Quanergy M8 Ultra – Digital Lidar for Surveying and Mapping

As Jeff Fagerman, Founder of LidarUSA recently explained the Quanergy M8 Ultra is making an important contribution in the UAS mapping world, not only because of its light weight, but more importantly because of its 150m range which allows it to collect data efficiently while staying under the FAA 400′ mandated ceiling.

Provided by Quanergy

Photo of Quanergy M8 Ultra in Use

Quanergy M8 Ultra in Use

The Mapping LiDAR Scanner the Market Has Been Waiting For

Quanergy is the world’s leading innovator in 3D LiDAR smart sensing technology and recently released the fifth generation of its M8 3D LiDAR sensor.  The M8 family of sensors is composed of four separate models including the M8 Ultra, which has been designed to cater to the mapping and surveying community.  Quanergy’s M8 has been qualified by top mapping experts as being one of the best 3D mapping LiDAR sensors in the world in terms of “inch accuracy” applications.

Quanergy has been shipping M8 LiDAR sensors since 2015. The range of the sensor (up to 150 meters), angular resolution and competitive price (just under $5,000), has made the M8 the LiDAR sensor of choice for applications ranging from autonomous vehicles and industrial automation to security, safety, and smart city applications. The M8 Ultra model, released in Spring of 2018, is the culmination of years of hard work and close collaboration with Quanergy’s system integration partners, all preeminent experts in surveying and mapping. The M8 Ultra is second to none when it comes to range, data quality, and reliability.

Quanergy M8 Ultra Imagery

Quanergy M8 Ultra Imagery

Jeff Fagerman, CEO of LiDAR USA, evaluated the M8 Ultra and said, “It is the scanner the market has been waiting for. It provides enough range to fly at 400 ft AGL with sufficient accuracy, point density, and resolution to build topographic models for the surveyor and engineer. The bonus is the small size and weight.”

Let’s Talk Range  

The M8-Ultra has a detection range that exceeds 200 meters on high reflectivity surfaces. At 400 feet, the sensor can map almost any surface, including low reflectivity ones, making it an ideal scanner for UAV mapping applications. 

How About Data Quality and Data Management?

The M8 Ultra’s 360º Field of View (FOV) comes in handy when mapping using vehicles or portable systems. The downloadable Quanergy Q-View software package allows users to efficiently manage data output, by programming the usable FOV. Drone mapping professionals can easily set the sensor to use data coming from 120º or 180º looking down and with the M8’s three returns it produces a solid amount of reliable data. At full FOV, the sensor generates over 1.2 million data points per second.

As mapping experts understand, the number of channels isn’t  important when you are moving the sensor to scan. As long as users have enough beams to give them the appropriate depth for a 3D point cloud, they get sufficient vertical density while driving a car, flying a drone, or walking with a portable mapping kit. With this in mind, Quanergy decided to focus on the horizontal data density to provide the highest resolution offered in the M8 category of 3D mapping. Each beam generates close to 150,000 data points per second, providing an angular resolution that ranges from 0.03 to 0.13° depending on the frame rate, and thus enabling the best 3D mapping output a $5,000 sensor can buy.

Quanergy M8 Ultra Point Cloud

Quanergy M8 Ultra Point Cloud

Reliability on All Fronts

The M8 Ultra offers exceptional reliability for both detection and operation. Unlike other LiDAR sensors in the market , the M8 ultra doesn’t struggle to operate in suboptimal lighting conditions. Additionally, Quanergy’s IP69K rated sensors operate reliably in harsh environments and challenging weather conditions, including dust, mist, rain and snow.

Quanergy’s reliability is so high that the M8 sensor now comes with a two year standard warranty on all orders placed and shipped on or after August 7, 2018. This industry-first warranty, which no other LiDAR company offers, is backed by extensive testing and thorough scientific analysis.

In an industry stigmatized with high RMAs, Quanergy sensors are made in the USA at Quanergy’s Sunnyvale, California manufacturing facility. The M8 Ultra is designed and manufactured under the highest quality and reliability standards, which include compliance to Quanergy’s ISO 9001:2015 certified quality management system. As a result of serving the automotive industry, the M8 was developed from ground up to be a highly robust and dependable product.

As it becomes clear just how many potential applications there are for LiDAR sensors, it is more crucial than ever for companies to pay close attention to the details and choose the sensor that will perform best for each specific use case. The M8 Ultra’s range, quality of data, and reliability distinguish it from all other sensors in its class, and enable the highest level of situational awareness for its users across industries.

For Jeff Fagerman’s full article on the Quanergy M8 Ultra click here.

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Quanergy M8 Ultra, Quanergy M8 Ultra

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