Pegasus & Hydra — The Engineering Breakthroughs Powering the Future

Welcome to another edition of Stitchless, Circle Optics in Focus, a behind-the-scenes deep dive into the vision, technology, leadership, and integration that makes Circle Optics a pioneer in real-time panoramic imaging. This special feature of the 360 Pulse Podcast explores the advancements pushing the boundaries of imaging technology and redefining what is possible. In this four-part series, the discussion centers on the why behind the company's process. Episode 2 of Stitchless takes a deep look at Circle Optics technology, focusing on innovation and application. Joining the discussion are CEO Zak Niazi and COO Ian Gauger.

The Genesis of Hydra: A Paradigm Shift in Imaging

Niazi explained the technology in front of them. “What you’re seeing here is Hydra, the world's first stitch-free 360-degree camera system, and Pegasus, our variant of that product for drone technology for detect and avoid.”

Many listeners might not be familiar with the full genesis story of Hydra. Niazi shared how this innovation came to life.

“When I was a student in college, I was curious, why don’t we have cameras on top of cars? If we have cameras on top of cars mapping the streets of the planet with Google Street View, why can’t I strap on a virtual reality headset right now and walk around Benicidli or the pyramids of Egypt? I love to travel, and so I wanted to be able to experience any location in 60 frames a second, not just through one photo per street block.”

His curiosity led him to a mentor who explained a key limitation in existing imaging technology: parallax. “The camera technology that was existing at Google at the time had these defects called parallax, where imagery must be stitched together. It’s incredibly complex and cumbersome, taking several hours per minute of film. Because of all the post-processing involved, it wasn’t scalable.”

Realizing this problem, Niazi envisioned a new kind of technology that wouldn’t require stitching in the first place. “I wanted to build a technology that didn’t have that issue so we could scalably capture these experiences. That’s what Hydra is all about—it cuts down the processing time significantly. Instead of needing a human in the loop to edit content in cumbersome tools like Mystica VR or PT GUI, we eliminate that friction completely. With Hydra, anyone, anywhere, can become a 360-degree camera expert with the click of a button.”

Stitching with Hardware, Not Software

The design of Hydra was groundbreaking in optical technology. “People hadn’t done polygons in a way that if you actually put a whole bunch of polygons together, you can create a way to stitch with hardware instead of software.”

The Birth of Pegasus: Meeting Industry Needs

Niazi also discussed the purpose and use cases of Pegasus. “When it comes to Pegasus, this was really born out of talking to different folks in the market. Specifically, we got connected with NASA a few years back.”

NASA faced a major challenge—ensuring drones and EVTOLs (electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicles) could safely navigate airspace. “The FAA put forward requirements for wide-field-of-view technology that can see long distances in a small package to keep airspace safe. Radar that could do this was too bulky, and existing optical solutions only saw about a kilometer out.”

Circle Optics collaborated with NASA to develop Pegasus, incorporating its stitch-free lens design to help autonomous aerial vehicles detect and avoid obstacles. “We package all that resolution in the direction that the drone is flying, allowing it to see very far out. These panoramic views keep large drones safe from colliding with other air traffic.”

COO Ian Gauger on Team Synergy

Gauger, who plays a crucial role in operationalizing this technology, described how he coordinates a team with over 200 patents combined across engineering, software, and mechanical disciplines. “Hiring really talented people is key. The important thing about leadership is that you set the vision, provide direction, and then trust your team to get there. There’s just not enough time in the day to micromanage everyone. Talented people will get the job done, and we redirect when needed, but our team is full of experienced engineers and managers who know what to do.”

Gauger described some of the biggest challenges the team has overcome.

“On the engineering side, one of the early challenges was manufacturing. We had very tight tolerances in our system, making it difficult to find manufacturers who could meet our specifications affordably.” Over time, Circle Optics refined these tolerances through mechanical and software techniques, improving efficiency and reducing costs.

Another major challenge came in 2020. “Right as we were taking off, I joined the team in January 2019, and we were rapidly growing. Then, in 2020, we all know what happened. We suddenly had to shift from working in the office 12 to 16 hours a day to working remotely.”

The team had to quickly adapt their entire workflow, including finding ways to remotely access and operate lab equipment. “It was a challenge the whole world faced. But being an agile startup, we adapted quickly. Now, we have remote workers in other states, and most employees work in a hybrid model. It’s actually a really nice situation we’ve figured out here.”

Meeting Market Needs: Pegasus & Hydra’s Unique Advantage

Gauger explained how Pegasus and Hydra stand out in the market. “What’s unique about them is that everything we do is panoramic, high-fidelity, and in real time. No one else can do all three. Other systems always drop one of those features unless they use our technology. That’s what makes our solutions so unique and why almost every wide-field-of-view application needs them these days.”

The work being done at Circle Optics is not just about cameras—it’s about reimagining how the world is experienced in real time. From eliminating the barriers of 360-video processing to keeping the skies safe with high-fidelity imaging, this technology is pushing the frontiers of possibility.

Be sure to follow the journey at Circle Optics, subscribe to 360 Pulse Podcast, and share this story with others who are passionate about the future of imaging technology.