Blog & Updates | Remote GeoSystems

Remote GeoSystems Awarded Patent for Essential Geospatial Full Motion “Video Geo-editing” Technology

March 9, 2021 by Remote Geo Team

FORT COLLINS, Colorado, USA, – Remote GeoSystems, Inc., a global provider of immersive geospatial full motion video and survey data mapping software and recorder solutions, is pleased to announce the award of US Patent Number 10,893,287 on January 12, 2021 for essential elements of “video geo-editing” technology capabilities.

The patent covers map-based GPS data and video segment selection, extraction and re-splicing functionality found in products like LineVision Desktop, Video GeoEditor and other evolving Remote GeoSystems mapping and data management solutions.

This exclusive GPS track geospatial video data editing functionality applies to a wide variety of geo-referenced video file formats from videos with associated GPS “companion files,” videos with GPS in the closed caption subtitles and videos with embedded GPS data such as consumer devices like action cameras and drones all the way up to airborne gyro-stabilized gimbal camera turrets generating MISB FMV 0601 / STANAG 4609 mil-spec video files with embedded location metadata.

This video geo-editing functionality provides users (as well as automation) the ability to select geographic beginning and end points along a continuous GPS path corresponding to a video file of the same time length in a map display. Upon selection, the segment of video and corresponding GPS points for just that portion of video between the beginning and end points is extracted and removed from the geospatial representation on the map display. The original, non-extracted video segments are then able to be retained as either separate video files or combined into a single video file. Either way, the corresponding GPS location points and time data for each video segment is kept in sync with the video’s original geographic location on the map display prior to the video segment extraction.

Being able to extract portions of georeferenced video file while keeping geospatial accuracy intact for the other portions offers improved efficiency and focused content deliverables from large-scale geospatial full motion video survey, inspection and surveillance operations. For example, imagine a pipeline or powerline patrol flight where the aircraft has to make a loop around to accommodate turn in the line right of way. The interactive map-based deliverables can now be enhanced by easily removing unusable/unneeded video footage from the loops along the right of way, reducing storage requirements and improving the end-user experience.

Patent Number 10,893,287 is the third US Patent issued to Remote Geosystems. Learn more at https://www.remotegeo.com/patents/.

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Remote Geosystems Updates LineVision Online with Enhanced Support for DJI Drone Video Camera Metadata and Field of View Mapping in the Cloud

December 15, 2020 by Remote Geo Team

PRESS RELEASE – FORT COLLINS, Colorado, USA, – Remote GeoSystems, Inc., a global provider of immersive geospatial video, photo and survey data mapping software and recorder solutions, is pleased to announce enhanced support for visualizing and mapping DJI drone video camera metadata and field-of-view projection in LineVision Online.

LineVision Online is Remote GeoSystems secure, privately-deployed web application for immersive mapping, analysis, search, sharing and archive of geo-referenced videos, MISB FMV, photos and other survey, inspection and surveillance datasets.

With enhanced camera metadata mapping in LineVision Online, DJI drone videos can now display a dynamic, field-of-view outline representing where the gimbal camera was looking on the Earth as the video plays in the web-based map interface. Users can select any point along the UAV’s flight track on the map to immediately cue the video to play what was recorded at that location click point.

DJI operators and aerial survey data specialists now have a playback and visualization capability similar to MISB-spec full motion video (FMV) files captured from high-end military-grade gyro-stabilized gimbal cameras found on manned aircraft and BVLOS drones, but with affordable COTS hardware and a user-friendly, scalable web application.

How it Works

Remote GeoSystems uses existing native DJI flight logs data to perform the mathematical calculations necessary for generating the camera projection on the map eliminating the need for the drone operator to have to purchase additional sensors or drone software. By combining videos with DJI data, LineVision Desktop software users are able to fine-tune the camera field-of-view and altitude settings until the projected camera outline on the map most closely matches the extent of the content in the video frame(s).

