Senop Oy HSC-2 Hyperspektralkamera

The HSC-2 is a frame-based hyperspectral camera from the Finnish maker Senop for visible and near-infrared light (VNIR). It is used on heavy-class multicopters and fixed-wing UAVs and belongs to a series being phased out.

The CMOS sensor has 1024 × 1024 pixels at a 5.5 µm pitch, which equals 1.0 megapixel. Instead of a few broad colour channels, it delivers up to 1,000 freely programmable bands with a full width at half maximum of 6 to 18 nm; versions cover 450 to 800 nm or 500 to 900 nm. Each band is exposed individually: 74 frames per second at 12 bit, 149 at 10 bit. The lens focuses from 30 cm to infinity at a field of view of 36.8 × 36.8°. The unit measures 199 × 131 × 97 mm, weighs 990 g, runs on 7 to 17 V and stores on 1 TB. GNSS (GPS and BeiDou) and an IMU are integrated; the ports are GigE (RJ-45), Mini-DisplayPort, an IO port (UART, 4 GPIO), MMCX for the GNSS and USB-C for an irradiance sensor.

At 990 g alone, the camera exceeds the limit of EU class C1 (900 g); the aircraft therefore lies at least in the range from C2 (below 4 kg) up to C3 and C4 (25 kg). Hyperspectral images of fields, forests and waters touch data-protection law as soon as people or property are recognisable.

Because each band is exposed individually, the aircraft moves on between bands; in processing the bands must be brought into register, which GNSS and IMU help with. The irradiance sensor supplies the incoming light for reflectance values. With a series being phased out, spare parts, calibration and support should be clarified before purchase.