First full mapKITE testing campaign: mapKITE becomes a reality
In June, 20th to 23rd, 2016, the mapKITE project achieved one of its major milestones: the first-time-ever operation of a tandem aerial-terrestrial system conceived for simultaneous geodata acquisition in corridor mapping missions. Such achievement validates the first half of the European Horizon 2020 project, in which an international consortium of ten teams from six different countries have partnered up to turn mapKITE into a reality.
During three days, mapKITE system testing and demonstrations were carried out at the BCN Drone Center, a UAV testing center including 2500 ha of segregated airspace located in Collsuspina, Barcelona. Within its premises, a 2 km rural road was selected as a testing corridor and was operated successfully around ten times. The testing site was prepared with several ground control points measured along the corridor and marked with black and white markers for quality checking.