CHCNAV X500 Professional Mapping Drone & LiDAR Packages

Datasheet

CHCNAV X500 Professional Mapping Drone

The CHCNAV X500 is a professional multirotor UAV for aerial surveying, LiDAR mapping, construction documentation, and infrastructure inspection. Its carbon-fiber airframe supports payloads up to 5 kg, with RTK positioning, visual SLAM, terrain-following flight, and forward obstacle detection to support field operations. A folding airframe and transport case make it practical to move between job sites.

Every Absolute Accuracy package includes the X500 drone, EC10 remote controller, at least two B10 intelligent flight batteries, and one BS10 intelligent battery station. We add the selected battery package and BS10 station to the manufacturer's base drone package, and include them in the displayed package price. Choose your LiDAR system, desktop software, and total battery quantity above.

Key Features

• 5 kg maximum payload: Configure the platform for a supported CHCNAV LiDAR sensor or an existing compatible payload.
• Long flight endurance: Manufacturer reference flight times reach 58 minutes without a payload, 52 minutes with a 2 kg payload, or 40 minutes with a 4 kg payload.
• RTK and visual positioning: Multi-constellation GNSS and visual SLAM support positioning and landing.
• Forward obstacle detection: A forward-facing sensor provides detection out to 80 m.
• Field-ready construction: IP55 protection and an operating temperature range of -20°C to 50°C.
• EC10 controller: A 10.1-inch, 1920 × 1200 touchscreen with up to 1,000-nit brightness and approximately five hours of controller operating time.
• SmartGo flight planning: Plan mapping routes and monitor aircraft status through CHCNAV's ground-control software.
• Dual-battery operation: Hot-swappable B10 batteries and the BS10 station simplify battery changes between flights.

Select Your LiDAR System

Start with the work your crew performs most often: site topography, grading and earthwork, stockpile volumes, transportation corridors, or detailed infrastructure mapping. For a surveying firm adding aerial LiDAR for everyday topo and volume work, our recommended starting point is the AlphaAir 6. Consider AA15 when its scan-line performance and full-frame camera configuration suit your deliverables, or AU20 when you need a system that can support both airborne and ground-based mobile mapping.

None - Drone Only: Use Your Existing Payload

Choose this if you already own a compatible LiDAR or imaging payload. You still receive the X500 platform, selected total battery quantity, and one BS10 station. No LiDAR sensor or mapping camera is included. Confirm the mounting, cabling, and supported integration for your existing sensor before ordering.

AlphaAir 6 (AA6): Our Starting Recommendation for Everyday Survey Work

Best fit: Surveyors and civil contractors collecting existing-ground surfaces, site topography, stockpile quantities, excavation volumes, and repeat construction progress data. It is also a candidate for vegetated sites and road or utility corridors when the flight plan and delivered accuracy meet the project requirements.

The AA6 combines LiDAR and imaging in an approximately 1.35 kg payload. Its 90° LiDAR field of view, up to 2 million pulses per second, and up to 16 returns support detailed surface capture, while the integrated camera provides imagery for visual reference and supported RGB point-cloud colorization. The low payload weight is useful when flight endurance and efficient setup matter to a small field crew.

Why choose it: It provides a practical route into aerial surface mapping with an integrated imaging system. For example, a crew surveying a development site can use the point cloud to build a terrain surface, generate contours, and compare earthwork quantities using the appropriate processing software. Pair it with CoPre and CoProcess Pro for the terrain and volume workflow described below.

AlphaAir 15 (AA15) + C5: For Production Aerial Mapping and Full-Frame Imagery

Best fit: Mapping teams with recurring highway, railway, pipeline, power-line, urban, or vegetated-terrain projects that benefit from a dedicated camera and a planned production scanning workflow.

The AA15 supports a 75° LiDAR field of view, up to 2 million pulses per second, and up to 16 returns. Its maximum scan speed is 600 lines per second, compared with the AA6's 400. At the same flight speed, a higher line frequency can place scan profiles closer together along the flight path; actual point spacing and density still depend on the pulse rate, scan settings, height, and overlap.

Why choose it over AA6: Evaluate AA15 when that scan pattern and the included 45 MP full-frame C5 camera with a 21 mm lens address a specific project requirement. It is worth comparing for work that needs both point-cloud feature extraction and calibrated imagery. Balance those requirements against payload weight, flight endurance, and package cost. AA6 also supports corridor and vegetation mapping, so project size alone does not decide the choice.

Included package: AA15, C5 camera, transport container, and supplied data-transfer accessories. AA15 package P/N: 8005010114. C5 with 21 mm lens P/N: S39905000024202001.

AlphaUni 20 (AU20) - No RGB Camera: For Aerial and Mobile Mapping Services

Best fit: Surveying and engineering firms that want to offer aerial terrain mapping alongside vehicle-based road surveys, transportation asset inventories, infrastructure documentation, or broader 3D mapping services.

The AU20 combines a 360° scanning field of view with up to 2 million pulses per second and 16 returns. Its mounting options support airborne, vehicle, and backpack workflows. The 360° scanner is particularly relevant when the equipment needs to capture surrounding features from a moving ground platform.

Where AU20 comes into play: A transportation survey firm could fly a corridor to capture the surrounding terrain, then use a separately configured vehicle setup to map the existing roadway, roadside structures, signs, and other assets. That ability to use the sensor across different collection methods is the strongest reason to evaluate AU20 over a dedicated airborne package.

