Recent Trends in Four Lidar Technologies
Lidar technology is synonymous with 3D point clouds. To get the most out of 3D point cloud data, it is necessary to step back and continually consider the newest trends in Lidar technology and how the...
Remote Sensing
Remote sensing is all about gathering information on the earth using techniques that are ‘at a distance’ rather than touching the earth. Generally speaking remote sensing produces either point cloud data or imagery. The data is further processed using [geographical information systems] as part of [cartography].
Often Remote Sensing is differentiated by the type of platform or sensor used. Platforms can range from satellites through aircraft and drones to cars and ships. From a sensor perspective, Remote Sensing is a broad field that encompasses techniques such as [photogrammetry] and [lidar] but also [echosounding]. Often a form of ground truthing is required to transform the Remotely Sensed data into comprehensible products.
SfM Photogrammetry for 3D Terrain Mapping
The technique known as structure from motion (SfM) has been suggested as a valid alternative to traditional photogrammetric methods. In a project in Glasgow, UK, an RTK-based point-to-point validation...
Usage of UAVs for Flat Roof Drainage Calculations
Modelling of urban areas, with emphasis on flat roof drainage calculations, is one application field in which the use of UAVs has significantly increased in recent years. A calibration base, built at ...
Lidar Crop Classification with Data Fusion and Machine Learning
A recent study created crop type maps using Lidar, Sentinel-2 and aerial data along with several machine learning classification algorithms for differentiating four crop types in an intensively cultiv...
Satellite Imagery: An Aerial Alternative
Remote sensing projects often begin with the question: 'Should I use aerial imagery or satellite imagery?'. During long-term projects, this question may arise again, particularly when unforeseen circu...
How Geospatial AI Leads to Smart Urban Ecosystems
The possibilities of geoAI for monitoring Mother Nature are limitless according to Dr Nadina Galle, an ecological engineer and entrepreneur dedicated to applying emerging technologies. The use of sate...
Unlocking the Full Potential of UAVs for Advanced Mapping
In this edition of ‘Ask the Specialist’ the question is: how can we unlock the full potential of drones for advanced mapping operations? For our ‘Ask the Specialist’ features, we invite reader...
Bright Perspectives of Mapping from Above
Recent technological developments have made aerial surveying more exciting than ever. For imagery, ground resolutions of 2cm can now be reached, whereas for Lidar, pulse frequencies of 4GHz and point ...
Understanding Spatial Resolution
Earth observation (EO) from space is important for resource monitoring and management. The performance of optical EO sensors is determined by four resolutions: spatial, spectral, radiometric and tempo...
The Future of Lidar is Critical to the Future of Our World
What will be the future of Lidar? To quote Abraham Lincoln: “The most reliable way to predict the future is to create it”. So what is currently being created in the geospatial market? This article...
Bathymetry from UAV Imagery and Machine Learning
Accurate bathymetric mapping of shallow areas is essential for many offshore activities. Through Structure from Motion (SfM) and Multiview Stereo (MVS) techniques, images can provide a low-cost alter...
The New Era of Mobile Scanning
Indoor mobile mapping is well past the tipping point and is about to go mainstream. In this interview, Felix Reinshagen from NavVis shares his views on the future, including his confidence that there ...
Kinematic Laser Scanning in Assessing Urban Land Use and Utility Infrastructure
How can kinematic laser scanning support urban planning and infrastructure management? Urbanization and the development of megacities is posing critical challenges for sustainable but efficient land u...
How Geospatial Technology Facilitates Remote Tourism
COVID-19 has transformed our ability to travel and explore the world, which has brought a renewed focus on the importance of digital outreach based on geospatial technology. COVID-19 has transformed o...
Lidar Data – A Perfect Tool for Archaeology
A few obstacles are making the usage of Lidar data in archaeology look exotic and perhaps even threatening, according to archaeologist Jošt Hobič from Slovenia, even though Lidar is almost a must wh...