ABOUT RAPID IMAGING

About

Rapid Imaging is a situational awareness technology provider delivering products leveraging geospatial augmented reality and artificial intelligence to Government and Enterprise Customers.

Based in Middleton, WI, Rapid Imaging licenses situational awareness technologies designed to deliver enhanced perception, comprehension, and projection to end-users, thereby promoting situational awareness and improving operational efficiency and effectiveness. 

Leadership

Rapid Imaging’s leadership team has over two decades of experience in the video analytics industry, encompassing both military and commercial markets.  The team’s expertise is derived from decades of development and integration support related to Rapid Imaging’s video processing solutions which have been utilized by customers such as NASA, the FAA, and the United States Army.  Rapid Imaging’s  strategic focus is on developing the best situational awareness tools on the market to empower customers world-wide with advanced image and video analytics solutions leveraging geospatial augmented reality and artificial intelligence.      

Team

Rapid Imaging’s team is committed to delivering innovative products that deliver a stream-lined user-experience promoting efficiency and effectiveness across mission-sets.    

David Geisler
Chief Executive Officer

Mr. Geisler is a Marine veteran with over two decades of experience in the UAS industry. Mr. Geisler assisted in the creation of the United States Marine Corps' first unmanned aviation squadron, VMU-2, where he flew the RQ2A Pioneer UAS in support of operations around the world.  Today, Mr. Geisler serves as CEO of Rapid Imaging.

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Zach Fiene
Chief Operating Officer

Mr. Fiene has eight years of experience in the Unmanned Aircraft Systems industry. As COO of Rapid Imaging, Mr. Fiene oversees operations as well as strategic planning and execution, including program management of over SmartCam3D® licenses utilized by the US Army Unmanned Systems Program.  

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Mike Abernathy
Founder (Ret.)

Rapid Imaging was founded by Augmented Reality pioneer Mike Abernathy in 1995.  Mr. Abernathy has a storied career in aviation software, developing products for NASA, the FAA and the US DoD.  

David Dvergsten
Senior Software Engineer

David Dvergsten is Rapid Imaging's Senior Software Engineer.  Mr. Dvergsten oversees all Rapid Imaging software products leveraged by the Department of Defense and large Enterprise users.  

Mason Berres
Software Engineer

Mr. Berres oversees a wide variety of software engineering efforts at Rapid Imaging ranging from sUAS pilot applications on Android and iOS, to Rapid Imaging's latest product, a comprehensive ISR mission management system called LandForm® X.  

George Ohm
Software Engineering Intern

Mr. Ohm is a software engineering intern who currently attends the University of Wisconsin - Madison. Mr. Ohm works on a variety of software engineering efforts related to Rapid Imaging's comprehensive airborne ISR mission management system, LandForm® X.

Business

In 1996, Rapid Imaging’s Synthetic Vision software, LandForm® VisualFlight, was used to land the NASA X-38.  Astronaut Ken Ham touted the advanced flight visualization system as the, “best seat in the house.” Today, Rapid Imaging’s software is deployed with all U.S. Army Tactical Unmanned Aircraft Systems, including Hunter, Shadow, and Gray Eagle, as a module within the Universal Ground Control Station. Rapid Imaging continues to innovate to further advance our Department of Defense, Government, and Enterprise Customers.

Core Technologies

Rapid Imaging utilizes two core technologies, geospatial augmented reality and artificial intelligence.

Augmented Reality

Geospatial AR

At the heart of Rapid Imaging’s geospatial augmented reality technologies is SmartCam3D®, a proprietary framework designed to promote situational awareness by blending geospatial data with live video frames to create full-motion-video with a geographic context.  

Artificial Intelligence

neural networks

Rapid Imaging’s artificial intelligence technologies utilize convolutional neural networks to efficiently process full-motion video and provide real-time image classification or object detection on mobile devices and other low Size, Weight and Power (SWaP) devices.

Patents

Rapid Imaging holds four patents related to airborne analytics and information display.

US

8649917B1

Measurement of Vertical Obstructions

US

8300096B2

Measurement of Vertical Obstructions

US

944685B2

Landing Hazard Avoidance Display

US

10353389B2

Augmented Reality Cross-Cuing Systems

Rapid Imaging History

Rapid Imaging Software, Inc. Founded

January 1, 1985

Rapid Imaging Software, Inc. Founded

Rapid Imaging Software, Inc. was originally founded in 1985 by augmented reality pioneer Mike Abernathy.

Pioneering Augmented Reality Development

June 17, 1993

Pioneering Augmented Reality Development

In 1993, Mr. Abernathy demonstrates one of the first successful AR applications, designed to track space debris.

LandForm® Synthetic Vision

March 7, 1995

LandForm® Synthetic Vision

In 1995, Mr. Abernathy develops Rapid Imaging’s first product, Landform®, a synthetic vision software utilized on manned and unmanned aircraft.

Advanced Flight Visualization Toolkit

March 4, 1998

Advanced Flight Visualization Toolkit

In 1998, Rapid Imaging was awarded a Phase I SBIR with NASA to develop the Advanced Flight Visualization Toolkit (AFVT).  The AFVT project

Integrated Video for Synthetic Vision Systems

March 1, 2001

Integrated Video for Synthetic Vision Systems

The Integrated Video for Synthetic Vision project aimed to create a unique software technology to seamlessly add real-time video capture to proven

SmarTopo® Intelligent Real-Time Topographic Information Collection System – Phase I

March 12, 2003

SmarTopo® Intelligent Real-Time Topographic Information Collection System – Phase I

In 2003, Rapid Imaging secured a Phase I SBIR with NASA to develop SmartTopo, the first technology designed to provide robotic vehicles

SmarTopo® Intelligent Real-Time Topographic Information Collection System – Phase II

March 2, 2005

SmarTopo® Intelligent Real-Time Topographic Information Collection System – Phase II

In 2005, Rapid Imaging secured a Phase II SBIR with NASA to further develop SmartTopo®.

Advanced Situational Awareness Technology

March 21, 2007

Advanced Situational Awareness Technology

In 2007, Rapid Imaging was awarded a contract to develop Advanced Situation Awareness Technologies (ASAT) to facilitate exploration of the moon surface

SmarTopo® Intelligent Real-Time Topographic Information Collection System – Phase III

March 3, 2012

SmarTopo® Intelligent Real-Time Topographic Information Collection System – Phase III

In 2011, Rapid Imaging secured a Phase III SBIR to commercialize SmartTopo® for the United States Department of Transportation/Federal Aviation Administration in

LandForm® Deployed to Africa

March 5, 2015

LandForm® Deployed to Africa

In 2015, Rapid Imaging officially released LandForm®, a manned aviation, mission management solution designed to empower sensor operators with enhanced situational awareness. 

Rapid Imaging Succession

November 30, 2017

Rapid Imaging Succession

In late 2017, Mike Abernathy, the founder and CEO of Rapid Imaging Software, Inc. retired and the assets of the company were

Rapid Imaging Relocates

March 1, 2018

Rapid Imaging Relocates

In March of 2018, Rapid Imaging establishes its new headquarters in Middleton, WI.

SmartCam3D® Plugin for ATAK

March 5, 2019

SmartCam3D® Plugin for ATAK

In early March, 2019, Rapid Imaging secured a Phase I SBIR with the United States Air Force to investigate the feasibility of

Veteran Owned

Rapid Imaging is proudly certified by the Department of Veterans Affairs as a Wisconsin Veteran Owned Small Business. The company is owned by former United States Marine David P. Geisler.