Flight service
Flying is carried out in collaboration with the Swiss Air Force. The Aerial Photography flight service plans and coordinates all flying requirements.

Aerial photography is made for the following purposes...
- updating the Topographic Landscape Model (TLM) and the national maps
- the orthophoto mosaic (SWISSIMAGE)
- orders from the Federal Administration, cantons and privates
In addition the aircrafts are available for use as platforms for special flying requirements such as laser scanning or airborne gravimetry.
More information about the acquisition of aerial images strips at swisstopo...
Our Services
- Flight planning and offer the flight costs
- Comprehensive advice on matters such as optimal use of the digital sensor ADS100 and optimal timing for weather and vegetation conditions
- Coordination and implementation of all aerial operations in cooperation with the Air Force
- Processing of the trajectory and image control after the flight
Two powerful twin-engined aircraft are available to meet a full range of requirements in Switzerland and abroad.

Technical Details
Super King Air 350C
- Operational ceiling: 10 600 m
- Cruising speed: 530 km/h
- Maximum range: 3 200 km
- Payload (with full tank): 620 kg
- Max. takeoff weight: 6 800 kg

Technical Details
Twin Otter DHC-6-300
- Operational ceiling: 8 100 m
- Cruising speed: 280 km/h
- Maximum range: 3 200 km
- Payload (with full tank): 950 kg
- Max. takeoff weight: 5 670 kg
Applications
- create digital aerial photographs (ADS image strips) with a minimal ground sampling distance of 5 cm
- platform for projects such as laser scanning and airborne gravimetry
In both planes, a digital sensor (ADS100) can be installed. In the Twin Otter an additional Airborne Laser Scanner (Leica ALS60 / ALS70) can be installed.


Camera Equipment
2 digital cameras ADS100
- Total of 13 CCD-lines
- Scan width: 20'000 pixels
- Pixel size : 5 μm
- 3 Angles of View : Forward (14°) - Nadir (0°) - Backward (10.4°)
- Focal length : 120 mm
- Field of View = 45.2° transversly to the flight direction at nadir
- Channel: infrared, red, green, blue for the 3 angles of view
- Radiometric resolution: 14 bit
Software
- Leica FPES (Flight planning software)
- FCMS, Flight & Sensor Control Management System
- Leica IPAS Freebird allows a higher flexibility in flight and for processing the GNSS-IMU-Data
- Leica IPAS TC (Postprocessing the GNSS-IMU-Data)
- Leica XPro (Download and editing of the sensordata)
Unitl 2016 swisstopo acquires aerial photographs with an ADS80 camera.
Camera Equipment
2 digital cameras ADS80
- Total of 12 CCD-lines
- Scan width: 12'000 pixels
- Pixel size : 6.5 μm
- 3 Angles of View : Forward (27°) - Nadir (0° & 2°) - Backward (14° & 16°)
- Focal length : 65 mm
- Field of View = 64° transversly to the flight direction at nadir
- Channel: infrared, red, green, blue, panchromatic for the 2 angles of view Backward and Nadir and just panchromatic for the angle of view Forward
- Radiometric resolution: 12 bit
Military airport
8600 Dübendorf
- Tel.
- +41 58 460 20 07
Swiss Federal Office of Topography swisstopo
Flight Service
Military airport
8600 Dübendorf