Camera for drones, which has abilities for 5X optical zoom and VR image shooting, will be developed for the first in the world. Although South Korea has low market shares for markets for private drones, it has traditionally shown strengthen in mobile image solutions. It will be interesting whether South Korea can prepare breakthroughs for drone markets with their optical technologies.
Haesung Optics (CEO Lee Jae-seon) made an announcement on the 11th that it was selected as the host company for ‘Development of OIS 5X Zoom and Wide-Angle Multi-Camera Module for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles and Fast Signal Processing Modules for Intelligent Flight’ project and has started R&D on this project. It is a national project where $13 million (15 billion KRW) will be invested this year and $39.1 million (45 billion KRW) for total of 3 years.
Haesung Optics will be the host company and Huins, Korea Electronics Technology Institute, AG Optics, and Micro Actuator will become participating businesses. Effectiveness of this project is expected to be high since not only businesses that specialize in optics and national research institutes are participating, but drone manufacturers are also going to participate. Huins is a small drone manufacturer that made BlueEye series and others.
Two new products will be developed through this project. Camera modules with 8 million pixels with OIS (Optical Image Stabilization) and 5X optical zoom function are going to be developed. Although zoom function is introduced for certain cameras for drones, 5X will be the world’s biggest ratio. It is a rate that can differentiate objects that are located 100m away.
Ultra-optical multi-camera modules make VR image filming possible. 360° images can be obtained by having optical cameras, which have 190° of angle of view, at the top and the bottom. VR contents without any blind spots can be implemented by having skewing corrected during optical filming. They will be developed with ones with 16 million pixels (freeze frames) and 2 million pixels (videos) and are optimized for drones since they only weigh about 100g.
ISP (Image Signal Processor) to send and process images and AP (Application Processor) platforms will also going to be developed. Hardware IPs and modules allow intelligent flights such as detection of obstacles, automatic return , and trace of objects. Drones for practical demonstrations will weigh less than 6kg.
Optical system for drones, which is an important part that play a role of an ‘eye’ for intelligent drones, receives attention from drone industries on whether or not it can emerge as a new business for them. South Korea has low market shares in global markets for small unmanned aerial vehicles as it has only 18%. However since cameras for drones are considered parts rather than finished products, they can become business models that can be supplied to variety of manufacturers.
Although South Korea has low market shares for drone markets, it can prepare breakthroughs if it can secure competitive edge in optical technologies. Cameras for drones are developed for specific models rather than just attaching Go-Pro cameras onto drones. Haesung Opticals started supplying their cameras for Parrot, which is a French drone manufacturer, since last year.
“Development of optical system for drones will include two products as a national project that is to last for 3 years.” said a representative for Haesung Optics. “It will be developed with world’s best specifications such as abilities to zoom 5 times and film 360°.”
Staff Reporter Song, Junyeong | songjy@etnews.com