ILMF10 Reporter

If you are planning on attending the International Lidar Mapping Forum to be held in Denver, Colorado, USA from 3rd to 5th March 2010, or are perhaps there already as you read this, please do consider writing a report on proceedings to be published in these pages.

The ILMF Technical Committee has again organised a wide-ranging conference programme of technical papers submitted by international experts. With airborne Lidar mapping now well accepted as a cost-effective and accurate method of creating large-area topographic maps or digital elevation models, a new session at ILMF10 is devoted to mobile mapping, the cutting-edge technology for development of digital maps for highways and urban areas. The accuracy and speed of data capture in the field by Mobile Mapping technology supersedes traditional survey methods, and applications for the data include 3D maps, advanced driver-assistance systems and vehicle fleet management.

According to conference chairman Alastair MacDonald of TMS International, "Mobile mapping comprises complex integration of a number of sensors, including high-accuracy positioning, digital photographic and 3D imaging cameras and terrestrial Lidar systems, all computer linked, time synchronised and contained on a single vehicle. The advantages of mobile mapping are speed of data acquisition and recording of ‘real world' situations; geo-referenced information; increased efficiency and productivity as many different forms of data are acquired simultaneously rather than requiring separate survey missions; and accuracy of data resulting from the high resolution and precision of the sensors, which can be verified very quickly on site."

The ILMF Conference agenda will be delivered by representatives of the major global Lidar system manufacturers, service providers and government and national user organisations.

If you are interested in contributing, please contact editor in chief Roosmarijn Haring.