Once satisfied with the adjustments, users simply use the built-in data transcoding/transfer utility in their LineVision desktop software of choice which takes care of the rest, processing and uploading the geotagged videos, photos and/or saved geoProjects to LineVision Online, allowing for simple web-based DJI drone data access from anywhere with an internet connection.

Learn more at: https://www.remotegeo.com/software/linevision-online/

About Remote GeoSystems, Inc.

Remote GeoSystems is a geospatial software and hardware company offering turn-key solutions to easily record, map, report, archive & search continuously geotagged videos, photos and other location-based project files. Products include industry-firsts, patented technologies like those found in the geoDVR™ (geospatial digital video recorder) and LineVision™ suite of geospatial video playback software.

Unlike traditional video recording systems, the geoDVR systems record video with GPS location and time data. LineVision mapping and inspection reporting software provides users with simple but powerful tools for geographic video analysis, editing and project packaging while leveraging existing enterprise Geographic Information Systems (GIS).

These capabilities allow for more efficient and accurate data collection and the creation of reusable aerial, marine and ground-based survey, surveillance and inspection work-products across a broad range of industries including: Unmanned Vehicles, Aerospace & Aviation, Electric Utilities, Oil & Gas, Rail Transportation, Defense & Security, Engineering & Survey and Natural Resources.

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New in LineVision Desktop: Save Track to Esri MISB CSV

November 7, 2019 by Remote Geo Team

With the latest release of our LineVision Desktop – Ultimate and Professional edition software, users can now export video and GPS tracks as a CSV file compatible with the Esri FMV Multiplexer tool.

This allows for the geospatial metadata to then be run through either Esri’s ArcGIS Pro or ArcMap FMV multiplexer tool to generate MISB-spec video files.

Remote GeoSystems Deploys geoDVR Mini Video Recorder for BVLOS Drone Pipeline Patrol, Inspections and Security in China with Xi’an ARTEL

August 20, 2019 by Remote Geo Team

PRESS RELEASE – FORT COLLINS, Colorado, USA/XI’AN, Shaanxi, CHINA – Remote GeoSystems, Inc., a global provider of immersive geospatial video, photo and data recorders and reporting software for survey and inspection, and Xi’an ARTEL Technology, Inc., China’s leading developer/operator of beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) inspection UAVs, are pleased to announce the successful deployment of complementary geospatial data systems for long distance day and night drone pipeline patrol operations.

In May 2019, Remote GeoSystems traveled to China to evaluate capabilities and provide business development support for reseller Xi’an ARTEL’s use of the geoDVR™ Mini GPS video recorders on BVLOS drones and the development of interactive client deliverables using the LineVision™ geospatial video inspection and reporting software suite.

“We knew team at Xi’an ARTEL had the opportunity and was making the investment to become a successful value-added Remote Geo reseller in China, but we really did not know what to expect when we first got there.” says Remote GeoSystems managing director, Jeff Dahlke, “However what we saw was nothing short of amazing and inspiring. Here was a group of young engineers and a CEO leading the way in BVLOS drone operations and they flew their drone and our geoDVR Mini with a EO/IR gimbal at night for over 14 kilometers on that first observation flight.”

Xi’an ARTEL first approached Remote GeoSystems in the spring of 2018 after learning about the company’s success with geoDVRs and LineVision with helicopters for pipeline leak detection and patrol. However the gas-powered ARTEL Patrol UAV required the geoDVR technology to be smaller, lighter and able to operate autonomously.

What was to become the first “geoDVR Mini” prototype was commissioned, built and shipped in early fall of 2018 and Xi’an ARTEL put the geoDVR GPS video recording system to work immediately to geotag video for their existing contract with one of China’s leading petroleum corporations as well as for proof-of-concept testing for maritime security.

