Open print view

Flight service

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

Lead picture flight service

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.

Super King Air 350C

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

Twin Otter DHC-6-300

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.

Luftbildkamera ADS 100

Luftbildkamera ADS 100

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° transversely 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)

Until 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° transversely 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

Index of aerial photographs

Aerial photographs of Switzerland are collected and published by the cantons or third parties in the context of various projects. The existence of these aerial images can be communicated to swisstopo, which manages the aerial image index. The following information must be provided to swisstopo: the coordinates of the centre of the image, the area covered by the image (footprint) as well as metadata and contact information. This information (detailed in the document "LUBIS Data Delivery Guidelines") should be sent by e-mail to geodata@swisstopo.ch. Aerial images can be ordered from the cantons concerned.

Guidelines and sample data


Swiss Federal Office of Topography swisstopo Flight Service
Military airport
8600 Dübendorf
Tel.
+41 58 460 20 07

E-mail

Swiss Federal Office of Topography swisstopo

Flight Service
Military airport
8600 Dübendorf