Drones took photography to literal new heights, but when it comes to photo editing, aerial images tend to have a few quirks to correct. On Thursday, March 7, Skylum launched an artificially intelligent photo editor designed specifically for aerial shots called AirMagic.
Like Skylum’s A.I.-powered photo editor Photolemur, AirMagic requires little input to actually edit images. Photographers drag the images into the app and the software does the rest, relying on machine learning to determine what should be adjusted and how. Because the software is trained specifically for aerial images, the company says the program is better able to capture the issues that frequently pop up in aerial photography, such as haze, contrast, sharpness, saturation, and chromatic aberration.
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The program first uses the metadata to determine which drone was used to capture the image in order to work with the camera’s specific lens and color profile. After making corrections, the program’s algorithms address issues specific to the image. Skylum says the program can enhance the sky, remove haze, adjust the color and other adjustments based on the input image.
AirMagic can work with multiple images in groups, working with up to 4GB of images at a time. Supporting major image formats, the program also works with RAW files. AirMagic can be used as a stand-alone program, or as a Photoshop or Lightroom plugin.
“We see our mission in creating easy-to-use yet powerful solutions for those who take photos. As experts in photo editing and A.I. technologies, we’ve created a unique, automated photo editing tool for aerial and drone photography. While drones are used by hobbyist and professional photographers alike, they’re also in growing usage in various fields ranging from safety and real estate to industrial and agricultural. I believe AirMagic will completely change the landscape for how aerial images are processed,” Alex Tsepko, CEO of Skylum, said in a press release.
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Outside of using the software for better photos, the company says the program can also be used in public safety and agriculture to quickly adjust groups of images, removing haze, and improve the image to see the data clearly.
AirMagic, available for Mac and PC, retails for $39 as a license that can be used on up to two computers. As part of a launch special, Skylum is bundling the software with a $40 discount on the Lume Cube drone lighting kit, along with a drone photography ebook, a video class, and premium style set for the same price, valid through March 20.