“Remote Geo was willing to listen to us and visit us and our clients in China, and work with our company on a value-added reseller level.” says Gao Yong, CEO of Xi’an ARTEL, “That gives us a competitive advantage having a proper, first-hand and trusting relationship with the leading American technology company in geospatial pipeline patrol and video mapping.”

About Remote GeoSystems, Inc.

About Xi’an ARTEL Technology, Inc.

Xi’an ARTEL has played a major role in the extensive use of BVLOS drones in China. Our UAV flight services business covers oil and gas pipeline, electric power distribution and transmission, forestry, agriculture, wildfire protection, unmanned vehicles & facilities security, transportation, traffic and emergency response functions.

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Best Practices for Map-based HD Video Playback

April 14, 2019 by Remote Geo Team

With a growing need for higher-quality video footage with geospatial recording systems, it is important to consider the performance impact the higher quality settings create.

Codec

Resolution

Framerate

GPS Data Collection Rate (for geospatial playback, such as in our LineVision titles)

Codec

H.264 is one of the most popular codecs being used today, with a fair trade-off between hardware demands and video quality for a given bitrate. H.264 Hardware Decoding is widely supported in most video playback hardware today (including Intel, AMD, and NVidia GPUs, Smartphones, Smart TVs and other playback devices), which relieves the CPU of the work necessary to decode the video stream and allows the CPU to be available for other uses.

H.265 (also known as HEVC) is a successor to H.264. The primary advantage of H.265 is a higher compression ratio, allowing for a video at a given bitrate to retain a higher image quality than H.264. The downside to H.265 is that decoding is much more resource-intensive and more powerful hardware is needed to decode a given bitrate than H.264.

While hardware-supported H.265 decoding is available with a wide selection of hardware today, it is not as prevalent as H.264 decoding.

For example, the first Intel GPU with H.264 decoding was made available with the first Core processors in 2010, however H.265 decoding was not made available with Intel GPU’s until 2015 with 5th-Gen Core processors. A workstation made in 2013 may be unable to play back an H.265 video, while a similar workstation made two-years-later would be able to. Playback on devices such as smart phones, set-top appliances, tablets and other devices is also much less common than H.264

If hardware support to decode H.265 is not present, the CPU will be used to decode the video instead (also called software decoding). This can dramatically hit less powerful CPUs, causing playback to slow down to a slideshow, artifacts to appear, or audio to desync.

If cost of storage and bandwidth is not a concern, H.264 is a good option, due to being widely supported across all platforms, with a low performance cost.

Video Resolution

The most common resolutions in use today:

Standard Definition
480I (640 x 480, interlaced).
Old, non-HD TV sets commonly used this resolution.

480P (640 x 480, progressive)
Progressive, non-HD TV sets commonly used this resolution. Also commonly found with DVDs.

High Definition
720P (1280 x 720, progressive, 60FPS effective)

Full HD

1080P (1920 x 1080, Progressive. Framerate is usually denoted after the ‘P’)

Ultra HD (UHD)
4K (3840×2160, Progressive)

The higher the resolution, the higher the performance impact. Raw 4K video contains four times the data to process as 1080P, with a given framerate and color depth.

Framerate

NTSC:
60FPS, 30FPS.

PAL:
50FPS, 25FPS

Going from 30FPS to 60FPS doubles the raw data rate, which means the processor utilization to decode also increases significantly.

GPS Rate

For standard applications, we recommend a 1Hz GPS data rate. This means that GPS data is logged once per second.

Some devices offer a higher GPS rate, such as GoPro cameras that use a 18hz, and Remote Geo has built geoDVR systems with a 10Hz GPS. However, the more GPS points there are, the more intense the CPU usage is to map them all out. This is why by default, LineVision (and all our video mapping/editing software) will limit the GPS display-rate to 1HZ on the map.

By default, LineVision Desktop will limit the total number of GPS points of a video to 1000 to optimize the performance of the software. However, when multiple videos are loaded, with each one having 1000 points, CPU usage can grow dramatically to draw the thousands of points.