Panomax: 100 Million High-resolution Panoramic Images

On August 10, 2010 at 4:29 p.m. the time had come: The first of the high-resolution panorama cameras from Panomax delivered the premiere image of the Franz-Josefs-Höhe on the Grossglockner. Only a dozen years have passed since then and there are now over a hundred million images captured by 635 cameras from 19 countries on all five continents. All of these images are permanently stored in an archive which, over the years, has also proven to be the innovative start-up’s greatest treasure.

Just below the Grießenkar from the roof of the "Flying Mozart" mountain station in Wagrain, one of these special cameras has been showing the highest quality 360-degree images of the surrounding Pongau mountain landscape around the clock since December 2021. And of all things, this camera in the home town of Salzburg delivered the 100 millionth image to the server of the Henndorf-based company on December 26, 2022 at 8:20 a.m. Company founder and owner Dipl.-Ing. (FH) Klaus Mairinger therefore insisted on printing out the corresponding picture in large format and presenting this 9 meter long and 1.12 meter high photo to the Bergbahnen management.

“Best Shots” create a holiday mood with just one click

Snow Space Salzburg CEO Ing. Wolfgang Hettegger was also pleased and, after a year of experience with the Panomax service, not only appreciates the fantastic winter pictures: "Thanks to the permanent archive and the integrated "Best Shots" function, we also have the best proof that that winter sports live with nature 365 days a year. An ecologically compatible use of the slopes during the summer not only provides first-class pictures, but also lays the foundation for top slopes during the winter. Lush greenery in summer and blooming alpine pastures where people ski down the slopes in winter are what all our guests appreciate in terms of the most sustainable use of the landscape possible."

If you take a closer look at the company, it quickly becomes apparent that it is not just about the cameras, but above all about the software: the customers are put together with a complete package that not only offers them the pictures, but a variety of options gives the hand: The integration of these images on their own website, a 24-hour live stream, which is delivered in a TV-ready format, and of course a dynamic automatic pixelation of all people and car license plates shown in order to comply with data protection, are just a few of them . In principle, every Panomax customer can wish for individual functions for their own benefit, the implementation of which is already included in the price. Also included are remote maintenance and monitoring,

Weather data at the touch of a button

Because Klaus Mairinger soon recognized the enormous potential behind the pictures. And that is mainly due to the linking of the high-resolution image data with other data relevant to the user, such as time-lapse from the archive, weather data and maps, in which so-called "hotspots" can be integrated. At the touch of a button, these then provide further information on particularly interesting places or other camera locations in the area.

Today, after around twelve years, it is no longer just about fantastic shots for tourism, which allow holidaymakers to relive their most beautiful impressions in cinema quality. Rescue organizations such as the Christophorus helicopter fleet of the ÖAMTC now rely just as much on the image information linked to flight weather data as geoscientists when it comes to observing changes in our glaciers using the example of the Pasterze.

Live streams from the mountains and the seas

In any case, the resourceful entrepreneur Mairinger is bursting with new ideas, many of which are already being implemented. The most up-to-date of these are high-resolution live stream cameras on ships and automatic linking to GPS data so that you can follow a ship's voyage from your own vantage point at any time. A small company from Salzburg's Flachgau seems to be on the way to becoming a hidden champion. Constant innovative further development of the range of products and services as well as job and cooperation opportunities on all five continents show the economic power behind good ideas if they are only implemented consistently.

www.panomax.com