Package scope: This X500 selection includes the AU20 scanner, transport container, and supplied data-transfer accessories, with no RGB camera. Vehicle/backpack mounts, AP7 mobile-mapping hardware, and panoramic cameras require a separate configuration and quote. For airborne imagery and RGB colorization, ask about an AU20 + C5 package. AU20 package without C5 P/N: 8005010145.

Compare results at your planned survey settings. All three systems support multiple returns, but ground coverage under vegetation depends on canopy gaps, flight planning, and classification. Laser ranging accuracy is different from final survey accuracy. Review sample data and independent check-point results for your intended flight height, terrain, and deliverables. Absolute Accuracy can help compare configurations, software requirements, and the training your crew needs.

Browse the CHCNAV product catalog for manufacturer details. The AA6 includes imaging and the AA15 package includes C5; the AU20 option above requires an additional camera for RGB imagery.

Choose Your Software

CoPre prepares the captured data. CoProcess turns the processed point cloud into survey deliverables. SmartGo flight-control software is separate from the optional desktop processing licenses below.

• No New Software - Use Existing License: Adds no new desktop software license. Select this when you already have compatible licenses or an established processing workflow.
• CoPre Standard - Perpetual: Includes one perpetual CoPre Standard license for trajectory processing, point-cloud generation, georeferencing, alignment, and colorization when supported imagery is available. Suitable when you will complete drafting or terrain analysis in existing software. P/N: 4109020543.
• CoPre Perpetual + CoProcess Pro 1-Year: Includes one perpetual CoPre Standard license plus one 12-month CoProcess Professional license. CoProcess Pro adds Classification, Vector, Volume, and Terrain modules for point-cloud editing, drafting, surface modeling, contours, and earthwork calculations. CoProcess Professional 1-year P/N: 1400070088.
• CoPre + CoProcess Pro - Both Perpetual: Includes one perpetual license for each application. Recommended for teams that prefer perpetual licenses for both processing stages. CoProcess Professional perpetual P/N: 140007008A.

The one-year term applies to CoProcess only; its bundled CoPre license is perpetual. CoProcess packages are supplied without an additional USB dongle. CoPre Airborne 3D Modeling, CoCloud, and other separately licensed modules are not included.

From Flight Plan to Deliverables

1. Plan and capture: Build the mission in SmartGo, check the selected payload and battery setup, and capture the required LiDAR and imagery.
2. Process: Use CoPre to process the trajectory and generate, align, and georeference the point cloud. Add RGB color where compatible imagery is available.
3. Analyze and deliver: Use CoProcess Pro or your existing compatible software to classify points, create terrain surfaces and contours, draft features, and calculate volumes. Deliverables depend on the selected licenses and project workflow.

Battery Packages — BS10 Included in Every Option

The X500 operates with two B10 intelligent flight batteries installed. The selector shows the total number of batteries supplied, including the operating pair. B10 battery P/N: 0201051284.

• 2 B10 Batteries Total + BS10 Station: One operating pair and one station.
• 4 B10 Batteries Total + BS10 Station: One operating pair, one spare pair, and one station. Recommended for regular field use.
• 6 B10 Batteries Total + BS10 Station: One operating pair, two spare pairs, and one station for repeated missions.

Each option includes one BS10 intelligent battery station (P/N: 0201051419). The station holds up to six B10 batteries and charges two simultaneously. Reference charging times are approximately 40 minutes from 20% to 90%, or 70 minutes for a full charge of two batteries, under the manufacturer's specified conditions. Additional battery pairs help you rotate packs between flights; charging requires a suitable AC power source.

Recommended Configurations

The AA6 Survey Package is our recommended starting configuration for teams building a LiDAR-to-terrain workflow: it combines capture, point-cloud processing, terrain tools, and a spare battery pair.

Technical Specifications

Flight times are manufacturer test maxima measured at approximately 10 m/s in windless conditions to battery depletion. Plan missions with appropriate battery reserves; actual endurance varies with payload, environment, and flight mode. Aircraft positioning specifications are separate from the accuracy of the selected LiDAR system and final survey deliverables.

What's Included

• 1 × CHCNAV X500 drone package; aircraft P/N: S10614504050205002
• 1 × EC10 remote controller
• 2, 4, or 6 × B10 intelligent flight batteries, according to the selected Battery Package
• 1 × BS10 intelligent battery station, included in every Battery Package
• X500 accessories kit and transport container
• 1 × pair of X500 propellers supplied with the package
• Landing pad and stakes
• Two spare antennas and international universal plug adapter
• Quick-start guide and package checklist
• Selected LiDAR package and desktop software licenses, if chosen

A GNSS base station, correction-service subscription, processing computer, and separate photogrammetry camera are not included unless specifically identified in the selected package. For an existing or third-party payload, confirm the required mounting, cabling, and supported integration before ordering.

Absolute Accuracy Support and Training

Work with Absolute Accuracy to build a practical workflow around your X500. We can help you choose the LiDAR system, camera configuration, software licenses, and battery package that fit your projects, and identify any additional equipment needed before you order.

Ask about setup assistance and training for your team. Topics can include aircraft and controller orientation, battery care and charging, SmartGo mission planning, payload setup, data handling, and the CoPre-to-CoProcess workflow. We can also help coordinate troubleshooting and manufacturer support as questions arise.

Contact us to discuss your team's experience, project requirements, and preferred training format. Training scope, scheduling, and any fees are confirmed with your quote. Call (323) 662-9237 or email info@aaisurvey.com to plan your package and onboarding.

Download the CHCNAV X500 datasheet  |  Explore the CHCNAV product catalog