for joint projects with partner companies. In addition to development teams with individual specializations, the ecosystem includes professional support and consulting, including commercial and legal issues.
“The strategic partnership with Yuneec gives Leica the opportunity to focus on its core competencies – developments in optics and digital imaging – while at the same time making a name for itself in the innovative business sector. It enables photographers everywhere to discover Leica camera photography from a completely new perspective,” says Matthias Harsch, CEO of Leica Camera AG.
“The Typhoon H3 multicopter with the ION L1 Pro camera is a product that combines art, technology and hand-built expertise to take aerial photography to a whole new level. The ability to take aerial photographs without any restriction in terms of angle of view not only makes the boldest ideas of photographers and filmmakers possible, it also motivates them to pursue new creative fields of endeavor. The partnership between Yuneec and Leica focuses on the photographer and his artistic vision, and this is clearly shown in our first product collaboration, which was developed in full accordance with this vision and meets the highest quality standards,” says Wenyan Jiang, founder and chairman of Yuneec International.
Creating a camera for a multicopter is a challenge, especially given the severe size and weight restrictions and often harsh operating conditions. A different approach to development than traditional cameras. The ION L1 Pro camera’s optical hardware is specially adapted to meet the special requirements of photography with multicopter platforms. In addition, one of the greatest challenges for Leica’s engineers was to remove lens flare and ghosting. They used sophisticated modeling software to achieve the best possible image quality in all key areas, such as sharpness, contrast and distortion-free scenes.
The image processing software has received a number of functions that are especially important to photographers, and the technical versatility of the camera provides a wide range of use: from bracketing and semiautomatic mode to a wide dynamic range. The ADOBE RAW profile also makes it easy to work with these images in Lightroom and Photoshop. The camera controls reflect Leica’s core principle of focusing on what’s most important – Das Wesentliche. The camera on the Typhoon H3 is extremely intuitive to use, with image capture modes optimized and tuned to the specific conditions of aerial photography, ensuring that the quality of the images produced meets Leica’s exacting standards.
The Typhoon H3 multicopter with the ION L1 Pro camera is expected to go on sale in late October 2019 and will cost $2,199
This is intriguing! I’m wondering what specific features and capabilities does this camera offer for multicopters? How does it enhance aerial photography and videography? And is there any information available on its compatibility with different types of multicopters?
What key features set Leica and Yuneec’s camera for multicopters apart from others in the market? How does it compare in terms of image quality and stability during aerial photography? Are there any specific compatibility requirements with Yuneec’s multicopter models or does it work universally?