Drone in flight
After narrowing the band, the loudest point is in the sky above the roof.
- 44.7 dB SPL at image position (0.61, 0.36)
- Band 3.3–6.2 kHz
Solution
Acoustic Camera
SONITA SP-64 acoustic camera with SONUS-EYE software: 64 microphones and a camera turn sound into a live heatmap that shows exactly where noise comes from.
"See what you hear. Our acoustic camera turns sound into a live heatmap, then records and analyzes every measurement with our own in-house software."
The SONITA SP-64 array has 64 MEMS microphones around a central camera. All microphones listen at the same time, and the SONUS-EYE software calculates which direction the loudest sound comes from, then paints it over the camera image in real time. Red marks the source.
Every measurement can be recorded with all 64 audio channels and video, then replayed and re-processed later: change the frequency band, focal distance or algorithm without measuring again, listen to a single point in the image, and export snapshots and level tracks for the report.
Key features
- DATA Center Praram 9 (Day & Night)
- Drone detection
How an acoustic camera works
Sound from a source reaches each of the 64 microphones at a slightly different time. The software tests every direction on the acoustic grid, shifts each microphone signal by the matching delay and adds them together (delay-and-sum beamforming). In the true direction of the source the signals reinforce each other, so that point shows as the loudest, in red.
Delay-and-sum is fast and stable for live work. CLEAN-SC gives higher resolution and separates sources that are close together.
SONUS-EYE software: 5 steps
1. Setup: choose the array and check the preflight list.
2. Calibration: check all 64 microphones and switch off faulty channels.
3. Measurement: set the frequency band and focal distance, watch the live heatmap and record.
4. Analysis: replay recordings, re-process with new settings and locate the source.
5. Settings: camera, grid resolution and audio block size.
The main screen shows the heatmap in the centre, the spectrum and spectrogram, the five loudest sources with their levels and positions, and a timeline of the whole recording.
Choose the right frequency band
The same moment of a recording, with only the frequency band changed. With a wide band (500–7000 Hz) wind and traffic noise spread colour over the whole image and the loudest point sits at the edge. Narrowing the band to the drone's propeller noise (about 3.3–6.2 kHz) leaves one clear source in the sky: the drone.
Specifications
| ARRAY AND CAMERA | |
|---|---|
| Model | SONITA SP-64 |
| Microphones | 64 MEMS |
| Array aperture | 0.37 m |
| Camera | 2560 × 1440 |
| Field of view | 87.1° × 56.3° |
| Connection | USB |
| MEASUREMENT | |
| Sample rate | 48 kHz |
| Acoustic grid | 32 × 18 points |
| Update rate | about 11.7 maps per second |
| Algorithms | Delay-and-sum (real time), CLEAN-SC (high resolution) |
| Frequency band | adjustable (default 500–7000 Hz) |
| Focal distance and dynamic range | adjustable |
| SOFTWARE | |
| Software | SONUS-EYE v3.0 |
| Recording | 64-channel audio and video (.sonuseye) |
| Analysis | replay, re-processing, Circle Focus listening, peak tracking |
| Export | snapshot, level track, map |
Example: drone detection
Drone on the ground
The vertical position of the loudest point shows whether the drone is flying or has landed.
- 43.9 dB SPL at image position (0.64, 0.83)
- Band 3.8–10.3 kHz
Listening to one point
Circle Focus plays the sound from inside the circle only, to confirm that it really is the drone's propellers. Peak tracking follows a moving drone automatically.
- 44.5 dB SPL at (0.61, 0.34)
- Display setting only: recorded data is not changed
Have a Sound or Vibration Problem?
Talk to our engineering team and find the right solution for your application.