VisionMap

VisionMap, founded in 2003 by Michael Pechatnikov, Vadim Zlotnik, Pavel Radzivilovsky, and Benny Ifhar, is an aerospace and defense company specializing in aerial imaging and photogrammetry. The company operates as a business unit within Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, following an acquisition that was jointly completed by Rafael and SK Group in February 2015. This acquisition followed an initial investment by Rafael in 2008, where it acquired a 24.9% stake.

The firm develops, manufactures, and markets advanced airborne imaging systems for a diverse client base that includes defense, homeland security (HLS), and commercial mapping sectors. Its business model revolves around selling these proprietary camera systems and the accompanying software, which are deployed on both manned aircraft and UAVs. The technology is designed to capture vast areas quickly and in high resolution, accommodating large-scale missions with rapid turnaround times. Many of the company's employees are former members of elite technological units.

VisionMap's core product is its A3 family of digital mapping systems, such as the A3 Edge camera, coupled with the LightSpeed ground processing suite. The camera technology is distinguished by its use of two sweeping telescopes that move perpendicular to the flight path, enabling a very wide field of view while maintaining high resolution due to long focal length lenses. This system can simultaneously capture vertical and oblique imagery in both color and near-infrared spectra. A key feature is the patented motion compensation mechanism that corrects for the aircraft's forward motion, roll, and vibrations, ensuring image sharpness without heavy, complex gimbals. The LightSpeed processing system then automatically generates a range of photogrammetric products, including aerial triangulation, Digital Surface Models (DSM), orthophoto mosaics, and stereo models, significantly reducing manual processing time.

Keywords: airborne imaging, photogrammetry, aerial mapping, defense imaging, homeland security surveillance, geospatial intelligence, 3D mapping, orthophoto, digital surface model, oblique imagery, Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, aerial survey, UAV payloads, remote sensing, image processing, A3 Edge camera, LightSpeed processing, reconnaissance systems, C4ISR, wide-area surveillance