The FireflEYE 185 is a hyperspectral snapshot camera that captures the complete data cube in a fraction of a second. In sunny conditions, the necessary integration time is around 1 ms. The 185 offers 125 spectral bands covering the range of 450-950 nm and weighs only 490 g, making it highly suitable for use on UAVs. Even with cables and a mini computer, the payload remains under 1 kg. When mounted with its customized two-axis gimbal, the total payload weight is 1.7 kg, allowing it to be used with most commercially available UAVs.
Camera Description
The FireflEYE 185 integrates two sensors:
The panchromatic camera is used to increase the spatial resolution of the hyperspectral data through pansharpening, resulting in hyperspectral data cubes with a resolution of up to 1000x1000x125. You can choose between nearest neighbor and bicubic resampling methods.
Lens Options
We offer several lenses with different fields of view (FOV). Typically, we recommend using the 10mm lens (30° FOV) or the 16mm lens (20° FOV) due to the larger area size per snapshot image. The table provides an overview of how lens/FOV and flight height influence the spatial resolution of each pixel for both camera sensors of the 185.
Image Acquisition
When programming your UAV with a waypoint mission, ensure there is sufficient overlap between the individual snapshots (60-80% in both directions). This overlap simplifies the stitching process to create a hyperspectral mosaic. Combined with GPS data, the panchromatic camera provides enough information for stitching software such as Pix4D or Agisoft Photoscan to generate the mosaic. An additional IMU is not required. Moreover, stitching the snapshot images not only results in a hyperspectral map but also produces an orthomosaic and a Digital Surface Model (DSM) as byproducts.
FireflEYE 185 Orthomosaic 
FireflEYE 185 Digital Surface Model (DSM)
Flexibility in choosing the UAV Platform
The FireflEYE 185 is flexible and not limited to multicopter systems; it can also be mounted on a fixed-wing system. The image shows an example from an aerial survey in China taken with a FireflEYE 185, displaying a hyperspectral NDVI.
About the Author
Dr. Matthias Locherer has been the Sales Director at Cubert GmbH since 2017. With a PhD in Earth Observation from Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, he brings extensive expertise in remote sensing, spectral imaging, and data analysis. Matthias has contributed to numerous research projects and publications, particularly in the multispectral monitoring of biophysical and biochemical parameters using hyperspectral satellite missions. His deep knowledge of optical measurement techniques and physical modeling makes him a key driver in advancing innovative hyperspectral technologies at Cubert.
